20 replies to this topic

[jgoogz]

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[Manitobant]

PVE foam is better for destructive ants, like camponotus or leptothorax. For non destructive sp i would stick to cotton.

[jgoogz]

Any reason you'd recommend PVC Foam for non destructive?  Just price?

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

[SleepyAsianAnter]

Destructive colonies tend to tear and rip at the cotton, which can result in workers and brood getting tangled. This doesn't happen to PVE foam. One downside I've seen is with super small ants actually using the PVE foam as a digging medium, burrowing in and showing up on the other side, drowning. 

[jgoogz]

Destructive colonies tend to tear and rip at the cotton, which can result in workers and brood getting tangled. This doesn't happen to PVE foam. One downside I've seen is with super small ants actually using the PVE foam as a digging medium, burrowing in and showing up on the other side, drowning.

Ahh good advice! Thank you!!


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[gs5248]

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

[jgoogz]

Any idea where to purchase? 

[gs5248]

https://www.formicul...op【california】/

 

[SleepyAsianAnter]

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

PVE is subject to mold, same as any other wet material exposed biological matter

[gs5248]

Cotton is made from the cotton plant, meaning it is organic. This makes cotton subject to mold. On the other hand, PVE foam is made of synthetic and inorganic materials, meaning that the material itself in not subject to mold. It is worth noting however, that if organic material, like lets say a cricket leg, got near the wet PVE foam, it would inevitably mold. This is because it is made of organic material, but the PVE is not. This situation will apply to all other inorganic materials. For example, if your ants stored their excrement, in their hydrostone nest, the scat would mold, but the hydrostone material would not.

Edited by gs5248, March 7 2021 - 9:11 PM.

[Ants_Dakota]

Any idea where to purchase? 

you can on amazon as well, i think.

[jgoogz]

Just purchased some. I think it will allow for moisture better.


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[gs5248]

[AleeGuy]

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Ok so basically that is a PVA sponge. It is way better than just a cotton because:
1. It is mold resistant.
2. Outstandingly conducts water.
3. Ants won't get stuck if they try to dig on the edges of it because it is cylindrical shape(it has to fit tightly too, around 2mm more in diameter of the test tube), while cotton is oval-y shaped when it's in the test tube so ants can get stuck when they try to dig on the edges.
4. If it has the right size then it will get pulled back into the water reservoir side while amount of water decreasing there, so no air bubbles would appear, and plus it will give the ants more space by the time goes by.
5. It is reusable. Just wash it with a warm water to get the trash and stuff like that out of it.
The only con is in cutting it, because it is really hard when it's dry and uncutably soft when wet so it takes a lot of effort to cut them. Fortunately cocdeshijie sells precut ones on his store for a great price so I would get it from him instead of getting uncut one.

Edit: I hope it helped.

Edited by AleeGuy, March 8 2021 - 9:02 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

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Ok so basically that is a PVA sponge. It is way better than just a cotton because:
1. It is mold resistant.
2. Outstandingly conducts water.
3. Ants won't get stuck if they try to dig on the edges of it because it is cylindrical shape(it has to fit tightly too, around 2mm more in diameter of the test tube), while cotton is oval-y shaped when it's in the test tube so ants can get stuck when they try to dig on the edges.
4. If it has the right size then it will get pulled back into the water reservoir side while amount of water decreasing there, so no air bubbles would appear, and plus it will give the ants more space by the time goes by.
5. It is reusable. Just wash it with a warm water to get the trash and stuff like that out of it.
The only con is in cutting it, because it is really hard when it's dry and uncutably soft when wet so it takes a lot of effort to cut them. Fortunately cocdeshijie sells already cut ones on his store for a great price so I would get it from him instead of getting uncut one.

 

that is probably the best idea, buying precut ones.

[gs5248]

I agree.

[jgoogz]

He hasn’t responded to me for a purchase, so I’m going to hand cut some myself. I think you just push the test tube onto the material and cut around the mark that forms. We will see. Fun to try!


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[jgoogz]

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Ok so basically that is a PVA sponge. It is way better than just a cotton because:
1. It is mold resistant.
2. Outstandingly conducts water.
3. Ants won't get stuck if they try to dig on the edges of it because it is cylindrical shape(it has to fit tightly too, around 2mm more in diameter of the test tube), while cotton is oval-y shaped when it's in the test tube so ants can get stuck when they try to dig on the edges.
4. If it has the right size then it will get pulled back into the water reservoir side while amount of water decreasing there, so no air bubbles would appear, and plus it will give the ants more space by the time goes by.
5. It is reusable. Just wash it with a warm water to get the trash and stuff like that out of it.
The only con is in cutting it, because it is really hard when it's dry and uncutably soft when wet so it takes a lot of effort to cut them. Fortunately cocdeshijie sells precut ones on his store for a great price so I would get it from him instead of getting uncut one.

Edit: I hope it helped.

This is amazingly helpful. Thank you for taking the time. Those small details make up all the difference. Like it moving back into the tubes, and confirming that it is indeed a better conductor of water.


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[AleeGuy]

PVE foam is better for destructive ants, like camponotus or leptothorax. For non destructive sp i would stick to cotton.

  

Destructive colonies tend to tear and rip at the cotton, which can result in workers and brood getting tangled. This doesn't happen to PVE foam. One downside I've seen is with super small ants actually using the PVE foam as a digging medium, burrowing in and showing up on the other side, drowning.

  

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

  

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

PVE is subject to mold, same as any other wet material exposed biological matter

  

Cotton is made from the cotton plant, meaning it is organic. This makes cotton subject to mold. On the other hand, PVE foam is made of synthetic and inorganic materials, meaning that the material itself in not subject to mold. It is worth noting however, that if organic material, like lets say a cricket leg, got near the wet PVE foam, it would inevitably mold. This is because it is made of organic material, but the PVE is not. This situation will apply to all other inorganic materials. For example, if your ants stored their excrement, in their hydrostone nest, the scat would mold, but the hydrostone material would not.

That's actually PVA sponge.

[jgoogz]

PVE foam is better for destructive ants, like camponotus or leptothorax. For non destructive sp i would stick to cotton.

Destructive colonies tend to tear and rip at the cotton, which can result in workers and brood getting tangled. This doesn't happen to PVE foam. One downside I've seen is with super small ants actually using the PVE foam as a digging medium, burrowing in and showing up on the other side, drowning.

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

PVE foam is completely mold resistant, and more durable.

PVE is subject to mold, same as any other wet material exposed biological matter

Cotton is made from the cotton plant, meaning it is organic. This makes cotton subject to mold. On the other hand, PVE foam is made of synthetic and inorganic materials, meaning that the material itself in not subject to mold. It is worth noting however, that if organic material, like lets say a cricket leg, got near the wet PVE foam, it would inevitably mold. This is because it is made of organic material, but the PVE is not. This situation will apply to all other inorganic materials. For example, if your ants stored their excrement, in their hydrostone nest, the scat would mold, but the hydrostone material would not.

That's actually PVA sponge.

Correct. It is not Player versus Environment sponge.


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