Animal Care/Land hermit crab super tank

This is an example of a very nice hermit crab habitat for tiny to medium-sized (golfball) hermit crabs.

• 10-gal glass aquarium (20"L x10"W x12"H - 2400 cubic inches)
• background - T-Rex Jungle Wall or pressed cork (not glued cork)

• Mount above the substrate and/or soak the bottom in salt water and allow to dry before mounting. Attach with velcro along the top to minimize the chance of crabs crawling behind the background. Watch for mold during use.

• All-Glass® Versa-Top lid (hinged)

• artifical plants to attach to the bottom of the stationary part of the lid as climbing toys

• lighting - 12 hours of daylight, plus nighttime moon glow

• ESU 20" Reptile Bi Light 2 fixture -or- Zoo Med 20" Economy Reptile Strip
• Day bulb (watch the heat!) - 15W, 25W, 40W, 60W, 100W, 150W

• Hagen Exo-a Day-Glo Incandescent Day Bulb or
• Zoo Med Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb

• Night bulb (watch the heat!) - 15W

• Hagen Exo-Terra Night-Glo Incandescent Bulb or
• Zoo Med Nightlight Red Reptile Bulb

• substrate - makes approx. 1200 cubic inches

• forty pounds of masonry sand
• 64 cubic inches of compressed 100% coconut-fiber
• 16 oz of oyster shell pieces (calcium)
• calci-sand sprinkled on the surface or supplied in a bowl (calcium)

• water

• Bottled spring water has no chlorine and is usually good for fresh water for hermit crabs.
• In drinking water avoid things like gill moisturizers or slime coat.
• Remove chlorine from water with a product like

• Wardley's ChlorOut or Mardel's MarChlor - two brands of plain sodium thiosulfate

• For water with chloramine, use a product that binds ammonia like

• Kordon Amquel Water Conditioner  (removes chlorine and chloramine; binds ammonia in a non-toxic form; active ingredient is sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate, HOCH₂SO₃Na; directions )
• API (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) Ammo-Lock2  (removes chlorine and chloramine; binds ammonia in a non-toxic form)
• JurassiPet Hermit Safe Conditioner (removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia; provides key electrolytes)

• Products known to leave ammonia in the water when "removing" chloramine!! Don't use.

• Hagen Exo-Terra Calcimize for Reptiles (removes chlorine and chloramine; neutralizes heavy metals; supplies high levels of calcium)

• Sea water made with Tropic Marin Pharmaceutical Grade Sea Salt (consider mixing  it with distilled water to keep the proper mineral concentrations)    [CAUTIONS: Salt does not evaporate. If just replacing evaporated sea water, do so with distilled/fresh water to avoid increasing the salt concentration of the mix. Note that some salt mixes are high in heavy metals.  ]

• water bowls

• large FMR (Florida Marine Research) Hermit Crab Pool (5"L x 4"W) - fresh water and sponges
• medium Exo-Terra Granite Rock Water Dish (5"L x 4"W x 1-1/2"H - 3/4"D) - sea water
• D.I.Y. glass pool(s) 

• with rocks for climbing in & out and/or
• lined with plastic mesh designed for quick point or latch hook craft projects

• temperature and humidity

• Oscar Electronic Thermometer & Hygrometer - memory function to record the highest and lowest temperature and humidity levels
• if more humidity needed

• damp terrarium moss - may also serve as a bathroom or be eaten
• Tropic-Aire Humidifier + Air Exchanger - for use with up to a 55-gal tank
• Penn-Plax Silent Air X5 adjustable air pump - smooth, ultra-quiet operation
• further humidity boost - place humidifier on a coffee mug warmer, but be cautious if the humidifier is plastic

• if more heat needed

• Zoo Med ReptiTherm undertank heater - easier to install before substrate is added
• Zoo Med ReptiTemp 500R Rheostat - 6 ft. remote sensor probe; will control two different devices
• insulation for glass sides - foamboard/styrofoam pieces held together with duct tape
• power outage - hot water bottles, blankets, insulated "coolers", etc.

• climbing assessories

• grapevine branches
• choya wood
• driftwood
• fish net
• Zoo Med Lizard Ladder
• turtle dock
• plastic mesh designed for quick point or latch hook craft projects
• Attach-A-Wood Mangrove

• other tank assessories

• clam shell food dish(es)
• cuttlebone and/or coral (calcium) - will be nibbled on
• Julian Sprung`s SeaVeggies Clip by Two Little Fishies (for seaweed)
• hiding huts/caves
• artifical plants
• spare shells

• misc. assessories

• exercise ball
• cleaning scooper - for poop and food scraps
• misting bottle
• lighting timers
• surge protector electrical strip
• aquarium silicone glue - for gluing suction cups and other objects to glass aquariums
• aquarium silicone sealant (with no mildew/mold inhibitors - toxic)
• HoldFast Epoxy Stick (white) or AquaStik Epoxy Putty (pink or gray)