Looks like Emma and my first reply to your answers to the questions were posted at the same time. Maybe that is why it took an extra minute for it to post?
I think it is great you are researching and trying to find out all you can about your hermies.
2. We have a 3 filter system that has a seperate small faucet on our sink. It comes out at the equivalent of bottled water, but then again, I haven't literally tested it.
I add 6 drops of the API to a gallon of that water.
I too use distilled water in the water ponds (and occasional baths) and have for a few years. A lot less guess work as to how much dechlorinator to use or even how ‘clean’ is the bottled spring water. Even using a dechlorinator it does not remove the fluoride that is in tap water, and known to cause defects/mutations to zoea. To the best of my knowledge though no real testing has been done on adult hermies.
But 6 drops of API is a bit much. (especially with the filters you use) You may wish to cut this back to 1-2 drops. (the directions actually call for 1 drop)
What are your thoughts on real sand that has been baked?
Not sure what you’re meaning by real sand? You may want to read up on
Play Sand and look at the picture of the higher quality play sand after it was
washed and baked.
5. Ditching Jungle Bed immediately and will get coconut husk substrate.
Make sure it is 100% coco fiber.
7. I am immediately going to buy a rheostat for the UTH.
What do you reccommend be placed on top of the heater in the meantime to provide a barrier so that my crab can't sit directly on that hot glass? I know someone mentioned marbles, but being glass, won't they also absorb and conduct most of that heat?
Emma has already addressed it is a thermostat you want, not a rheostat. Temps can still get too hot using a rheostat, it will not turn the warming device off.
I use marbles in my votive candle holders to help boost humidity, but I use the
vase gems/glass craft stone over my UTH. They are a flat glass and don’t roll like marbles do. The glass permits for letting the heat through too, much unlike gravel and such that do not permit the warmth to go through.
9. Will be getting rid of the crab food.
What sort of freeze dried and dehydrated foods do you reccommend to feed them?
As far as "table" food, is it ok to to continue to feed them fruit (grapes, cantelope, pineapple, apple, etc.).
Should I add more protein or other things to the fruit?
There are freeze dried and dehydrated foods at the Product reviews link I provided and there is a store that also sells
dehydrated food.
Please do remember that hermies also need a chitin source in their diet. Whereas many chitin sources are also considered a protein source, not all protein sources contain chitin.