7 replies to this topic

[Vendayn]

My Pogonomyrmex rugosus used to be in Tarheel's Pinnacle formicarium and I had to move them out. The formicarium (even though its only slightly damp, and has dry areas) smells heavy of metal mixed with rotten eggs. I think its the water I used to fill up the water towers. I used filtered water and it smells fine when I try it, so I dunno what happened.

 

In any case, now I have to completely clean it and no idea how. I didn't do removable glass, and not sure the best approach to actually cleaning it when its a box with ytong in it.

 

Any suggestions?

[CrazyLegs]

The metal smell is most likely the aluminum in the hebel. It is added to react with the alkaline elements in the cement and form hydrogen gas. The gas expands the mixture forming the small air spaces. The rotten eggs, well that's just ammonia and breaking down organic material. Believe it or not you could use a bleach mixture provided you neutralize it afterwards. You should be able to buy something for this from anywhere that sells aquariums.

[AntsMAN]

I have a few THA Talus' and fortress', I had a bad mold problem. I submerged the nests in Peroxide for a day and rinsed them really well.

If you have a wood stove they dry out really fast. They look like new the dark spots are gone and there is no smell.

Where your just trying to eliminate the smell, maybe a bath in 99% ISO may do the trick.

[Leo]

i thought THA formicariums were mold-proof   

[Vendayn]

There isn't any mold (only very little) though in the formicarium. There was a bit of green mold (even though where its growing looked dry), but only a little. It was pretty clean looking, so not sure what happened. They had a stockpile of seeds (non-dyed quinoa seeds and some sunflower seeds), the dried insects from the pet store and a small piece of chicken. 

 

In any case. I dumped the whole thing in a thing of bleach, and then I'll wash that out tonight. Then soak it in peroxide over night and wash it extremely well again.

 

They aren't the easiest to clean lol, especially if you get the non-detachable glass.

[Kevin]

i thought THA formicariums were mold-proof   

Nothing is mold proof. It's not the formicaria that mold, it's the stuff in it (poop, dead bodies, food, etc) that mold.

Edited by Kevin, February 16 2017 - 3:09 PM.

[Vendayn]

Well I cleaned it out, and the smell is gone. Hopefully whatever was making the ants sick is cleaned out. I used bleach and peroxide, and washed it out extremely well. Tonight I'll do a second really good cleaning and then it should be good to go.

 

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.  

 

I'll probably put the Pogonomyrmex rugosus back in, but let them move on their own. But, they have a lot less ants so it'll be a bunch of unused space. I don't really have anything else though to put them in, that is suitable for Pogonomyrmex. 

[CrazyLegs]

Maybe sit it in direct sunlight for a day for extra insurance. Provided the acrylic is U.V. resistant.

 

Edit : Just noticed you said it was glass.

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 17 2017 - 5:11 PM.