7 replies to this topic

[marcel]

Hello,

 

I am a newcomer to this forum. I am an ant keeper from germany and I never heard about Hydrostone until now. Nor have I ever seen it here in any store.

 

But I see that you guys have such great success in Hydrostone setups on different ant species. In germany we usually use Ytong (celluar concrete) nests where we dig in tunnels with a screwdriver and simple ant farms and 3D nests. 

 

But especially for species like Myrmecocystus this seems like a big problem and many colonies die, what I believe isn't the temperature but the nest type. So what is the secret about Hydrostone in comparison with normal Ant Farms, 3D nests and Ytong (celluar concrete) nests?

 

Are there any special minerals, does it store some heat? The moisture is saved so well in it?

 

I am considering to somehow get this Hydrostone myself and create beautiful hand made nests.

 

 

Greetings,

 

Marcel

[klawfran3]

Hydrostone is like a really really hard plaster of paris. It doesn't really warp or rehydrate very much after it's set too, which plaster of paris can do when exposed to standing water (I know Drew had some issues with hydrostone breaking down in one of his prototype formicaria for leafcutters). It's also not too difficult to carve and very easy to set and pour in a mold, and it makes very sharp corners and edges too.

 

Hydrostone is gypsum cement, plaster of paris is also gypsum but doesn't have the same hardening additives.

[dspdrew]

Hydrostone will absorb water, even though the specs say it doesn't. It absorbs very slowly, but the capillary action is very strong and will move water long distances. Also, like any gypsum cements, it will weaken and erode if there is water constantly flowing through it, as It slowly dissolves over time. One more thing.. bleach dissolves it relatively fast, so remember that when cleaning.

[marcel]

But basically none of the 2 give a much better environment? So let's say I wanted to reconstruct a dirt box setup and used regular Plaster instead of Hydrostone, do I get a similar environment as Hydrostone would offer?

[Ameise]

Hydrostone will absorb water, even though the specs say it doesn't. It absorbs very slowly, but the capillary action is very strong and will move water long distances. Also, like any gypsum cements, it will weaken and erode if there is water constantly flowing through it, as It slowly dissolves over time. One more thing.. bleach dissolves it relatively fast, so remember that when cleaning.

Why does it dissolve? Couldn't you buffer the water?s pH and KH (using, say, bicarbonate of soda)? I imagine water with a pH above 8.3 (which is where limestone won't dissolve) should suffice.

Is there a commonly used material which won't suffer from degredation? I'm presently using Hydrocal which is likely equivalent to Hydrostone in chemistry - maybe LabStone? LabStone is used in orthodontics.

Edited by Ameise, August 10 2017 - 8:33 PM.

[Serafine]

US antkeeper mostly use Hydrostone (and some other materials) because Ytong is really really hard to get in North America. In Europe you can buy Ytong/ACC blocks for little money in every craftsman shop, in NA it is pretty much unavailable.

[dspdrew]

 

Hydrostone will absorb water, even though the specs say it doesn't. It absorbs very slowly, but the capillary action is very strong and will move water long distances. Also, like any gypsum cements, it will weaken and erode if there is water constantly flowing through it, as It slowly dissolves over time. One more thing.. bleach dissolves it relatively fast, so remember that when cleaning.

Why does it dissolve? Couldn't you buffer the water?s pH and KH (using, say, bicarbonate of soda)? I imagine water with a pH above 8.3 (which is where limestone won't dissolve) should suffice.

Is there a commonly used material which won't suffer from degredation? I'm presently using Hydrocal which is likely equivalent to Hydrostone in chemistry - maybe LabStone? LabStone is used in orthodontics.

 

 

There are pages of discussion on it starting here (http://www.formicult...-5-2016/?p=9594).

[Lunanitic]

Hydrostone will absorb water, even though the specs say it doesn't. It absorbs very slowly, but the capillary action is very strong and will move water long distances. Also, like any gypsum cements, it will weaken and erode if there is water constantly flowing through it, as It slowly dissolves over time. One more thing.. bleach dissolves it relatively fast, so remember that when cleaning.

There is an additive to plaster/hydro to make it waterproof called SP201 Acrylic Polymer.