Here's the old tank. We live in Iowa, and my tank is kept on a four season porch. They get most their heat during the Summer from being out there, I didn't even have the heaters plugged in when I set it up this morning and the tank was reading a balmy 85.
This is the new set up. Three bags of sand and one block of substrate and I still need a little bit more, but not much. The pic is a bit deceiving as there's about an 1 1/2 inches of extra depth at the bottom of the tank. I didn't realize I had bought one bag of white sand at our Menard's but I kind of like the different textures and think they might also. I also left it a bit drier on the end of the pools because spillage happens. But I may give it a really good douse as I'm trying to get the humidity up. The back underneath the 2nd level reads 87, but above, close to the top where I keep my Acurite it's 79 for humidity. I'll have to see how it does throughout the day. Excuse the mess on the floor, I cleaned after I was done taking pics, I swear!
This is the hut I built using a Dollar tree container, plenty of silicone, rocks from dollar tree, substrate, and some clippings from an older aquarium plant. (I saw someone on here did something like this so thank you for the idea.) It is over a shower caddy moss pit. Plenty of room on the sides to sit on the second level or to burrow down into the moss pit, and I figure the moss won't dry out as quick either. Suspected murderer is sitting on top there, two years ago I had six crabs. Now I only have five. Anyways, I mis-calculated the weight and the silicone holding my legs on the 2nd level broke, so had to add an extra leg to hold the weighty end up.
More 2nd level:
Coming down: They have their choice, a bird ladder wrapped in hemp or a Cholla Wood and fake ivy creation.
Pools: The pools work but I'm going to have to rethink their entry. I saw someone else on here used ceramic tile, but what I made seems like it might fall apart because of the humidity, and I need to figure out how to attach the plastic canvas. I'm thinking that I might make a ladder that fit's the width for both pools using hemp. I have bubblers for both. I wanted to keep the pools way above the sand level just because they bring a lot in anyways, and a couple used to love digging under or in between in the old tank.
Another view:
Facehugger I:
I will have to see what winter brings us. We have a pellet stove out on the porch that we burn during the day so it stays pretty warm, an electric heater at night, but I will probably need to heat lamp the set up when temps run cooler and colder. Currently there's an Ultratherm 11x23 and a Large Zoo Med on the back of the tank. In insulated with foil and a piece of foam poster board. I also have to have a plexiglass top made for the tank, it has two piece glass with a 2 inch gap right now that I'm keeping plugged with just the light on top. I've done some looking but I don't think they make screen tops for these tanks so I'm not quite sure what to do yet.
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