17 replies to this topic

[Miguel]

New to ant keeping. 

 

I'm interested in starting a project that has me making a formicarium and outworld but had questions about the material used for the formicarium.

I was looking at formicariums online and got me thinking about making it out of stone like limestone or marble, carving a design into it similar to the image below.

With the negative spaces being the main chambers. I'm also curious as to the method of keeping the formicarium hydrated.

 

 

Thank you

Edited by Miguel, October 6 2022 - 10:20 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

It would work if you had an air hydration system that involves evaporation. but it would be super hard to make obviously, so i would encourage using a mix such as concrete if you want a rock formicarium. The best material though is perfect cast or hydrostone, so i would use that for better functionality if you want the stone look.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, October 6 2022 - 10:23 AM.

[Miguel]

It would work if you had an air hydration system that involves evaporation. but it would be super hard to make obviously, so i would encourage using a mix such as concrete if you want a rock formicarium. The best material though is perfect cast or hydrostone, so i would use that for better functionality if you want the stone look.

 

I actually don't mind getting into stone carving aspect of the project although I wonder if I put the formicarium inside the outworld like a stone tablet sticking out of the ground and then hydrate the outworld or provide a water source inside the outworld. Would the ants be able to somehow bring water from the outworld into the formicarium?

[Ants_Dakota]

 

It would work if you had an air hydration system that involves evaporation. but it would be super hard to make obviously, so i would encourage using a mix such as concrete if you want a rock formicarium. The best material though is perfect cast or hydrostone, so i would use that for better functionality if you want the stone look.

 

I actually don't mind getting into stone carving aspect of the project although I wonder if I put the formicarium inside the outworld like a stone tablet sticking out of the ground and then hydrate the outworld or provide a water source inside the outworld. Would the ants be able to somehow bring water from the outworld into the formicarium?

 

for their personal consumption yes, but it would not hydrate the nest, which is what ants need. it would be like living in a desert. you need some kind of hydration system in place in the nest so the humidity keeps the ants alive.

[BioScorpion]

I'm frequently bothered by the lack of creativity I see in this hobby. Everyone tries to stick with the same designs of grout, plasters, acrylic or other original ideas. Then people are quick to shut down a unique idea someone brings up because it hasnt been tested or done before. I've been testing many unique builds but due to health and personal issues it's been slow. As for stones I've built nests from them.

What you need to get your hands on is soap stone which depending on where you are located can be hard. However you can find it online. Soapstone is easier to carve than other options and is safe for ants. From there you need drilling tools that ideally are hooked up to a air compressor for effectiveness and makes your life easier. However most people don't have one so you have to work with what you have. Hydration is simple. I cut out a square bottom to put in a water tank and as well had a test tube installed on the side. A fair warning, when carving soap stone I recommend wearing a full on gas mask. The debree and particles that come off are extremely harmful to your lungs and airways.

[Ants_Dakota]

I'm frequently bothered by the lack of creativity I see in this hobby. Everyone tries to stick with the same designs of grout, plasters, acrylic or other original ideas. Then people are quick to shut down a unique idea someone brings up because it hasnt been tested or done before. I've been testing many unique builds but due to health and personal issues it's been slow. As for stones I've built nests from them.

What you need to get your hands on is soap stone which depending on where you are located can be hard. However you can find it online. Soapstone is easier to carve than other options and is safe for ants. From there you need drilling tools that ideally are hooked up to a air compressor for effectiveness and makes your life easier. However most people don't have one so you have to work with what you have. Hydration is simple. I cut out a square bottom to put in a water tank and as well had a test tube installed on the side. A fair warning, when carving soap stone I recommend wearing a full on gas mask. The debree and particles that come off are extremely harmful to your lungs and airways.

I was never trying to shut his ideas down, i gave him information for what he asked for, and then provided an easier method if he so chose to use it.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, October 7 2022 - 4:28 AM.

[ANTdrew]

I say go for it. Learn how to make a water tower by melting 100 micron mesh onto a small plastic dish with a straw for refilling. Just keep in mind that ants are going to trash your hard work in no time flat. 

[Miguel]

Just keep in mind that ants are going to trash your hard work in no time flat.

Oh what do you mean by this?

[Miguel]

Just keep in mind that ants are going to trash your hard work in no time flat.

Oh what do you mean by this?

[ANTdrew]

Ants always do the opposite of what we want or expect. This is known as Myrmy’s Law. If you spend hours carving that stone, it’s almost guaranteed the ants will fill it up with their trash and smear the glass so much you won’t even be able to see in.

[NicholasP]

Ants always do the opposite of what we want or expect. This is known as Myrmy’s Law. If you spend hours carving that stone, it’s almost guaranteed the ants will fill it up with their trash and smear the glass so much you won’t even be able to see in.

There's also Newtons 3rd law of ants. For every reaction (by an ant keeper) there is an equal and ever stronger reaction (the ants).

[Locness]

Check out Crazy Legs. I don't know if he's on this forum, but he has the best stone carved formicaria I've seen yet:  https://www.youtube....VcCuag/featured

[ANTdrew]

Check out Crazy Legs. I don't know if he's on this forum, but he has the best stone carved formicaria I've seen yet: https://www.youtube....VcCuag/featured

He was on this forum.

[Miguel]

Check out Crazy Legs. I don't know if he's on this forum, but he has the best stone carved formicaria I've seen yet: https://www.youtube....VcCuag/featured

He was on this forum.

I am truly blown away by the way he creates those caverns. I was thinking of doing something like that but haven’t seen it done in a video before. Very inspiring. Gotta think about incorporating these methods in my project. Wish I could find hebel here in the us.

[futurebird]

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

[Ants_Dakota]

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

I would not be 100% positive about this, i think more research would be necessary to prove ants don't need hydration and humidity to keep their larvae healthy. Perhaps some colonies could do without it(mostly urban or hardy species) but i have had way to many colonies die due to poor hydration. Don't risk it in my opinion.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, October 12 2022 - 11:26 AM.

[Miguel]

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

 

 

 

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

I would not be 100% positive about this, i think more research would be necessary to prove ants don't need hydration and humidity to keep their larvae healthy. Perhaps some colonies could do without it(mostly urban or hardy species) but i have had way to many colonies die due to poor hydration. Don't risk it in my opinion.

 

 

is is definitely not the final look of what i plan to do but I wanted to run this idea by you guys since you mention hydration.

So I was thinking of having a chamber at the bottom for hydration. Will this be enough to hydrate the entire nest?

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[Ants_Dakota]

 

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

 

 

 

This is a marvelous idea. Hydration is important for founding queens, but many ants don't need very much hydration at all once the colony gets going (and if they had 24/7 access to a quality water feeder in their outworld) Ants collect water and bring it back to the nest. That's one of their jobs. We don't need to keep the nest hydrated for them in every case. 

I think this could look really impressive, and since many ants LOVE to live in stone cracks, or under rocks it would make the ants happy too. Go for it!

I would not be 100% positive about this, i think more research would be necessary to prove ants don't need hydration and humidity to keep their larvae healthy. Perhaps some colonies could do without it(mostly urban or hardy species) but i have had way to many colonies die due to poor hydration. Don't risk it in my opinion.

 

 

is is definitely not the final look of what i plan to do but I wanted to run this idea by you guys since you mention hydration.

So I was thinking of having a chamber at the bottom for hydration. Will this be enough to hydrate the entire nest?

 

that should work just fine. Since stone does not absorb water, you probably would need to hydrate your nest super rarely(but i am not positive)