New Tank Help Please!!

[Ktjeremycrab]

Hello!

I have been “helping” my 8 year old son care for his 2 medium sized hermit crabs for the past 5 (!!) years. They are currently in a 20gallon High tank and it is in need of a complete overhaul. I have been reading and learning so much from these boards and have purchased a 40 gallon tank that I am very excited about.
Here are my questions:
- we exclusively used 3 blocks of Zoo Med Hermit Soil/ eco earth until last year when my sister bought a pack of Flukers hermit beach sand which we mixed in- we are nowhere near the sand/soil ratio that other people suggest. Should I add more sand to our mix? Or keep it soil heavy since our crabs have done so well with it for the past 5 years? I’m nervous to do anything that will upset what they’re used to….

-I read on these boards that I should keep their current substrate and add it to the new tank along with the new substrate. Do you mix the old with the new? Or put the new in on the bottom and then layer the old on top?

- how should I clean the new tank before setting it up? I’m wary of using cleaners (I guess I’m afraid that they might leave behind toxic residues?) and usually just boil anything that I’m putting in the tank. But I don’t want to pour boiling water into the new tank for fear of cracking it….

- I bought a bunch of different gravity feeders and water systems (made by snout & shell and Fluker) they are plastic and I don’t think I can boil them to sterilize. The same with the plastic hermit crab running wheel. I also bought some moss covered climbing poles and a moss covered bridge…. how do I sterilize these before putting them in the tank?

Thank you so much for any help you can give. I’m terrified of upsetting their ecosystem, but also want to give them the best!

[HermitCrabFreak]

Q: we exclusively used 3 blocks of Zoo Med Hermit Soil/ eco earth until last year when my sister bought a pack of Flukers hermit beach sand which we mixed in- we are nowhere near the sand/soil ratio that other people suggest. Should I add more sand to our mix? Or keep it soil heavy since our crabs have done so well with it for the past 5 years? I’m nervous to do anything that will upset what they’re used to….

A: With deeper substrate, your going to want a minimum of 50/50 sand to eco earth ratio because the sand allows them to tunnel when tehy molt. Eco Earth is good too, but it's more likely to collapse in on their tunnels. I reccommend going to a hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes and buy the 50lb bags of playsand. (They are in the same isle as concrete.) Here is the forum for substrate and I reccomend reading through this -- there is a lot of great information and will tell you everything you need to know and how to do it: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92542


Q:I read on these boards that I should keep their current substrate and add it to the new tank along with the new substrate. Do you mix the old with the new? Or put the new in on the bottom and then layer the old on top?

A: Tbh, someone might have a better response to this than me but I think either way would be fine but if you want to be safe than you can keep their old substrate on top.



Q: how should I clean the new tank before setting it up? I’m wary of using cleaners (I guess I’m afraid that they might leave behind toxic residues?) and usually just boil anything that I’m putting in the tank. But I don’t want to pour boiling water into the new tank for fear of cracking it….

A: Vinegar. Vinegar is a great and safe cleaner for hermit crab tanks, dishes, etc. They sell it in large bottles (like a gallon+) and I have used that to clean my tanks. Just use like any other cleaner and then you can rinse or wipe away with water.



Q: I bought a bunch of different gravity feeders and water systems (made by snout & shell and Fluker) they are plastic and I don’t think I can boil them to sterilize. The same with the plastic hermit crab running wheel. I also bought some moss covered climbing poles and a moss covered bridge…. how do I sterilize these before putting them in the tank?

A: For the gravity feeders I would use vinegar again. As for the moss, I would say boil it maybe?

I just finished setting up my own 40g tank if you'd like to take a look for some possible inspiration as well viewtopic.php?f=8&t=128314

[Ktjeremycrab]

Thank you SO MUCH for your help!!! Ok, last question (I hope!) I think I should add an extra heat mat- either on the bottom of the tank or on the side (currently, I have one on the bottom of the tank and one on the side.) with a tank the size do I stick with a 16 W Mat? How many heat mats Do people generally use?

