13 replies to this topic

[ArmyAntz]

So my nests/test tubes have all recently started having big condensation buildups. I know this is because I started using a heat mat, but there's no way I can keep my room temp as high as the nest is.

 

So do I need to be worrying about the condensation? I'm more worried about whether it will affect the ants directly rather than affect my view of them.

 

 

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[RushmoreAnts]

Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem for the ants, although it can be a pain for viewing. However, sometimes it goes away after being exposed to the heat mat for long enough.

[ArmyAntz]

Okay thanks, I get really paranoid about these things. 

[Broncos]

My harvester ants get stuck on condensation. But they are terrible with water.

[FSTP]

It can be a bad thing depending one the ant size and if the queen housed still has wings. Small ants can get stuck and drown as well as queens with wings. 

[ANTdrew]

Keep the heat source as far away from the water as possible. Better yet, try putting the test tubes in a box and heating that. You want to avoid having the tubes differ significantly in temperature from the surrounding air.

[ArmyAntz]

There's around a 12 degree or so difference between the room temperature and nests/tubes. Maybe I can keep my window open all day to heat up my room.

 

The nests are the real frustration. I can't tell if I'm over hydrating the nest because there's all that condensation.

[NickAnter]

I have had many colonies and founding queens killed by condensation. Then again, they were only in the 1-4mm range. I would be careful.

[ANTdrew]

What kind of formicariums are they in? Perhaps repositioning the heat pad would help or using something more localized like a heat cable. Can you possibly heat a closet of some sort?

[NickAnter]

I need to make a shoe box incubator. I have them on a heating cable, and the ones that were killed were in test tube, or snap cap vials filled with dirt.

[ArmyAntz]

Its a flat acrylic nests, similar to the Ants Australia ones where a sponge absorbs and distributes the water. 

 

The heat pad is underneath the nest, but separated by a cardboard piece so its not in direct contact. I only have one room to work with unfortunately and I can't have it being too warm.

[ANTdrew]

Perhaps try raising the nest up a bit more on some blocks or bottle caps to put more space between the heat and nest.

[ArmyAntz]

I will try doing that, thanks.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Yeah I was about to say I lost a Pogonomyrmex queen to condensation. Unfortunately I had been trying a kind of hybrid dirt-in-formicarium approach, and the dirt brought her too close to the condensation. It was a real bummer.

 

Generally with tubes heating an inch away from the water in the nest portion isn't bad.

I actually like fine-droplet condensation for some set-ups as it provides plenty of drinking water. But if it forms huge droplets and the ants have to travel near it, then it's a definite NO for me.