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Heating a test tube aluminium foil

Started By Rozema , Feb 19 2020 9:18 AM

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#1 Offline Rozema - Posted February 19 2020 - 9:18 AM

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Hey,

I am heating my test tubes above a heating mat. The test tubes are covered in aluminium foil to keep them dark.

Is this ok or will this keep the heat out instead of warning it?

#2 Offline Rozema - Posted February 19 2020 - 9:19 AM

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Here’s a picture. The end of the test tube is not covered. So you would say that it will heat through there and then keep the heat in. Am I right?

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#3 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted February 19 2020 - 11:08 AM

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Aluminum foil always reflects heat, so right now you are reflecting heat away from the test tube(i have never had this set up, so i may be wrong). if the heating pad was somehow inside of the foil, than the heat would be contained inside. This can be good, if you do not want to overheat your colony.


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#4 Offline Martialis - Posted February 19 2020 - 11:21 AM

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If you had the aluminium touching the mat it would conduct the heat. Why aren't you just putting the ants on the mat itself?


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#5 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted February 19 2020 - 11:30 AM

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true, it would. Well, it might become too hot, and kill the colony.


Edited by Ants_Dakota, February 19 2020 - 11:31 AM.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

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#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 19 2020 - 12:06 PM

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If you put a larger box over everything, it would trap more heat in and provide more darkness. Better still, line this box with aluminum foil to reflect the heat.


"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline Rozema - Posted February 19 2020 - 1:56 PM

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Thanks everyone. Placing it directly will cause too many heat for the tube since there is a pretty large water reservoir so the actual space is pretty small. Also the mat will heat to 35C which is way to hot. Maybe I will buy a thermostat or a dimmer switch (is that what you call it). If I have a thermostat I will use a box.

I decided to remove the foil and replace it with normal printing paper just in case heat is not coming thru or heat is staying in and frying her.

I will leave her alone now for a couple of weeks. And hope she will start.

#8 Offline Rozema - Posted February 19 2020 - 1:57 PM

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If you put a larger box over everything, it would trap more heat in and provide more darkness. Better still, line this box with aluminum foil to reflect the heat.


I don’t want it to be too hot and don’t have a thermostat yet. Once I have one I will definitely use this principle to keep her at a steady temperature

#9 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted February 19 2020 - 2:14 PM

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Looks like you're going to have an amazing colony on your hands! Good luck :D


There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike

#10 Offline Rozema - Posted February 19 2020 - 11:19 PM

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Thanks. Glad to hear some positive comments here.
A lot of people say you can not raise a single Camponotus queen and you have to start with a couple of workers so this is doomed to fail.

#11 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 20 2020 - 3:06 AM

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Thanks. Glad to hear some positive comments here.
A lot of people say you can not raise a single Camponotus queen and you have to start with a couple of workers so this is doomed to fail.

That’s totally false. They are relatively hardy, fully claustral queens that can certainly raise a colony on their own. I’ve never had a mated Camponotus queens fail at founding.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#12 Offline Martialis - Posted February 20 2020 - 6:38 AM

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Thanks. Glad to hear some positive comments here.
A lot of people say you can not raise a single Camponotus queen and you have to start with a couple of workers so this is doomed to fail.

 

Strange. I've captured founding colonies of Camponotus before and not a single one of those have been very successful. The sole queens always worked better for me.


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#13 Offline Rozema - Posted February 20 2020 - 8:21 AM

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Thanks. Glad to hear some positive comments here.
A lot of people say you can not raise a single Camponotus queen and you have to start with a couple of workers so this is doomed to fail.


Strange. I've captured founding colonies of Camponotus before and not a single one of those have been very successful. The sole queens always worked better for me.

Rest is the key right?

#14 Offline Martialis - Posted February 20 2020 - 9:00 AM

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How do you mean?


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#15 Offline Rozema - Posted February 20 2020 - 9:25 AM

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Camponotus needs a lot of rest right?

#16 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted February 20 2020 - 9:44 AM

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Not positive what you mean by rest. If you mean darkness, than that is true, but in my experience, all of my formica and tetramorium go way more crazy when in light than my camponotus.


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

My Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Journal

#17 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted February 20 2020 - 9:45 AM

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If by rest you mean not checking on them often, that might be right. Mine was rarely checked on and did just fine(until i was away at camp and forgot to feed them when i got home.)


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

My Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Journal

#18 Offline Rozema - Posted February 20 2020 - 10:14 PM

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Yes sorry. Not a native English speaker.
I meant to check on them. I was thinking about checking once every three weeks in the founding stage

If she has workers I will attach a small outworld (5x5cm) for feeding.

#19 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted February 22 2020 - 3:53 PM

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Camponotus needs a lot of rest right?

Three weeks is good, better even, yet they can live with being checked once a week.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#20 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted February 22 2020 - 5:13 PM

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I agree with Adak, don't check on her during the founding stage and if you want her to be a 'show colony' you can try to desensitize her to lights when her nanitics arrive


There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike

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