29 replies to this topic

[MyrmecologyLab]

Hello all, I'm looking for new formicarium idea's, perhaps something that hasn't been done before or is unique to the formicarium's available now. The top one or two idea's that I like, I will attempt to create and send to the original idea creator for FREE. The only down side if you could call it is a downside, I may or may not recreate it and sell them.  I'm not planning on that, but it is a possibility. With that being said, I mainly just enjoy creating things. So regardless if it seems difficult or overly excessive, just put it out there. You may just get yourself a new formicarium.   

Edited by MyrmecologyLab, August 23 2024 - 10:35 PM.

[AntsGodzilla]

maybe a two story atta/arcomyrmex formicarium with the bottom nest completely bare, and the second story with a landscape of some sort like a dry river bed a few inches lower than the ground where the ants could collect leaves or flower petals 

Edited by AntsGodzilla, August 24 2024 - 8:13 AM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

PMed my idea

[MyrmecologyLab]

maybe a two story atta/arcomyrmex formicarium with the bottom nest completely bare, and the second story with a landscape of some sort like a dry river bed a few inches lower than the ground where the ants could collect leaves or flower petals

I think it could be done. Do you have a species that you would utilize this nest for?

[cooIboyJ]

[Deleted]

Edited by cooIboyJ, August 29 2024 - 10:33 AM.

[jabasson]

Formicarium that has a way to cool the nest for hibernation without need of a fridge, as well as heater for total temp control. I've been thinking of trying this one myself at some point in the far future. 

[bmb1bee]

Something like a horizontal formicarium, but the outworld is attached on top and can be rotated to reveal the nest. The idea has some room for improvement and improvising, but I do think it's an interesting thing to try out.

Attached Images

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Edited by bmb1bee, August 27 2024 - 8:33 PM.

[cooIboyJ]

Something like a horizontal formicarium, but the outworld is attached on top and can be rotated to reveal the nest. The idea has some room for improvement and improvising, but I do think it's an interesting thing to try out.

That's actually a really good idea. Just as a suggestion, you should make the thing that the outworld spins on a piece of tubing so that you aren't interrupting the ants too much.

Edited by cooIboyJ, August 28 2024 - 6:24 AM.

[bmb1bee]

 

Something like a horizontal formicarium, but the outworld is attached on top and can be rotated to reveal the nest. The idea has some room for improvement and improvising, but I do think it's an interesting thing to try out.

That's actually a really good idea. Just as a suggestion, you should make the thing that the outworld spins on a piece of tubing so that you aren't interrupting the ants too much.

 

Yeah, that was part of my idea as well.

[cooIboyJ]

Something like a horizontal formicarium, but the outworld is attached on top and can be rotated to reveal the nest. The idea has some room for improvement and improvising, but I do think it's an interesting thing to try out.

That's actually a really good idea. Just as a suggestion, you should make the thing that the outworld spins on a piece of tubing so that you aren't interrupting the ants too much.

Yeah, that was part of my idea as well.

if any body is going to win a free formicarium you are going to be one of them.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

 

 

 

Something like a horizontal formicarium, but the outworld is attached on top and can be rotated to reveal the nest. The idea has some room for improvement and improvising, but I do think it's an interesting thing to try out.

That's actually a really good idea. Just as a suggestion, you should make the thing that the outworld spins on a piece of tubing so that you aren't interrupting the ants too much.

Yeah, that was part of my idea as well.

if any body is going to win a free formicarium you are going to be one of them.

 

Bmb1bee pm him that's how I'm getting my idea officially started soon.

[cooIboyJ]

I pmed my idea just now. But a little more understandable.

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

It's not a full formicarium, but i am working on figuring out a nest that's kind of an L shape to have both horizontal and vertical chambers in a single nest object.

 

Though as i have been working on this i'm sure it will have to be two parts connected rather than a single uni-body nest design. As i can't pour both sections in a single mold, with the vertical chambers laid horizontal during the pour.

 

So far i've imagined the horizontal nest, if it were a typical 4"x4" square, would get an added 1.5"-2" along the back side with no chambers,  but a tube hole or two going from inside a horizontal chamber out the top back strip vertically. So that the vertical nest part would line up over those holes to allow entry.

 

I'm thinking the back strip that holds the vertical nest needs some kind of keyed/dovetailed connection situation to help keep the vertical nest section attached and not falling over.

 

Anyway this has been the idea in my head of late to attempt on my next nest build. But i'm probably a bit too lazy to really try hard enough, and will just wind up with a horizontal only nest like my others.

[cooIboyJ]

It's not a full formicarium, but i am working on figuring out a nest that's kind of an L shape to have both horizontal and vertical chambers in a single nest object.
 
Though as i have been working on this i'm sure it will have to be two parts connected rather than a single uni-body nest design. As i can't pour both sections in a single mold, with the vertical chambers laid horizontal during the pour.
 
So far i've imagined the horizontal nest, if it were a typical 4"x4" square, would get an added 1.5"-2" along the back side with no chambers,  but a tube hole or two going from inside a horizontal chamber out the top back strip vertically. So that the vertical nest part would line up over those holes to allow entry.
 
I'm thinking the back strip that holds the vertical nest needs some kind of keyed/dovetailed connection situation to help keep the vertical nest section attached and not falling over.
 
Anyway this has been the idea in my head of late to attempt on my next nest build. But i'm probably a bit too lazy to really try hard enough, and will just wind up with a horizontal only nest like my others.

you should pm MyrmecologyLab your idea.

[MyrmecologyLab]

I responded to all PM'd ideas.

 

 

Formicarium that has a way to cool the nest for hibernation without need of a fridge, as well as heater for total temp control. I've been thinking of trying this one myself at some point in the far future. 

