6 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So recently I have been thinking about starting an ant shop so I can make a bit of money and also so I can make myself more busy during the summer 

 

So my first thing I drafted out on paper is this type of 3D printed replacement for a test tube, not a cheaper alternative but one that will last far longer than test tubes, like how they end up shattering or they running out of water. One of the other reasons is that I feel like that traditional test tubes have too much space in them for founding queens at the start (It really bugs me) the expensive acrylic replacements for test tubes (the ones you find on Etsy or smt like that) have a similar problem with space. I also decided that it will be compact and small so it will be refillable so that you don’t have to move your queens or small colonies all the time because of the water reservoir evaporating. My other experiences with 3D printed nests were that ants have trouble gripping onto the walls and floor (especially queens) so I will also line it with sand and something like grout or perfect cast (please tell me what I can use to line the walls with sand) the nest will be 16x16x60mm with a nesting area of 16x30mm (480mm square of nesting space!)

 

Here is my draft:

[MyrmecologyMaven]

Interesting idea but it feels like you're trying to find a problem that doesn't exist. All of the problems and things you want to change already have easy fixes and alternatives.

If queens having too much founding space bothers you why not just use a smaller diameter test tube and give more water space to shrink the founding area?

Also glass test tubes breaking isn't much of an issue. I have been using them for years and never had any problems. Just be careful while handling them as you should already be doing.

For grip you could always buy (Gensis inserts from Tar Heel ants), or make some textured inserts yourself. the water in test tubes usually last at least 4 months in my experience.

If you wanted a test tube setup that lasts longer there are a few alternatives that I have some video examples of linked below. 

If you want to discuss designs to try to make new founding setups feel free to dm me! Diys are always cool!

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=yeFEC_yi2M0

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=iceahERV8DU

Edited by MyrmecologyMaven, Today, 6:03 PM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Interesting idea but it feels like you're trying to find a problem that doesn't exist. All of the problems and things you want to change already have easy fixes and alternatives.

If queens having too much founding space bothers you why not just use a smaller diameter test tube and give more water space to shrink the founding area?

Also glass test tubes breaking isn't much of an issue. I have been using them for years and never had any problems. Just be careful while handling them as you should already be doing.

For grip you could always buy (Gensis inserts from Tar Heel ants), or make some textured inserts yourself. the water in test tubes usually last at least 4 months in my experience.

If you wanted a test tube setup that lasts longer there are a few alternatives that I have some video examples of linked below. 

If you want to discuss designs to try to make new founding setups feel free to dm me! Diys are always cool!

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=yeFEC_yi2M0

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=iceahERV8DU

Most of our stuff is imported (besides Por Amor and Canada Ant Colony) so it makes it more expensive and we can’t have Tar Heel Ants without a big shipping fee…, yeah Por Amor does inserts too, but that is not the point. Now I really feel like that I was trying to get a problem from something that does not exist, but what I wanted to do is also add different sizes like: (width x length x hight) 16x16x(60,90,120mm) ; 32x16x(60,90,120mm) ; 48x16x(60,90,120mm) basically turning into their own respective Formicarium line (My bad for not adding such an important piece of info  )

 

(Sigh, I feel like I should just scrap this idea now…  )

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, Today, 6:30 PM.

[MyrmecologyMaven]

 

Interesting idea but it feels like you're trying to find a problem that doesn't exist. All of the problems and things you want to change already have easy fixes and alternatives.

If queens having too much founding space bothers you why not just use a smaller diameter test tube and give more water space to shrink the founding area?

Also glass test tubes breaking isn't much of an issue. I have been using them for years and never had any problems. Just be careful while handling them as you should already be doing.

For grip you could always buy (Gensis inserts from Tar Heel ants), or make some textured inserts yourself. the water in test tubes usually last at least 4 months in my experience.

If you wanted a test tube setup that lasts longer there are a few alternatives that I have some video examples of linked below. 

If you want to discuss designs to try to make new founding setups feel free to dm me! Diys are always cool!

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=yeFEC_yi2M0

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=iceahERV8DU

Most of our stuff is imported (besides Por Amor and Canada Ant Colony) so it makes it more expensive and we can’t have Tar Heel Ants without a big shipping fee…, yeah Por Amor does inserts too, but that is not the point. Now I really feel like that I was trying to get a problem from something that does not exist, but what I wanted to do is also add different sizes like: (width x length x hight) 16x16x(60,90,120mm) ; 32x16x(60,90,120mm) ; 48x16x(60,90,120mm) basically turning into their own respective Formicarium line (My bad for not adding such an important piece of info  )

 

(Sigh, I feel like I should just scrap this idea now…  )

 

Keep trying! The first design or concept is usually no good. Good designs take time. I like the concept of it but the design and use needs work.

[jabasson]

Not every idea is gonna be a winner, but you learn from every design you make. Sometimes an idea is good, it just needs to be taken a different direction or be improved upon. I think making your inserts for different sized tubes, or adding sand to the insert, could be a great way to expand off of a great invention already made in the past.  I also think your previous idea was good, I'm just not personally a fan because of the amount of plastic that is used, when a glass test tube does the trick while being much more environmentally friendly. Also if you plan to use PLA, any water contact will degrade the plastic and it will need to be thrown away eventually. Just thought I would throw this out there just in case, you might already know this, but PETG is a much better material for anything touching water (or sun) in your designs. 

[AntBoi3030]

Cool idea! It’s always fun to make your own nests and to see your colonies living and thriving in them; it's part of the fun! I think that you could use some kind of plaster to coat the walls. Or, honestly, just sand on the floor could work. I've also seen people who intentionally add rough texture on 3D-printed nests if that's something you can do. You could also add some kind of heat cable feature where you can slide the heat cable under the nest without tipping it too much.

[ReignofRage]

Something that follows this concept (refillable reservoir) is already pretty common and relatively cheap: bamboo tubes! It is basically a refillable test tube setup and there are several variants to accommodate the needs of different species. Some bamboo tubes have just the water barrier, some have plaster lining the "floor" of the test tube, and some even have restrictions built inside to create chambers. From personal experience, I always found that simply pushing the plug cotton beyond the entrance of the tube was more than sufficient to reduce the space inside a test tube setup. It also allows you to incrementally pull the plug cotton closer and closer to the start of the test tube as the colony starts to eclose workers. This is how I have founded 3--4 mm queens in 20 mm test tubes without issue. While your design may not be a direct fit as an alternative to a test tube setup, it may prove to be a good option at founding and housing miniscule cryptic species such as Hypoponera and Strumigenys. Based on your drawings, it seems like it would be great at keeping humidity high and a good size for adding substrate. I do think the barrier applied on the inside of the nest could be done away with, it should only ever be opened when the ants have moved out, are being forced to move out, or have died. keep up the creativity!