[Ktjeremycrab]

Oh my!! Your 40G is BEAUTIFUL!!! I love how you have it set up!! And I see you use only sand, and heat lamps! Do you find that the wooden elements get moldy? I had some in our old tank and they just did not last long...

And I am so sorry, but I do have more substrate questions. Should I mix the damp Eco Earth with the dry sand all together? Or layer them? Do I get the sand wet before I put it in the tank? Or just let the sogginess of the EE give it enough moisture?

[HermitCrabFreak]

As for the heat mat, you want it on the sides of the tank. I put a large on the back and because my tank gets a lot of sunlight, it stays warm enough. So depending on where you live, climate wise, you may need more if you live in a colder region. In winter, I will probably add a second heating mat. But you definitely want them on the sides on the tank and not on the bottom because they can dry up the sand if you put them underneath.

The wooden element isnt made of actual wood, so it doesnt get moldy. It's like a plaster-type material. I bought it from a pet store.

As for the sand, I have done it in the past where I just put the sand in the tank and then dump some gallons of water in there and mix it up along with the eco earth. But this time, I pre-wet the sand and it worked a lot better for me. So I put the sand in a bucket and ran water through it in the bathtub until the sand was wet. and then emptied any access water and put the sand in like that and so far it has kept the sand at a perfect "sand-castle" consistency. So whatever way that works to get the sand to that consistency is perfectly fine. And that forum I posted in my last comment also goes through this stuff and talks about what kind of sand to use, the eco-earth to sand ratios, how to wet the sand, etc.

P.S.- I do have those hea lamps on top but I dont actually use them. I have them there for now because Im actually using cardboard as a lid for now until I get a glass lid so the heat lamps are just being used as weights on top of the cardboard for now lol. But you can use heat lamps if your tank is too cold, just make sure that they don't zap up the humidity (because they tend to do that if left on for too long).

[Ktjeremycrab]

Thank you so much again! How big is the heat mat you’re currently using and do you happen to know the wattage? Or do you have a link? I read that Ultratherm makes a good one. Right now I have 3(!!) various sized heater mats stuck to my 20g tank but I’d love to just get one good one for the new tank…
Also I’d love a recommendation for a good Hygrometer if you happen to have one, and a link to the rain mister that you’re using if you don’t mind sharing?! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

[HermitCrabFreak]

- I'm using the large ZooMed heating mat. It's 8x18inches and 24 watts. Although, I have also heard really good things about Ultratherm but I have no personal experience with them. But I am planning on trying them out in the winter if I need to add a second one.
https://www.amazon.com/LABORATORIES-Rep ... ast_sto_dp

- Here's a link for the rain mister system. It's honestly really great! You can choose how often it goes off and for how long. It's so much easier than spraying the tank throughout the day.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPPG6F4S?re ... asin_title

- This is the hydrometer I bought at PetSmart...
(But just a warning, as I went to go find you the link I noticed it doesn't have great reviews. I know it reads accuraetly for me because when I had it outside of the tank it read exactly what our room temp. is set to. But the reviews almost make me want to get a second one just to make sure I am having accurate readings. So far it does seem to be working for me so here it is just in case, but you can also pick these up at hardware stores and Amazon sells them as well.)
https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/enviro ... 65039.html
Here's one from Amazon that seems to have better reviews: https://a.co/d/dwbRvmR

And no problem! Happy to help

[Ktjeremycrab]

Thank you again!! I just bought a 50lb bag of playsand, but after reading the boards I’m wondering if I need more? Someone said they used 200lbs in their 40g tank on Reddit!!! Would you mind sharing how much sand and how bricks of EE you used in your setup?

[HermitCrabFreak]

The tank I have right now has 2.5-3 bags (of the 50lb play sand) and it's at 6 inches. I haven't used any eco earth. I know they sell big bags of it though if you wanted to mix that in with the sand.