 

Internal heating is very manageable. However the intercooling would be a major challenge but it would be interesting to draw up some concepts. I like the idea, perhaps, I will work with some heating options to start and go from there.

 

 

 

It's not a full formicarium, but i am working on figuring out a nest that's kind of an L shape to have both horizontal and vertical chambers in a single nest object.

 

Though as i have been working on this i'm sure it will have to be two parts connected rather than a single uni-body nest design. As i can't pour both sections in a single mold, with the vertical chambers laid horizontal during the pour.

 

So far i've imagined the horizontal nest, if it were a typical 4"x4" square, would get an added 1.5"-2" along the back side with no chambers,  but a tube hole or two going from inside a horizontal chamber out the top back strip vertically. So that the vertical nest part would line up over those holes to allow entry.

 

I'm thinking the back strip that holds the vertical nest needs some kind of keyed/dovetailed connection situation to help keep the vertical nest section attached and not falling over.

 

Anyway this has been the idea in my head of late to attempt on my next nest build. But i'm probably a bit too lazy to really try hard enough, and will just wind up with a horizontal only nest like my others.

 

Draw up the design when you get some time, and PM it to me. Sounds manageable.

[cooIboyJ]

Formicarium that has a way to cool the nest for hibernation without need of a fridge, as well as heater for total temp control. I've been thinking of trying this one myself at some point in the far future.

Yo I have an idea to help with the cooling problem, you should try to mimic the cooling in a pc.

[jabasson]

For heating I would just use a thermostat with some sort of heating resistor or something.

 

The cooling would be hard but very cool. I don't know how much of a challenge it will be because I haven't tried it, but what I would look into first is a peltier module with a heat sink and silent fan. The biggest challenge is finding a place to hide a giant heatsink and power supply (step down from 120V to 12V also I think it needs DC), but since the nest only needs to cool to 40 degrees I think a smaller heatsink might work. I have also read that you can power the peltier module with less voltage and get away with a smaller heatsink. Besides that you would need a way to insulate the nest well. Surrounding in foam could work, but I'm not sure how good the glass would be for insulation. If I were to make it I would probably make my own thermostat PID controller using an atmega chip and a custom circuit board, since I am a computer engineer, although I have seen premade thermostats. Again I've never messed with temperature control before so I have no idea how hard it would be. If you plan to attempt this good luck. 

 

Thermostat

Peltier Module: Note that this heatsink is way too small and if run at 12V comments say the module burns up, will need to use less voltage or get one with more heatsink.

Maybe could use a charging cord that is 12V as the power instead of power supply. Note for non tech guys, current rating just shows how much current can be supplied, source will only take as much as it needs so you just need something with more current than what you intend to power. Peltier modules usually take 6A, and you would need a bit extra to power the thermostat, probably in the realm of milliamps. The 20A rating is probably just how much the thermostat can supply before frying. 

[MyrmecologyLab]

For heating I would just use a thermostat with some sort of heating resistor or something.

 

The cooling would be hard but very cool. I don't know how much of a challenge it will be because I haven't tried it, but what I would look into first is a peltier module with a heat sink and silent fan. The biggest challenge is finding a place to hide a giant heatsink and power supply (step down from 120V to 12V also I think it needs DC), but since the nest only needs to cool to 40 degrees I think a smaller heatsink might work. I have also read that you can power the peltier module with less voltage and get away with a smaller heatsink. Besides that you would need a way to insulate the nest well. Surrounding in foam could work, but I'm not sure how good the glass would be for insulation. If I were to make it I would probably make my own thermostat PID controller using an atmega chip and a custom circuit board, since I am a computer engineer, although I have seen premade thermostats. Again I've never messed with temperature control before so I have no idea how hard it would be. If you plan to attempt this good luck. 

 

Thermostat

Peltier Module: Note that this heatsink is way too small and if run at 12V comments say the module burns up, will need to use less voltage or get one with more heatsink.

Maybe could use a charging cord that is 12V as the power instead of power supply. Note for non tech guys, current rating just shows how much current can be supplied, source will only take as much as it needs so you just need something with more current than what you intend to power. Peltier modules usually take 6A, and you would need a bit extra to power the thermostat, probably in the realm of milliamps. The 20A rating is probably just how much the thermostat can supply before frying. 

 

I will look into options and get back to you. No doubt there would be a lot of complications. 

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

I responded to all PM'd ideas.

 

 

It's not a full formicarium, but i am working on figuring out a nest that's kind of an L shape to have both horizontal and vertical chambers in a single nest object.

 

Though as i have been working on this i'm sure it will have to be two parts connected rather than a single uni-body nest design. As i can't pour both sections in a single mold, with the vertical chambers laid horizontal during the pour.

 

So far i've imagined the horizontal nest, if it were a typical 4"x4" square, would get an added 1.5"-2" along the back side with no chambers,  but a tube hole or two going from inside a horizontal chamber out the top back strip vertically. So that the vertical nest part would line up over those holes to allow entry.

 

I'm thinking the back strip that holds the vertical nest needs some kind of keyed/dovetailed connection situation to help keep the vertical nest section attached and not falling over.

 

Anyway this has been the idea in my head of late to attempt on my next nest build. But i'm probably a bit too lazy to really try hard enough, and will just wind up with a horizontal only nest like my others.

 

Draw up the design when you get some time, and PM it to me. Sounds manageable.

Oh I'm Cpt.Cudgel. I don't have such plans to send outside my brain. I once built a covered patio but couldn't say exactly how big it was as a measuring tape never once visited the site.

Thanks for the offer though.

Edited by Full_Frontal_Yeti, August 31 2024 - 8:29 AM.

[Mushu]

I’d say if someone can incorporate a way to replace dirty glass as seamless as possible would be a great addition to a formicarium.