Exo Terra Waterfall

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:50 pm

I got the medium sized natural waterfall, so far it is awesome! It has the mini pump also that goes inside it. The humidity is perfect just over 80% -woohoo!
And it's SO quiet! Just a trickle in the background.

Anyone else have anything to say about this product? I'm especially interested to know how often it needs cleaning. Doesn't seem very cleaning friendly.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:05 am

I am going to check this out too, thanks for the info

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:25 am

I was gonna do one of those water fall gizmo's and no it wont be clean friendly (I dont think)--let me know how it continues to go!! I bet the crabs LOVE it!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:59 am

what did it cost you? does it take up a lot of space?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:51 pm

Well they make a small, medium, and large one. I got the medium one used from ebay and it fits perfectly in my 20L in the corner. The cord just goes up the back and out the top and it's just high enough that it covers the cord so they can't get to it.
I wouldn't use this one with teeny crabs because there's little openings they could get into but all mine are big enough that they can't get in there or behind it. (my guys are 1" shell openings or larger)

I haven't seen the small one, but I bet it would even fit in a 10 gallon or just not take up as much space in a 20 gallon.
Medium takes up a square about 9 inches and the height is to just below the rim of the tank (I put the bottom flat on the tank bottom and put the EE all around it, and that way the crabbies can get in.) Already had the straw hanging out in the fountain this morning and the humidity is perfect. It has been 85 all day! Med. size @ herpsupplies.com is $33, Large is $58 and their shipping is very resonable. Ebay also has all 3 sizes for resonable prices, but I guess the pump normally is bought seperately? I got it with the lot I won, but some of the ones on ebay come with the pump so I'd go for those. Here's some pics:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/galler ... =105&pos=6

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/galler ... =105&pos=1

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:37 am

Those prices are pretty reasonable. I want one too! But I will get a bigger tank first. Thanks for this info!

EDIT: Oooh, do you use it for fresh or salt water?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 12:38 pm

I use it for fresh since it says sand can clog up the pump, i thought salt may have a similar effect. So I put it on the EE side of the tank, and i put fresh water, and a freshwater dish close to it just in case the little ones don't like it.
And the salt water dish on the opposite side of the tank just in case

So far I'm very happy with it. I'll let you know if any problems develop!
Also, cleaning goes a lot smoother with a small bottle type brush (similar to the ones they sell for the drinkwell fountains)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:10 pm

i'd like to post one warning about this product. i hada medium fountain running in my tank for a while but the pump broke once, so i replaced it, and then it broke a second time. i thought it was sand getting caught in the filter, but it turns out the hermit crabs were picking apart the protective rubber covering on the wire that ran up and out of the tank. i'm very lucky that i didn't have any fried hermies. my warning is to keep an eye on the wire as some crabs find it fun to pick at. i plan to buy a new pump, but i need to find a way to keep the hermies off it so they don't hurt themselves.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:49 pm

how do they get to the wire? Mine runs up the back, and I have the fountain in a corner against the sides of the tank. I don't think the hermies could get back there but is there another way they can get to it?
I wonder if I should get some sort of wire covering to put over it (like a tube)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 01, 2006 9:03 pm

it does come out the back, and then it has to go up out the top, and the hermit crabs would sit at the very top of the fountain to pick at it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 01, 2006 10:46 pm

So don't let them

Maybe take some acquarium sealant and a 1 or 2" piece of plastic and put it out from the top of the fountain, so that the hermies can't reach the cord?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 01, 2006 10:54 pm

i'm thinking about doing something like that. just havn't gotten around to it [the fountain has been sitting in storage for almost a year now]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:22 pm

The morning after you posted that, I found one of my crab somehow sqeezed himself back there and got stuck. I put a plant back there so he can't get back in there now but I need to do something to block it off completely. I'll let you know when I find a more secure solution. So far they haven't gotten back there again.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 13, 2006 7:32 pm

I've had the med sized one for about 4 months now? -got it as a birthday gift- Anyway. I use salt water and have never had a problem. I have it sitting on ee and they crabbies molt under the waterfall and it not pressed into the corner and they crawl around it.

Strawberry did escape up the cord, out the top, and was caught on his decent to the ground. The crabs LOVE it. Muy humidity is 80-85 with the lid open at all times and Yes it is a pain to wash but I do it once a week and just add 1/2 cup warm water on the 3rd day to keep up the water. I wouldn't add anymore water without checking the salt content which is why I just change it.

I have a pic in pictures, "My new babies and Pookie" of pookie in the waterfall which is where he loves to be. They also love to use it as a bathroom.

In regards to the changing the water...I have one crab up right now and thats why I'm not changing it more frequently. If all 6 were using it as a toilet, I wouldn't let it go more that 3 days without a cleaning. My opinion.

I'm very glad I have it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 14, 2006 12:00 am

Just an update on the cord situation, I bought a cord protector, just a piece of plastic tubing that fits around the cord, from home depot. So far, they haven't gone back there again, but if they do they won't be able to pinch at it.
I also cleaned mine again and it really wasn't that dirty after several days. It may have even been a week I think. It did feel kind of scummy on the bottom though. So far it's been great. I keep my lid on pretty well as it gets really dry in our house, and that seems to do the trick for preventing escapees also. They do climb all the way up the waterfall though. Good exercise I guess!