[curlysister]

Q: we exclusively used 3 blocks of Zoo Med Hermit Soil/ eco earth until last year when my sister bought a pack of Flukers hermit beach sand which we mixed in- we are nowhere near the sand/soil ratio that other people suggest. Should I add more sand to our mix? Or keep it soil heavy since our crabs have done so well with it for the past 5 years? I’m nervous to do anything that will upset what they’re used to….

A: With deeper substrate, your going to want a minimum of 50/50 sand to eco earth ratio because the sand allows them to tunnel when tehy molt. Eco Earth is good too, but it's more likely to collapse in on their tunnels. I reccommend going to a hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes and buy the 50lb bags of playsand. (They are in the same isle as concrete.) Here is the forum for substrate and I reccomend reading through this -- there is a lot of great information and will tell you everything you need to know and how to do it: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92542
Curly - I disagree. A person can use all coco fiber/ eco earth, all play sand, or a mix of the two in any ratio. As long as they are moistened so that they are sand castle consistency, the ratio does not matter.

Q:I read on these boards that I should keep their current substrate and add it to the new tank along with the new substrate. Do you mix the old with the new? Or put the new in on the bottom and then layer the old on top?

A: Tbh, someone might have a better response to this than me but I think either way would be fine but if you want to be safe than you can keep their old substrate on top.



Q: how should I clean the new tank before setting it up? I’m wary of using cleaners (I guess I’m afraid that they might leave behind toxic residues?) and usually just boil anything that I’m putting in the tank. But I don’t want to pour boiling water into the new tank for fear of cracking it….

A: Vinegar. Vinegar is a great and safe cleaner for hermit crab tanks, dishes, etc. They sell it in large bottles (like a gallon+) and I have used that to clean my tanks. Just use like any other cleaner and then you can rinse or wipe away with water.

Curly - Vinegar is safe for crabs, and doesn't even need to be rinsed off.

Q: I bought a bunch of different gravity feeders and water systems (made by snout & shell and Fluker) they are plastic and I don’t think I can boil them to sterilize. The same with the plastic hermit crab running wheel. I also bought some moss covered climbing poles and a moss covered bridge…. how do I sterilize these before putting them in the tank?

A: For the gravity feeders I would use vinegar again. As for the moss, I would say boil it maybe?
Curly - Items don't need to be sterilized, just clean. So you can rinse with vinegar and water, or you can just wash with soap and water and rinse in clear water. What are the water systems? Never boil anything plastic - is that what the moss covered items are made of? Also if you boil moss, it will probably disintegrate.

I just finished setting up my own 40g tank if you'd like to take a look for some possible inspiration as well viewtopic.php?f=8&t=128314

[curlysister]

I would use caution with anything like a mister or fogger that will be adding water to your tank, as it will increase the risk of flooding. If your humidity is fine, there is no need to mist at all.

The heat mat should never be under the tank - it is a fire hazard, as they aren't meant to heat through all the substrate we use. Only mount on the back or sides. If you have a ZooMed that is stuck on, you can't peel it off and put it somewhere else. Also they cannot be insulated over top. Ultratherm are excellent, they are attached with tape so can be moved to a different spot or tank, and they can also be insulated over top if needed.

Accurite makes a digital thermometer/ hygrometer combo that I have used for a while now. Any brand will eventually give out in the constant heat and humidity. Also just because the temp is accurated doesn't automatically mean the hygrometer is. If you are worried about the accuracy of the hygrometer, there is a care sheet that tells how to calibrate it.

[Ktjeremycrab]

Thank you so much for the input Curly! I am getting everything prepped to make my substrate tomorrow morning while my kids are at school. I am SO NERVOUS that I am making too big a change/ going to do something wrong and that our sweet hermits won’t survive this tank upgrade. I have spent many hours watching videos/reading posts and this is what I am planning, but I still have so many questions….. please weigh in with any advice!!

