28 replies to this topic

[Thunder_Birds]

   Hello! Well, if you keep ants, you have probably heard of AntsCanada, and TarHeelAnts, if you haven’t (which is fine if you haven’t ), they are basically just ant keeping equipment sites. Both of these sites have there pros and cons, but which one do you think is better, and which one do you prefer? Let me know below.

 

[RushmoreAnts]

TarHeelAnts seem to be of better quality, while with AntsCanada you get more nest for your money.

[Thunder_Birds]

Yeah, I agree with that.

[ANTdrew]

THA. There’s no contest. At all.

[RushmoreAnts]

I also like the rustic THA look.

[ponerinecat]

THA. Air Conditioner is overpriced plastic junk that only works for the big, popular species and sometimes not even then.

[DDD101DDD]

THA.

[Thunder_Birds]

Ok, wow, sounds like TarHeelAnts is the top vote.

[Vendayn]

I'm gonna be honest. I wasn't very happy with my Tarheel products. Especially my first one I got, but 2nd one I guess was decent. First one I got, the glass had a huge gap where the glass was supposed to fit on the hydrostone because of the magnets. It was so big even Pogonomyrmex californicus could easily get out. Nothing I could do to fix it. All I could do was toss it out because I couldn't get a refund. A waste of 200 dollars. And it wasn't 100% because of the magnets actually, I tried taking the magnets off and trying to force the glass against the hydrostone and still had huge gaps and kinda actually made it worse somehow than without the magnets.

 

Second Tarheel one, it was quite a bit better, the ytong was in a plastic box so no stupid magnets with huge gaps between the glass. But compared to Drew's Dirtbox or my own ant farms I can make...both which are vastly cheaper...are also the superior products. And Drew's Dirtbox, all my ants I've put in them have done great. Haven't had one colony do bad in them. My problem I had with the 2nd Tarheel formicarium I got is I actually couldn't see how much water was in the water towers. Like Drew's Dirtbox, you can actually see the sand getting wet and its easy to know how much to put in. And they aren't insanely expensive. The price for Tarheel wouldn't even be a problem if the formicariums were worth the price. But none of my ants ever did good in them, and the first Tarheel formicarium I got was like throwing money into the wind. I only got the 2nd cause I wanted to give it a chance for the box one, and it was better without gaps. But compared to what I got, it wasn't really that great for another 200 dollars spent.

 

Granted, besides the first ant farm that was literally a failure. I do prefer ants being able to dig and build cool stuff. But the first tarheel formicarium was so broken that even large Pogonomyrmex could get out without issue. The second one was decent I admit. I still don't think it was worth 200+ dollars though. The ytong fully in a plastic box is the best since there are no gaps. Just had no way of seeing how much water was in the towers. But I guess that's minor. I just prefer substrate based formicariums. So I wouldn't like Antscanada either because of that, and I've read his formicariums have gaps too so that would anger me too much. 

 

So I suppose between the two, Tarheel wins out. Be sure to get the ytong that sits in a box instead of it being attached. They work a TON better. I did have a problem getting in to clean them though, I never actually figured out how to clean them since there was no way to get in the chambers. Since they weren't the attached ones, there was no glass to open to get in and just clean. But better that then huge gaps.

 

I'd still prefer buying drew's dirtboxes though.

Edited by Vendayn, March 7 2020 - 11:40 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

I would prefer THA, even though I have never gotten one! The only antscananda product i do like is his portal, as it is pretty useful. The THA is really cool looking, just a little expensive. I am getting a firebrick formicarium from Ants4Fun, and i hope that it is similar to the THA. I saw a pic of the formicarium he made, and it looks really cool.

[nurbs]

Not at home or at my desk, so can't give a detailed response, but when you saw this gap did you contact THA and explain to them the situation and provide pics? What did they say? If you took pics, can we see?

 

Just curious. I own tons of THA nests as well as AC nests and have done extensive testing with both on varying CA species.

 

I'm gonna be honest. I wasn't very happy with my Tarheel products. Especially my first one I got, but 2nd one I guess was decent. First one I got, the glass had a huge gap where the glass was supposed to fit on the hydrostone because of the magnets. It was so big even Pogonomyrmex californicus could easily get out. Nothing I could do to fix it. All I could do was toss it out because I couldn't get a refund. A waste of 200 dollars. And it wasn't 100% because of the magnets actually, I tried taking the magnets off and trying to force the glass against the hydrostone and still had huge gaps and kinda actually made it worse somehow than without the magnets.

