7 replies to this topic

[SilverHornet]

I'm having a whale of a time trying to locate basically anything that's recommended as a good formicarium construction material. Cinder blocks aren't stocked most places, ytong/aac et al are entirely unavailable, and nobody even knows what hydrostone is.

 

I'd be very grateful if someone could share their experiences with our available options, so I don't risk making something that's unusable or toxic... my current best option seems to be equal parts grout and hope.

 

Cheers.

[Subverted]

Hydrostone is simply a trademarked mixture of plaster that has more stable characteristics than standard plaster of paris. An almost identical option (if you are set on going that direction) is dental plaster.

 

Ytong is a brand of aerated concrete blocks as far as I know those should be more accessible in the UK than they are here in the USA.

 

To give you any better advice we would really need to know some information about what ants you are hoping to keep!

[SilverHornet]

Dental plaster? Interesting insight, thanks.  I'm unsure if plaster or covered grout would be better, presently.  I need something mouldable, and so far, substrate-covered grout seems to have fewer downsides.

 

Aerated concrete blocks aren't that common here, we mostly use breeze blocks for that purpose, which is essentially normal concrete and some lightweight fluff added.  Cinder blocks seem the closest ideal material we have ... but they're rare to find in most stores.  I'm in the process of finding a pottery supply store that might be able to assist.

 

As for breeds, initially, just lasius niger.  They're common around here, and once the colony has reached a solid size I plan to connect the outworld to the literal outside world, my wall has loads of old cable holes I could unblock and repurpose.

 

Later I would love to keep a leafcutter colony, but that has a stack of problems associated with it, and isn't a nearterm option.

[BaconPancakes]

I think that since you reside in the EU it is easier to get your hands on Ytong or AAC bricks. I guess they are supposed to be lightweight, mold resistant, absorb vibration and sound and hold moisture well. If you can find this stuff it is the premium standard. I have heard that some species can burrow through it though so it is better in some cases to use an alternative.

 

edit: Oops I should have read your post first. My bad. There is a topic that lists how to's for a bunch of different materials at the link here

Edited by BaconPancakes, May 4 2016 - 10:22 AM.

[Crystals]

Try asking some local pottery groups for a store that sells kiln supplies.

Most types of fire bricks (fired clay bricks of one sort or another) are likely to be good material.

 

I see several options on https://www.amazon.co.ukfor Polyblend grout - which means it should also be readily available in stores.  Other types of grout should work as well (just avoid ones that say "with polymer").

[Kwitzats]

Try asking some local pottery groups for a store that sells kiln supplies.
Most types of fire bricks (fired clay bricks of one sort or another) are likely to be good material.

I see several options on https://www.amazon.co.ukfor Polyblend grout - which means it should also be readily available in stores. Other types of grout should work as well (just avoid ones that say "with polymer").

Oops!.......wondered why mine smelled like paint for a while. You probably should of added this disclaimer in your tutorial video. Or maybe I missed it and should of paid more attention. Jk it is all on me, it is all experiment and a learning experience after all.

[Crystals]

The ones that say "with polymer" were just added to stores here last year.  They were not around when I built the tutorials, although I have never seen the Polyblend brand with polymer.

It may work, but I did not like how the polymer version handled when wet.

[SilverHornet]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Research has been conducted, with much footwork.  To summarise, breeze blocks are similar to ytong in properties, but the 'grain' of the bricks I've found is huge, massively so.  Some blocks were built of blobs like marbles stacked together, so it's basically useless for ant purposes unless covered with grout anyway.

 

So, based on that I'm probably going to have to default to grout, Polycell as suggested, with some synthetic hyperabsorbant cloth and crushed silica gel between layers; that stuff is legendary for water retention. It soaks up so much that when saturated, it basically becomes solidly stacked water molecules, and gives them up again when the surroundings dry out. I'll report back on the success of the method, but I anticipate perfect results.

 

I'm sort of stuck with my outworld at the moment though.  I have a square aquarium, so have a lot of height to use with hills, valleys, trees, etc., but I'd rather not flood the base with grout to enable that. I'm unsure what to do there, as a loose substrate is undesirable for many reasons... I'm torn between a shallow, compressable foundation that I can later break through to snap and remove a grout skin on top, allowing complex terraforming with the grout layer, or just using fixed substrate-covered acrylic on the base, for a flat outworld.  Suggestions are very welcome.