74 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Slightly cheaper and with instructional video in the listing
The water feeder that comes with it is nifty

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

Edited by CoolColJ, July 5 2018 - 2:39 PM.

[AntPhycho]

Awesome little easy to work nest here with out world attached.                                                                        https://www.aliexpre....c67f1699zjlWg1

 

Shame it is pretty expensive. Also looks like you can section off parts of the nest meaning it is also great for founding. Comes in 9 colors.

 

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah305/AntLover122/Screen%20Shot%202018-07-05%20at%203.45.57%20PM_zpsgnhub5mz.png

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah305/AntLover122/Screen%20Shot%202018-07-05%20at%203.46.48%20PM_zpsnvebotjl.png

[fleetingyouth]

for 18 bucks seems worth giving it a try. 

[CoolColJ]

Founding gypsum nests with magnetic tops
 
https://www.aliexpre....6ac04c4dV3Nwxf

I got this nest and it arrived fairly quickly
They also put in a cheap dentist style tweezer, angled head, pipette and some cotton wool
Spare magnet. Well packed

Feels solid, well made, and the top of the nest is mirror polished for a flush fit against the glass
Real glass and magnets, not bad for the price

Only issue is there is no dedicated hydration hole to squirt.
The hole at the front is an actual tunnel, that veers to the right.
Since there are already two exit tunnels on the left/right for external connection, I plan to plug the front tunnel with cotton/sponge
Which leaves a 1cm hole with no ant access, and then you can squirt water with a syringe into into here.

The cotton/sponge can act as a little hydration buffer, but gypsum nests absorb and hold a lot of water so it's not needed.
Ants can also drink from here if they want.
Or remove the cotton when your done.

My other gypsum nest here can hold 3 or more full syringes and barely wet to the touch.
And still had 90% humidity after a month

Edited by CoolColJ, July 9 2018 - 9:57 PM.

[Lamarr]

Could you post a picture of what you received for us? I was thinking of buying one of these but I don't really trust the product photos they have put up.

[CoolColJ]

Could you post a picture of what you received for us? I was thinking of buying one of these but I don't really trust the product photos they have put up.

 

 

Sure, would have loved the yellow one with the outworld, but I got the white instead, which is a little harder to see small white eggs of smaller species

The visibility is really good, and it's flat unlike a test tube.

You can get real close to the ants, unlike say Tarheel Ants products, which is my main gripe about them, the nest and tunnel/chamber structure, not a fan of them

 

The arcylic case is thick and solid, looks to be 3-4mm

magnets are strong

Edited by CoolColJ, July 9 2018 - 11:17 PM.

[Lamarr]

I think you may have forgotten to attach a photo

[CoolColJ]

pics - I haven't removed the protective brown bits from the outworld yet

 

You can see the tunnel to the front port.

i am going block this one off with cotton, and use this as the hydration port, squirt water with syringe here

 

I can stick the probe from my Ebay humidity meter into and use that as a guide as when to rehydrate as well.

 

click to enlarge

 

Edited by CoolColJ, July 9 2018 - 11:50 PM.

[Lamarr]

Wow, I don't know if it's your photography skills or the quality of the nest but it looks very well constructed! Thanks for taking your time to upload the photos for me!

[CoolColJ]

I'd say the total nest volume is like an empty 150mm x  16mm test tube, if you filled it with ants

Wow, I don't know if it's your photography skills or the quality of the nest but it looks very well constructed! Thanks for taking your time to upload the photos for me!

 

 

 It is well constructed like i said, very solid feeling

Edited by CoolColJ, July 9 2018 - 11:56 PM.

[Lamarr]

I was thinking, instead of sacrificing a foraging area to use as a hydration port have you thought about using one of the connection port to either plug with something like a THA nestmate or test tube filled with water?

[CoolColJ]

hmm looks like it's no longer available to buy? Damn I should have got another one

 

maybe an improved model is coming

[CoolColJ]

I was thinking, instead of sacrificing a foraging area to use as a hydration port have you thought about using one of the connection port to either plug with something like a THA nestmate or test tube filled with water?

 

 

Could, but that only hydrates the air in the nest, not sure if that is sufficient

Some ants like Pheidole like it real wet, where the surface is also damp

 

The port I'll be using is the front one, there are 4 ports, so the outworld is still available

This way the water can soak into the queen chamber in the centre

Edited by CoolColJ, July 10 2018 - 12:08 AM.

[Lamarr]

Nooooooo!!! I was just about to buy some of these nests...

[CoolColJ]

Nooooooo!!! I was just about to buy some of these nests...

 

yeah it sucks

 

I'll keep an eye out, maybe an improved model will come out

Edited by CoolColJ, July 10 2018 - 12:41 AM.

[Lamarr]

I found the same formicarium on buy2taobao. There seem to be a lot more options as well.

https://www.buy2taob...7558987225.html

I've been also browsing the seller page and they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff to check out as well.

[CoolColJ]

I found the same formicarium on buy2taobao. There seem to be a lot more options as well.

https://www.buy2taob...7558987225.html

I've been also browsing the seller page and they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff to check out as well.

The yellow one with the outworld is the one I want

 

Getting an order through from Taobao can be a pain though.

It can be done without an agent, but I haven't figured out how yet, as I always get an error

There are a few nests on there that I want

 

Taobao themselves have their own forwarding service

Edited by CoolColJ, July 10 2018 - 4:52 PM.

[CoolColJ]

This nest, I've seen on Aliexpress as well - offers a lot of the same advantages as a magnetic top one.

Each chamber has a roof that comes off so you can also block each chamber entrance with cotton as you see fit.

Has a gypsum base for moisture wicking, from a test tube feeding a sponge

 

https://www.buy2taob...ml#.W0VW3bh9iHs

 

https://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i1/694187544/TB2ps4nmntYBeNjy1XdXXXXyVXa_!!694187544.jpg_Q75.jpg

[Lamarr]

I think this is the direct link from Taobao for the nest.

 

https://item.taobao....id=567558987225

[CoolColJ]

I squirted water onto the nest, and it does not appear to absorb water as fast as i thought!

Or does so very slowly

 

So it's not the kind of gypsum I have in the Empire of Ants nest I have here which is super absorbent.

So It will have to be a Nest Mate kind of hydration I think, or test tube plugged into one of the ports via vinyl tubing

 

edit - it did suck the cotton plug I wet in one of the ports dry, so maybe it does in a different way

But if you squirt water onto the chambers directly the water pools on the surface

Edited by CoolColJ, July 16 2018 - 5:03 AM.