 

Second Tarheel one, it was quite a bit better, the ytong was in a plastic box so no stupid magnets with huge gaps between the glass. But compared to Drew's Dirtbox or my own ant farms I can make...both which are vastly cheaper...are also the superior products. And Drew's Dirtbox, all my ants I've put in them have done great. Haven't had one colony do bad in them. My problem I had with the 2nd Tarheel formicarium I got is I actually couldn't see how much water was in the water towers. Like Drew's Dirtbox, you can actually see the sand getting wet and its easy to know how much to put in. And they aren't insanely expensive. The price for Tarheel wouldn't even be a problem if the formicariums were worth the price. But none of my ants ever did good in them, and the first Tarheel formicarium I got was like throwing money into the wind. I only got the 2nd cause I wanted to give it a chance for the box one, and it was better without gaps. But compared to what I got, it wasn't really that great for another 200 dollars spent.

 

Granted, besides the first ant farm that was literally a failure. I do prefer ants being able to dig and build cool stuff. But the first tarheel formicarium was so broken that even large Pogonomyrmex could get out without issue. The second one was decent I admit. I still don't think it was worth 200+ dollars though. The ytong fully in a plastic box is the best since there are no gaps. Just had no way of seeing how much water was in the towers. But I guess that's minor. I just prefer substrate based formicariums. So I wouldn't like Antscanada either because of that, and I've read his formicariums have gaps too so that would anger me too much. 

 

So I suppose between the two, Tarheel wins out. Be sure to get the ytong that sits in a box instead of it being attached. They work a TON better. I did have a problem getting in to clean them though, I never actually figured out how to clean them since there was no way to get in the chambers. Since they weren't the attached ones, there was no glass to open to get in and just clean. But better that then huge gaps.

 

I'd still prefer buying drew's dirtboxes though.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

Not at home or at my desk, so can't give a detailed response, but when you saw this gap did you contact THA and explain to them the situation and provide pics? What did they say? If you took pics, can we see?

 

Just curious. I own tons of THA nests as well as AC nests and have done extensive testing with both on varying CA species.

 

I'm gonna be honest. I wasn't very happy with my Tarheel products. Especially my first one I got, but 2nd one I guess was decent. First one I got, the glass had a huge gap where the glass was supposed to fit on the hydrostone because of the magnets. It was so big even Pogonomyrmex californicus could easily get out. Nothing I could do to fix it. All I could do was toss it out because I couldn't get a refund. A waste of 200 dollars. And it wasn't 100% because of the magnets actually, I tried taking the magnets off and trying to force the glass against the hydrostone and still had huge gaps and kinda actually made it worse somehow than without the magnets.

 

Second Tarheel one, it was quite a bit better, the ytong was in a plastic box so no stupid magnets with huge gaps between the glass. But compared to Drew's Dirtbox or my own ant farms I can make...both which are vastly cheaper...are also the superior products. And Drew's Dirtbox, all my ants I've put in them have done great. Haven't had one colony do bad in them. My problem I had with the 2nd Tarheel formicarium I got is I actually couldn't see how much water was in the water towers. Like Drew's Dirtbox, you can actually see the sand getting wet and its easy to know how much to put in. And they aren't insanely expensive. The price for Tarheel wouldn't even be a problem if the formicariums were worth the price. But none of my ants ever did good in them, and the first Tarheel formicarium I got was like throwing money into the wind. I only got the 2nd cause I wanted to give it a chance for the box one, and it was better without gaps. But compared to what I got, it wasn't really that great for another 200 dollars spent.

 

Granted, besides the first ant farm that was literally a failure. I do prefer ants being able to dig and build cool stuff. But the first tarheel formicarium was so broken that even large Pogonomyrmex could get out without issue. The second one was decent I admit. I still don't think it was worth 200+ dollars though. The ytong fully in a plastic box is the best since there are no gaps. Just had no way of seeing how much water was in the towers. But I guess that's minor. I just prefer substrate based formicariums. So I wouldn't like Antscanada either because of that, and I've read his formicariums have gaps too so that would anger me too much. 

