47 replies to this topic

[T.C.]

These are cool and all, but remember regular test tube setups work just fine and are a lot cheaper.

[CoolColJ]

The more I look at those photos CoolColJ
The more I am convinced the seller has bought them from Taobao and marked them up., I may be wrong >>>>>>>. IS THIS IT?
If so the shipping is $31.26 But you can buy them for $3.13 each and if you buy enough then it might be worth while..

Different style of nest that one, from the ones I have here. Also the sellers could also be the same as the ones on TaoBao

Personally a few dollars here and there I don't really bother me too much. Convenience has a cost

Edited by CoolColJ, May 28 2018 - 2:17 PM.

[CoolColJ]

I got the 30mm x200 mm version today
 
this one
https://www.aliexpre....25a94c4dL4BsVX
 
It's much different from the 25mm version i got earlier, different company.
The floor layer is flat, so it's thicker and better for visibility, and large queens have more turning space.
The subtrate is finer and you get a choice of colours, I went with a fairly yellow one, and it looks more tan, yellow sand like, perfect colour to see the ants and brood.
 
The wall against the hydration chamber is much thicker than the 25mm one, so it should much less wet
 
Now to see how long it takes to spread the water, and wether it holds it too much if condensation builds up
 
Also these rubber caps are rubbish, since you get a vaccum and it is hard to remove without disturbing the ants.
You can replace them with silicon plug versions I've seen on Aliexpress.
Or maybe don't push it all the way down...or poke a small hole with a pin at the top...
 
click to enlarge

 

 

This one gets a thumbs up from me - the inner chamber's glass dried out overnight after washing it.
And no condensation issues, unlike the 25mm nest from a different company, with different design/materials

Edited by CoolColJ, May 28 2018 - 2:40 PM.

[CoolColJ]

These are cool and all, but remember regular test tube setups work just fine and are a lot cheaper.

Cheap in money, but not necessarily cheap in time and mental stress
You will most likely do at least 3 test tube changes a year for each queen that resides in one, due to mold and water running out.
Time doing so has a cost, as well as mental stress for me and the ants

These nests are also a lot larger than your typical test tube and 30mm test tubes are quite a bit more expensive than the usual 20-15mm ones

They also come with an outworld, so once you add yours to a test tube along with the time to make and plug in vinyl tubing, etc, the difference in cost is not as vast.

For self captured "junk" ants, test tubes are good for culling the numbers down, but if I had a rare and expensive queen, I would feeler better in using other options

[CoolColJ]

This particular one keeps leaking water, the seal between the gypsum and glass is not airtight, unlike the single or multi chamber versions

There are ones like this, but use a sponge instead of the gypsum/subtrate chamber, these will seal better

 

Edited by CoolColJ, June 3 2018 - 3:44 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Cheapest I've seen yet, you get 3 tubes for the price. Non chamber design. No outworld though

 

https://www.aliexpre...iceBeautifyAB=0

 

Edited by CoolColJ, June 12 2018 - 1:57 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Did more humidity measuring in my Chinese bamboo nest

 

45% RH

I got 55+ % in the outer chamber, 69% in the middle one,  80% in the inner chamber.

 

The water lasts forever in this one, I haven't filled it up in 2 months, and it's only dropped 3 mm

It's a dryer nest than most.

 

This one also never had condensation issues, unlike the other Bamboo nest I have. Showing how efficient it is I guess

Edited by CoolColJ, July 28 2018 - 4:54 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Tested this one

 

 

Even when dry just about, it read 60%, 67, 70% in the 3 chambers, from outer to inner, with a room humidity of 45%

So even an enclosed area will boost humidity by itself

 

After I added water to soak the sand, but not so much there is access water at the top once it's soaked into the first chamber -

it reads 99%

I can see the water has soaked to 75% of the first chamber.

 

Based on the first time it takes a day before it reaches the second chamber - which currently reads 80%

 

Outer chamber reads 70%

 

 

--

 

tip

 

place the probe through a small piece of vinyl tubing, but the having the probe head exposed, and place a barbecue skewer into the vinyl tubing piece.

I use the bamboo skewers which are thicker and wedge into the tubing more securely.

Then you can place it into the chambers a lot easier

Edited by CoolColJ, July 28 2018 - 6:27 PM.