Here is how I created it.
Layer 1: Drainage
A drainage layer is necessary for a good terrarium, as it provides drainage for excess water, similar to the use of holes at the bottom of a plant pot. If you don't have a drainage layer, whenever you hydrate the substrate, it could mold easier and get too wet.
For my drainage, I used clay balls, a light alterative to something like the more common option of pebbles. Over the main drainage, you also want something to separate the drainage from the substrate so the roots of any plants you put in don't go into the drainage layer. I used a part of shade cloth, but you can use anything with small holes, but not large enough for roots to go through, just for water. Above the separation, an optional thing you could do is add some activated carbon or charcoal, which can make the substrate cleaner, and further filter any harmful chemicals or bacteria. I did this with activated carbon pellets, sometimes sold at pet stores.
Layer 2: Substrate
Above the activated carbon/charcoal in my case, you want to put perhaps the most important part, the substrate. Just about any soil that ants can dig through will do for this, this will be the digging medium for the ants. I simply dug up some soil from my backyard. Soil like this will probably have things like springtails, isopods, and worms, helpful decomposers for the terrarium, a free "cleaning crew". The ants may not dig right away, for example mine decided to nest in a hollow piece of driftwood while they dug tunnels, excavating their main nest.
Layer 3: Decoration
While this final layer isn't technically necessary, it is essential for an aesthetically pleasing look. This is the layer that has the most options by far, you can do it how you like it. I chose to go with a more natural sandy floor look. I mixed white and natural sand and put a thin layer on the top. For some greenery, I then placed some live moss to liven it up. for the finishing touches, I added 5 pieces of driftwood and some small rocks. I was sure to add an open space when I could feed and observe them the most.
This is the final look of the terrarium:
My colony:
I bought this colony from Jeff a few weeks ago at 100ish workers and 10-12 queens. This is the colony I ended up moving into the terrarium.
They came in a mini hearth. I have another colony of this species (my oldest surviving one) in a small dirt setup, and they love to move things around and dig, great for a natural setup. They also don't have social stomachs, so they must drag their food to their larvae to feed them, making the ants' feedings fun to watch.
Timelapse here
After I moved them in, they decided to nest in the hollow driftwood like I said earlier, but they have just started digging tunnels today, some up against the glass.
They haven't done much digging yet but I will post further updates.
I'd like to try and add another colony in the future of a different species. Does anyone think they'd kill each other?
Thanks for checking out this journal/tutorial!
Edited by AntsCali098, June 17 2023 - 8:22 AM.