 

So I suppose between the two, Tarheel wins out. Be sure to get the ytong that sits in a box instead of it being attached. They work a TON better. I did have a problem getting in to clean them though, I never actually figured out how to clean them since there was no way to get in the chambers. Since they weren't the attached ones, there was no glass to open to get in and just clean. But better that then huge gaps.

 

I'd still prefer buying drew's dirtboxes though.

 

Is there anything major you have found out, as i am kind of interested. Which would you recommend? 

[Vendayn]

Well it was many years too late, but no never contacted him about the formicarium. I sent a positive feedback at first, but realized when put ants (Pogonomyrmex at the time)...well...I had big Pogonomyrmex getting out. Looking back, I should have just contacted him and told him. But one of those things "maybe I should have done that..."...but can't go back in time.

 

I did like the 2nd one I got a lot more than 1st tarheel product, but wasn't able to find a way to clean it. I left it to dry for months outside and it got bone dry, but never was good. But seems tarheel designs the formicariums differently these days though, so his new designs should be a lot better. I'll see.

Edited by Vendayn, March 7 2020 - 6:10 PM.

[FSTP]

Kind of weird you didn't contact them about that ill fitted glass....

 

 

I'd choose THA over AC anyday. AC products seem like cheap toys you would find in the "Science and Learning" section at toys r us, but without the cheap pricing. Which I guess is fitting since Mikey has said he wants to be the modern day uncle milton. Its just that's not the type of aesthetic I want for my formicariums.

Edited by FSTP, March 7 2020 - 9:24 PM.

[nurbs]

The way you worded your original post makes it sound like THA completely ignored your issues and denied to give you a refund making it sound like poor customer service on their part. But in reality you never informed them of your issue or asked for a refund or compensation? 

 

 

Well it was many years too late, but no never contacted him about the formicarium. I sent a positive feedback at first, but realized when put ants (Pogonomyrmex at the time)...well...I had big Pogonomyrmex getting out. Looking back, I should have just contacted him and told him. But one of those things "maybe I should have done that..."...but can't go back in time.

 

I did like the 2nd one I got a lot more than 1st tarheel product, but wasn't able to find a way to clean it. I left it to dry for months outside and it got bone dry, but never was good. But seems tarheel designs the formicariums differently these days though, so his new designs should be a lot better. I'll see.

[justanotheramy]

I'm in Australia, so it's Aus Ants gear from AntKeepingDepot all the way for me, but…

…I do have a TarHeelAnts Genesis Test Tube Insert that I was trying out with one of my melophorus sp queens, and she did produce more workers faster than the other queens I caught at the same time and place… and then the tube insert slid around and squished 2 of her workers.
So on balance I'm not entirely a fan. 

[Aliallaie]

Definitely TarHeelAnts. Its better quality better looking and better material. Like most say AntsCanada is just plastic junk and it’s over priced. 

[Thunder_Birds]

Yeah, that’s the nice thing about THA is that it’s made with natural material. On the other hand, AC is made with all plastic (pretty much), which makes it bad for the environment. Both companies are very expensive though. Probably why AC is priced so high, every though it is plastic, is because a lot of ant technology went into there formicareiums. 

[Serafine]

The AC nests still have issues that are pretty ridiculous at this point, like a lack of screws (or magnets) for both the glass lid and the ports. If you have a cat it can dismantle your setup by just gently pulling at the tubing. The Camponotus version also seems to be just a little too flat for big Camponotus species to comfortly sit vertically at the walls (doing this allows the ants to save massive amounts of nesting space). I'm not sure how feasable it is to paint a layer of substrate to the bottom of the nest chambers but I guess it's doable - the nesting space floor seem to be rough and not entirely flat however I can see certain ants having issues with the smooth walls. Another big issue are shipping costs which for some countries are just out of this world..

Personally I think if you're in Europe and you want something along the lines of an AC hybrid the Simants nests are the better choice - they're basically a flat-out superior version with screws for both the lid and the tubing, modular ports, a modular block design (you can stick multiple of them together to form one big nest), higher chambers (enough for Camponotus to comfortly sit vertically at the walls) and the additional bonus of low shipping costs (and zero tariffs if you're in an EU country).

Can't say too much about THA but from all I've seen and read about them they are really striving to provide their customers a good experience and constantly update their designs to incorporate new knowledge.

[RushmoreAnts]

Alright, here’s another comparison-

Air Conditioner OR Aus Ants