As I said in my original post, our crabs have been with us for 5 years, and they have only had a mix of Zoo Med hermit crab soil and Eco Earth, I used filtered water to make their substrate. Based on what I have learned, I want to make some changes to their substrate.
- I bought 3 bags of Quickrete playsand and plan to use it with the new tank. BUT do you think this will be too much of a shock to them? Instead of a 1:5 ratio (.5 bricks per 50pb bag) should I do a 2:5 ratio? (1 brick per 50 lb bag)

Also based on what I have learned I was thinking about mixing the bricks of soil with saltwater instead of fresh. BUT do you think this will be too much of a shock to them? I have Fluker soaking salt for hermit crabs. Should I create saltwater using this and then mix it with the Zoo Med hermit crab soil (or eco earth) or just use plain water as I have done in the past?

Any advice on using the zoomed hermit crab soil versus Eco earth? I have used both in the past and not noticed much of a difference…

Crab central station says that the substrate should go in dry which seems CRAZY to me. Is that really what people are doing?!? I already struggle with humidity (I have a screen top with plastic wrap on top- I might try putting a wet towel on top of the screen? Would love to hear other suggestions too!)

I bought moss! I got both Zoo Med New Zealand Spagnum Moss, and Fluker's Live Moss for Hermit Crabs. Should I mix them together? 2 separate moss pits? Someone on a board said their crabs liked the moss dry so she keeps one pit wet for humidity and one pit dry for fun. I am assuming I can use these right out of the package without cleaning first?

I am planning to wipe out the new tank tonight with vinegar and then giving it a good rinse with distilled water.

I am planning to do a diluted rinse of vinegar and water on the moss covered poles? Or maybe just a distilled water rinse? What do you think? These are the products I bought. They had the best reviews and I read them ALL…
https://a.co/d/gpj7SH6
https://a.co/d/4Pm5fEQ
https://a.co/d/b6ppSKw

**the bederterday products seems like much better quality and less in need of cleaning. The top one I’m more skeptical about but it was a great size…

I also got this for them to climb on. I plan to wash it with vinegar before using, I was going to boil it but I think you’re right that it might melt…
https://a.co/d/7niIgux

I also got them a walking wheel, 3 (!) different gravity water systems, and a 3 piece gravity system made by snout and shell to put greensand, worm casings and oyster shell flour I can provide links if anyone wants them!! Oh- and I called Bean Farm and spoke with the nicest person who recommended the Ultratherm Heat Pads 6"x35" It will be here tomorrow!

ANY SUBSTRATE ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE would be so appreciated!!!!! As I said, I am terrified that in trying to upgrade these guys I will disrupt their delicate ecosystem and end up causing them stress!!!

Thank you thank you thank you so much. My husband thinks I am crazy at this point…although despite his complaints tonight he is building us a tank stand that I ordered from Amazon- maybe I am crazy lol.

[curlysister]

Relax. you are over thinking things LOL. There is really no wrong way to mix your substrate, or any wrong ratio - do what you are comfortable with. Some crabs get used to a certain substrate consistency, and may take a while to adjust to a new type, but they will be fine.

Eco Earth and Zoo Med look to be the same. No, putting substrate in is wrong - the myth started when someone had wet sand so then used dry eco earth, but what got repeated was to put it all in dry. Fluker's salt doesn't have all the minerals needed for long term health, you should be using a marine salt like Instant Ocean. It is personal preference whether to use salt or fresh water to moisten the sub to start. Some people feel that salt water will decrease the chance of mold.

I have never used moss, so can't weigh in on that.

Vinegar is safe for crabs, so you don't even need to rinse if you don't want. I don't think I would use it to clean anything covered in moss.

Ultratherm heat mats are great, you can insulate over top of them if you need to. Heat mats always go on the side or the back, otherwise they are a fire hazard.