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Custom built acrylic Formicarium 24wx13dx16h" 20 gallons


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#1 Offline honourable - Posted September 25 2016 - 9:04 PM

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Here are some pictures. I know the plastic in there looks ugly but I'll change that later.

The formicarium is 3 sided 20x8" for the longest sides. 12x8" for the smallest side which is currently being used as the nest.

The other 2 sides are plugged for now until the colony is larger (novomessor cockerelli).

Made of hydrostone, using oil based clay to make the tunnels and chambers. 

I don't have a macro lens so the ants don't look as sharp.

 

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Edited by honourable, October 3 2016 - 4:00 PM.

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#2 Offline Leo - Posted September 25 2016 - 9:06 PM

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nice

 



#3 Offline Enderz - Posted September 25 2016 - 9:07 PM

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Cool

:morning:  :hot:  :hot:  :hot:

Ex igne et in infernum. 


#4 Offline honourable - Posted October 3 2016 - 6:10 PM

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I plan to build smaller formicariums like this one, 6x6x10h" with a fitted lid. I am looking for acrylic box this size does anyone know where I can buy them? I can make them and sell for super cheap, maybe cover the cost of the acrylic box + shipping it would be around $15 dollars.



#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 3 2016 - 6:30 PM

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Looks nice.



#6 Offline NightsWebs - Posted October 3 2016 - 7:48 PM

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Nice job! Novomessor Cockerelli are awesome!  Glad you are having good luck with them.  My colony is around 2K now they are so great to watch. Thanks for sharing!


Current Colonies;

Acromyrmex Versicolor

Dorymyrmex Bicolor

Pogonomyrmex Californicus
Pogonomyrmex Rugosus

Pogonomyrmex Tenuispinus
Novomessor Cockerelli
Myrmecocystus Mexicanus

 

Last Update: 08 Jul 2016

 

 


#7 Offline honourable - Posted October 4 2016 - 6:07 PM

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IMG_8208.jpgIMG_8207.jpgTook with iphone 7plus


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#8 Offline kudofo - Posted October 4 2016 - 7:24 PM

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I love it looks super cool. Maybe next year I can get a novo queen! Man that's awesome.


Edited by kudofo, October 4 2016 - 7:24 PM.


#9 Offline SoloThisPlayer - Posted October 9 2016 - 12:08 PM

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Looks Amazing!


Ants Being Kept:

Solenopsis Invicta


#10 Offline Foogoo - Posted October 9 2016 - 8:43 PM

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Wow that looks real nice!

 

I plan to build smaller formicariums like this one, 6x6x10h" with a fitted lid. I am looking for acrylic box this size does anyone know where I can buy them? I can make them and sell for super cheap, maybe cover the cost of the acrylic box + shipping it would be around $15 dollars.

I've made my own, it's pretty simple to cut and weld acrylic, tons of youtube videos on it.

 

Nice job! Novomessor Cockerelli are awesome!  Glad you are having good luck with them.  My colony is around 2K now they are so great to watch. Thanks for sharing!

How old is your colony? Are you feeding or doing anything in particular? Mine is just about one year old and is probably up to 50 or so workers.


Camponotus vicinus, Crematogaster 1, Crematogaster 2, Formica francoeuri, *, *, Myrmecocystus testaceus, Novomessor cockerelli, Pheidole hyatti, Pogonomyrmex californicus, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Solenopsis invicta


#11 Offline Chandlerk - Posted October 10 2016 - 8:42 AM

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Looks great!

 

Can you share how you molded the hydrostone tunnela into multiple sections?

Also, what clay did you use?



#12 Offline T.C. - Posted October 10 2016 - 9:17 AM

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Great work, keep this updated. :)


“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#13 Offline PTAntFan - Posted October 10 2016 - 9:20 AM

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It's great!  Nothing wrong with the acrylic IMHO.  Is the test tube the only source of moisture?


PTAntFan----------------------------------Pogonomyrmex Californicus*****************************<p>I use the $3 Tower I made up. See it here.

#14 Offline honourable - Posted October 11 2016 - 8:42 AM

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This is the second year colony and I feed them various things: chia, hemp and other seeds, but they aren't interested. They have crickets, grasshoppers, mealworm, and other small bugs, different type of honey, sugar cane juice, grapes, oranges, honeydew, and other fruits that I eat.

 

"Can you share how you molded the hydrostone tunnela into multiple sections?

Also, what clay did you use?"

I use oil based clay to do all of this, clay that doesn't dry out.

 

"It's great!  Nothing wrong with the acrylic IMHO.  Is the test tube the only source of moisture?"

The tube is more for drinking water, and I don't hydrate the nest. They seem to be fine with little moisture in their nest.

 

The queen is producing like crazy now. Maybe in a couple of months I'll open another side for the nesting area. 

"

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#15 Offline honourable - Posted November 4 2016 - 1:25 PM

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Custom built 10x10x10" acrylic formicarium

Hey guys I just built this recently. I kind of messed up and crack a corner, but it can be patched up. Going to keep camponotus singularis in this one.

 

Let me know what you guys think. I want to cut a lid 10x10 with a hole in the middle so there's a 1.5 inch lip all around the top, but I can't cut it. Can anyone do it for a fee?

 

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#16 Offline honourable - Posted November 4 2016 - 1:28 PM

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It's a 4 sided nest, 1 nest is isolated for new colonies, and the other 3 are connected. There's a hole in the middle for hydration, and the water would pool on the bottom of the entire nest. It has a 1cm gap between the base and the nest, where water can stay to hydrate the nest. I got lazy and didn't add sand to the surface, but will add organic materials like wood chip or something for the cmaponotus in the outworld.



#17 Offline Kevin - Posted November 4 2016 - 1:34 PM

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Where do you find these acrylic boxes?


Hit "Like This" if it helped.


#18 Offline Superant33 - Posted November 4 2016 - 2:31 PM

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Honorable, damn good job. I am a little jealous of your formicaria.

#19 Offline FSTP - Posted November 4 2016 - 2:40 PM

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This looks great! thanks for the inspiration. I may try and do something similar but smaller.



#20 Offline dspdrew - Posted November 4 2016 - 5:33 PM

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Pretty cool.






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