Help Needed With Vampire Crab Habitat Setup

[Forerunner546]

Hello I am in need of help with my future Vampire Crab habitat.

I already have a tank, and initially was thinking of having the tank 50/50 for water and soil. The water side would have a heater and filter (interested in Exo Terra Turtle Cliff)

The solid side would have soil on top of a hydroballs (separated by garden sheeting). However I fear this may not work as I believe it would clog any filter I put in the tank.

I changed my mind and am now thinking of just putting gravel on a slope so there is land sticking out of the water.

Would appreciate help answering whether I can have sloped gravel as land, wether I need a heat lamp or heat mat for crabs, (I live in Canada) any help would be appreciated as I’ve looked at as many threads about Vampire crabs as I could find but didn’t feel I had all the knowledge I needed before getting the animal.

 

[SnakeIce]

Gravel will not on its own maintain sufficient slope to have much water volume if you are going for 50/50 split between water and land.You will need some structure to hold the gravel up for the land section. You could substitute gravel in place of the soil in your original idea of soil over garden sheeting.

 

[Forerunner546]

So have gravel on both sides, with a divider holding up the taller gravel used for the land side?

I just came up with the idea to use clay as the divider, unsure wether that work or if it will harm crab?

Also would I need a heater for the land side in addition to the water side?

 

[Forerunner546]

So have gravel on both sides, with a divider holding up the taller gravel used for the land side?

I just came up with the idea to use clay as the divider, unsure wether that work or if it will harm crab?

Also would I need a heater for the land side in addition to the water side?

View attachment 222727

Nevermind the clays a stupid idea