QuestionHi, I have a question about humidity problems I am having in my tanks.
My first tank is a 10 gallon with 4 crabs (3 small and 1 med. (PP's and an Ecudorian)) The substrate is half Calci sand and half gravel and I use a fish tank lid light to heat the tank. It takes two bulbs so I use a white 25 watt bulb on the sand side and a blue 25 watt (which is much dimmer and not as much heat) on the gravel side. The problem is my humidity is constantly staying below 70% (45-60% on average). However, these crabs have lived for 8 months in which I had no humidity gauge (average room humidity) because I didn't know they needed it. They do have a fresh water dish and on Wednesday they will be getting a larger saltwater dish. The tank also only has two small openings in the back. Any ideas on how to keep humidity up without buying a humidifier? (The temp ranges 72-78*F)
My second tank is a 30 gal with 3 large strawberry hermit crabs. I've had them for a little over a week. Their lid is also a fish tank lid with the lift up front piece in the front and open back. The substrate is gravel and the gravel is always wet. They have a large freshwater dish and they will be getting saltwater starting Wednesday. When the light is off and I shut the lid and cover about 3/4 of the back with plastic wrap the humidity stays in the 70-80% range with a temp of 75-79*F. But when the light (a reptile heat lamp with a 60 watt regular lamp bulb) is on, I have to open the front lid but I completely cover the back and 1/2 the front open part with plastic wrap yet the humidity drops down to the 55-70% range but the temp stays around the same. But I don't have to mist to get the humidity to come back up after the light is off. How can I keep the humidity up when I have the light on?
Sorry for the long email and thanks for all of your help!
AnswerSimple anwser use reptile bark chips with sand not sand and gravel....I'm talking about the bark chips that look like stuff you'd put in your flower garden not the bedding for hamsters. The bark has a plesent smell at lest to me and holds himidy levels high.
