110 replies to this topic

[aznphenom]

Is epoxying still the best way to get glue the sand the inside of the chamber?

 

Where did you get the big petri dish?

 

Is tile made out of different materials than hydrostone? or could I just make a circular tile out of hydrostone?

 

What is holding up the nest?

 

Is the lid the original lid of the petri dish or its something separate? Looks thick and glassy.

 

Thank

[FSTP]

Is epoxying still the best way to get glue the sand the inside of the chamber?

 

Where did you get the big petri dish?

 

Is tile made out of different materials than hydrostone? or could I just make a circular tile out of hydrostone?

 

What is holding up the nest?

 

Is the lid the original lid of the petri dish or its something separate? Looks thick and glassy.

 

Thank

 

 

1) Epoxy is still what I use and is fairly durable. I've seen others stick the sand directly into the hydrostone while it is wet/liquid. I've tried this and it wasn't as durable. 

 

2) You can get larger petri dishes from numerous places. Ebay, science supply web retailers, amazon.

 

3) Yes the tile is made out of a different material than hydrostone. It is made out of a low fired bisque ceramic. The tile is isolated from the hydrostone so that water can not transfer between the two materials. The reason for using the bisque ceramic is that it is many times more resistant to water erosion than the hydrostone. If one were to just cut a circular tile out of hydrostone and use that it would not last very long before much of the hydrostone was eroded away and rendered usless. 

 

4) It is being held up buy little stilts made of scrap pieces of plastic.

 

5) The lid is not the original petri dish lid. it is a thick cast acrylic round. I chose this to give the nest better viewing clarity and a bit more heft. 

 

 

You're Welc

Edited by FSTP, March 27 2020 - 12:32 PM.

[Canadant]

FSTP thanks for the guide and tips. Someday I'll attempt one of these. A great design and they just look so good.

Appreciated!

[FSTP]

Oh thank you! After years of being asked to rehost the photographs, I finally did. 

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Are the formicaia going to be for sale? I ask because I think I speak for most people when I say this; we want your formicaia for our ants. And here is a couple reasons from me at least: 

1. We know how it was made 

2. They look amazing 

3. There is variety 

4. We need to support our Formiculture infrastructure, and what better way than to do it via buying your formicaria (for the reasons stated above)

[FSTP]

Thanks I've gotten lots and lots of requests over the years to sell my formicariums. However to date I've not sold any. It is something that I think I may do in the future though. I'm working on a rather large project right now (not ant related) that I've been working on for the last several months. Once I finish with that I do plan on making some more formicariums as I have several new ideas that I think will be rather interesting. I just need the work space to do it, and my garage is crowded with the project I'm working on now.  I used to have an issue with taking on to many projects at once and then I'd end up not finishing any of them or if I did the quality would not be up to my standards. So I've learned to now just focus on one project at a time. 

 

But really thanks again for everyones continued interest in my formicarium designs and ideas! If for now I can't make any to sell I hope at least this thread can help anyone with ideas on how to make their own.

[DVD]

Maybe a video tutorial will be nice to see.

[FSTP]

Maybe making how to video can be my next formicarium project.

[TechAnt]

I had two larger out worlds made for some larger formicarium projects I have planned. Got them in a week ago but have not been around to check them out. Luckily they arrived perfectly fine. 
 
Side by Side, each one is 18"x 8.25"x 8.25" with a hinged and vented top.
 

 

 
next to one of my mini formicariums for scale.
 

If I may ask, do you know where you found those containers? I think they look really cool!

[FSTP]

Yes, I got them from Lorex Plastics. At the time they didn't offer anything in the dimensions I wanted so I had them make them. They have an ebay store, under the name lorexpl1 and offer lots of prebuilt acrylic enclosures, but also offer custom work. 

[DVD]

Hi, 

 

I'm working on a new founding style formicarium and a larger nest style formicarium and I thought it might be fun to document my progress on how it goes and what materials I'm using. 

 

 

So far For my smallest formicarium used for a founding queen it will be a molded hydro-stone. I'm taking a lot of its design from the THA mini-hearth style. Since I'm not selling them I don't see an issue with using  this design. 

 

 

So first I made the water reservoirs. I used a petri dish for the founding formicarium and a small box for the larger  nest formicarium that will be the second stage after the founding process. Then I cut an opening in the top for some 100 micron nylon mesh that is then installed in a two ply fashion. For filling the reservoirs I'm using some tubing that connects to a self sealing quick connect that can connect to any standard threaded style syringe. I think this will be a slight improvement over the THA method as it doesn't use a blunt needle into a open tube, the syringe just screws directly onto the hydration system and when you disconnect the syringe it then is sealed close once disconnected. No small open tube.

 

Heres a pic of the two.

 

 

this is how the syringe connects for filling the res up.

 

 

 

Then for the founding formicarium I'll be using magnets to hold on the front viewing pane. Instead of glass I'll be using the small case with the front cut of an use magnets to hold it on. I epoxied some paperclip wire on to the internal neodymium N52 magnets so that they imbed better into the hydro-stone. The magnets will be holding the viewing pane on the sides.

 

This kind of gives you an idea of how it looks before the clay chamber is placed and the hydro-stone poured.

 

 

 

And this is the larger reservoir in what will be the larger nest formicarium. 

 

 

I've poured the mold but I'm waiting for it to dry/cure. Once its done setting and I pop it out I'll post some pics of how it turned out.

 

So that's it so far. Keep in mind this is really my first somewhat serious try at making a formicarium. So its not going to be perfect. But non the less I thought I'd document the process here. 

 

Thanks!

nice ! did u use clay for making the chamber?