920 replies to this topic

[Tspivey16]

Using the frame method for this grout formicarium. Made the water tank my favorite team.

[Tspivey16]

Pic here- grout using Crystals tutorial

Attached Images

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[Crystals]

That looks pretty good.

 

If it helps, www.photobucket.com is a good place to upload photos.  It also provides you with a link that will make the image appear in your post, an "image link".

There are other free picture/video upload sites out there as well.

[dspdrew]

If you do want to use this site's gallery, clicking on "My Media" while posting makes it fairly easy to add any of your pictures or galleries.

[Tspivey16]

Updated Photos

[Crystals]

I prefer natural looking outworlds, but I got bored and decided to try something different.  Black sand and flattened marbles.

 

Edited by Crystals, December 28 2017 - 11:35 AM.

[dspdrew]

Hah, I've never seen a flattened marble before.

[Tspivey16]

Upgraded my outworld size as I get ready to start looking for queens.

 

[dspdrew]

Not bad. Is that loose soil in there?

[Tspivey16]

No, it is a mold resistant substrate mix (Sand, wood chips) - I poured grout into the base of the outworld and placed a layer of this into it. Once the grout dried, I scraped off the extra substrate - so what is left can't me moved (stuck into the grout).

[Crystals]

I got bored and made an acrylic nest. I prefer a more natural looking nest, so I am not too sure of my thoughts on it. The Lasius don't seem to mind it, and I suspect most small ants would do well in it.  I don't think I would use it with Formica or Camponotus though.

 

Edited by Crystals, December 28 2017 - 11:41 AM.

[Tspivey16]

I decided to try to carve some Ytong, so this was my first try. I must say the material is amazing, and was much easier to carve than I had imagined. This block is 6" x 8".

 

I plan to over course place a piece of glass and perhaps a frame. I am also thinking of coating the outside (at least the bottom) to keep moisture in.

 

I plan to place my Camponotous in here once they get established. I seemed to upload it upside down in the image though.

 

 

 

[Gregory2455]

I don't even know if this counts, but I got a double pane glass panel. (The type you walk on when you are at the Grand Canon Glass Walk.) The dimensions are 5 feet long, 2 feet tall, and 1 inch wide. Well, I cleaned out the inside, and filled it with sand. It still has enough space for them to dig away from the glass however... Any suggestions? I am fairly new to making formicariums, I just got bored and made this panel into one.

 

 

[Mercutia]

That looks so cool but you might run into problems with tunnel collapses and that sort of thing. Also you'll find that most ants will take the sand and stick it to the glass so you can't see them.

 

I would also bake the sand first to kill any bacteria or parasites that could be lingering.

[Gregory2455]

Thanks for the help! I made sure that there are no harmful bacteria in the sand already, and I will have a large sheet that will cover the front side so they do not cover the tunnels with sand. As for the possibility of tunnel collapse, I am unsure. If the sand gets too moist, there is the possibility of a mold outbreak. What one of my previous P. californicus colonies have done however, is moisten the sand themselves, and only the areas they want, to make the tunnel walls stronger.

[dspdrew]

That looks really nice, although you should have mixed in about 50 percent clay dirt. 100 percent sand will likely collapse on them. I am planning to make an ant farm style nest as well, but am going to make mine so thin that they are forced to dig against the glass. I will probably leave no more than 1/4 inch of space between the two layers of glass, as it seems that is about the size of the tunnels they dig anyways.

[Gregory2455]

Clay dirt is a really good idea... That will keep it from collapsing on them, I will be sure to add some clay dirt before I add any ants... I just poured the sand in to show for this forum, It is not done, as I am still making changes to it. Most likely, I will put my P.californicus in this -By the way, she finally had eggs! 

Is there anywhere I can get clay dirt that is safe for them though?

Edited by Gregory2455, July 6 2014 - 8:04 PM.

[dspdrew]

Just dig it up from where you can find it, then bake it over 200 degrees for 30 minutes or so.

[Crystals]

Are you planning on attaching a separate outworld for easy feeding/cleaning?

[Gregory2455]

Are you planning on attaching a separate outworld for easy feeding/cleaning?

I am still thinking about that, It would be a large enough space in there and I can reach in the top with tweezers but an outworld is always useful...