Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Hi everyone. I'm looking for some advice on how to manage the heat and humidity levels in my tank.
Right now I have a 15 gallon tank (I think anyway, I've owned this tank for a long time) with 3 small hermies (1 PP and 2 Es). For the first few days, the temp and humidity levels were a steady 80-85. A few mornings ago, I woke up to a drastically low humidity level - I believe it was around 45%. I took some emergency actions and got the humidity back to where it should be. Since then, however, the temperature has been a constant 75, and the humidity still fluctuates between 50-90% and I can't figure out why, especially because I had no issues maintaining the same in the beginning. My hermies have been very active considering, I haven't noticed any changes in their behavior.
I have an UTH on the side of my tank for heating purposes. The substrate is sand castle consistency, there's damp coconut fiber, damp moss, three saturated sponges, and a full water dish. I also mist when needed. I have noticed that since getting the UTH, the water in the pool dish evaporates quite quickly and the sponges dry out.
Can anyone guide me on what I may be doing wrong?
Thank you!
Right now I have a 15 gallon tank (I think anyway, I've owned this tank for a long time) with 3 small hermies (1 PP and 2 Es). For the first few days, the temp and humidity levels were a steady 80-85. A few mornings ago, I woke up to a drastically low humidity level - I believe it was around 45%. I took some emergency actions and got the humidity back to where it should be. Since then, however, the temperature has been a constant 75, and the humidity still fluctuates between 50-90% and I can't figure out why, especially because I had no issues maintaining the same in the beginning. My hermies have been very active considering, I haven't noticed any changes in their behavior.
I have an UTH on the side of my tank for heating purposes. The substrate is sand castle consistency, there's damp coconut fiber, damp moss, three saturated sponges, and a full water dish. I also mist when needed. I have noticed that since getting the UTH, the water in the pool dish evaporates quite quickly and the sponges dry out.
Can anyone guide me on what I may be doing wrong?
Thank you!
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Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Some moss would be good and spray mist it with either fresh water and salt or make 2 moss pits with sprayed salt and fresh water so they can have good humidity
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Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Or if it keeps doing that u might need new essentials
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Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Hello! Welcome to the HCA!
Have you calibrated your hygrometer? http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 26&t=92540
Here is the emergency template so that we can help you: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 27&t=46102
I personally love glass tops - they help hold in humidity well - but you cannot use heat lamps with them. If you have a mesh lid, you can use saran wrap or press n seal to keep humidity in.
I don't recommend misting regularly. That can lead to flooding your tank. Moss pits work, adding air stones ("bubblers") to the pools helps too.![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![butterfly :butterfly::](./images/smilies/butterfly.gif)
Have you calibrated your hygrometer? http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 26&t=92540
Here is the emergency template so that we can help you: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 27&t=46102
I personally love glass tops - they help hold in humidity well - but you cannot use heat lamps with them. If you have a mesh lid, you can use saran wrap or press n seal to keep humidity in.
I don't recommend misting regularly. That can lead to flooding your tank. Moss pits work, adding air stones ("bubblers") to the pools helps too.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Truly blessed to have incredible creatures, wonderful friends and my amazing family in my life!! I'm very thankful & grateful for all of them! www.thehealthyhermit.com
Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
This is probably a dumb questions
haha, but do glass tops have to have holes or open areas for air to get in? I currently have a glass top, but there are about 1 inch openings on each side. Could this be the cause?
![innocent :innocent:](./images/smilies/angel.gif)
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Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
My glass tops do not have any openings. Perhaps you ordered the wrong top. If you purchase the correct size it should fit the tank snug. ![](http://emoji.tapatalk-cdn.com/emoji4.png)
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Truly blessed to have incredible creatures, wonderful friends and my amazing family in my life!! I'm very thankful & grateful for all of them! www.thehealthyhermit.com
Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Mine fit snug as well. I would add some sedan wrap, press n seal, or tin foil to your gaps. Doing so should solve the problem.
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Crabbing since Dec. 2010!
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Thanks everyone. I covered the openings with plastic wrap and walaa! The humidity has been 85% since last night. I always thought glass tops had to have some openings to allow oxygen in.
Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
Daily food changes allows enough oxygen to enter the tank ![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
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![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
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Crabbing since Dec. 2010!
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
Re: Difficulty Maintaining Heat/Humidity?
@Undercrablife, does spraying the moss with saltwater kill it?