Atta texana formicarium display and formicarium build !!!

[Ieatflys]

Hello everyone!

For years I have wanted to keep a leafcutter ant colony and dispite my previouse attempts to get a colony all have faild . So here this winter I decided I am going to make a trip out of it and collect a (or hopefully some) colonie (s). The goal of this thread is to show how I build my setup so everyone can learn from what i have accomplished and Messed up on. Once I collect my colonies (hopefully here in two weeks) I will tie this thread into my "colony diary" for all to see! I have many pictures to upload and much to explain and little time so I will hopefully revisit this thread here in a few hours and learn how to upload photos and whatnot.

See you all soon enjoy!

[Deansie26]

Hi, looking forward to seeing what you post, be interesting seeing Texana.
Load photos via the photobucket website and not directly on to the forum and you will have to resize etc.
Once loaded to your photobucket account copy and past the IMG code for the photo onto your forum post and the picture will appear.

[Ieatflys]

Thanks for the advice I have lots of pictures in going to post here soon... please keep in mind that my goal with this huild was not exactly perfection I have a budget set for this project and the actual trip for collecting is taking up allot of the budget. I will continue to upgrade this build as time goes on. I will be installing hygrometers and thermometer probes in ezch chamber as the colony gets bigger including the trash dump so that we may see how they regulate the temp and humidity in different areas of the colony in a laboritory setup!

[Ieatflys]

Im having some trouble getting photobucket to cooperate it wont load the edit page on any of the devices I have is there a way to add anything to the code or url I uploaded to manually chsnge the upload size?

[Deansie26]

If your using your you nmobile best use the app, works better.

[Ieatflys]

ahhhha!!!! i have it figured out!!! I am now going to update with some pictures if you all have any questions please let me know... a few things I would like to share is I currently live in a penthouse and am in my young years of adulthood. I do not have every tool I need available and due to the budget that is set I did a bit if making do with what I have. This set aside personally I am pleased with the results.

The goal of this build was to design the cabinet they can be hung on the wall or set on a Shelf in which can meet Lee display my leaf cutter ant colonies as well as some other species until I build them their own setup or the leaf Cutters get larger. So in the future in some sad photos you may see some other species in the cabinet if you want to know about them please let me know I may start journals for them later on. i was planning to be able to regulate temperature and lighting completely. I want to have as much control over everything this colony will be living in. Temperature will be regulated using my personal favorite method in which a computer fan will blow air from the heat chamber (that is heated with heat tape on the left end) into the cabinet. I have a thermostat set inside of the box where the other electronics are (don't worry the heat tape only reaches certain temperatures that I set it too and it will not catch the wood or other electronics on fire or otherwise damage them. I have used this tape in older projects such as plywood terrariums to regulate temperature and it works fantastically even after penetrating the little metal rails and carbine rails that run through the plastic tape no electrical shock or fires were able to be produced as the manufacturer that I purchase it from promised) the thermostat has a sensor that reaches into the display of the cabinet. When the temperature in the display drops below a certain level that I have preset and not exactly decided on quite yet it looks on a computer fan and starts warming the heat tape what's the reaches the desirable temp again the computer fan and heat tape is then switched off. The reason I have yet to decide on a set temperature for the entire box is due to the fact that I am uncertain how well it heats every extremity of the case. once up and running I will place sensors in different parts of the box to ensure even distribution of heat. Occasionally there are some distribution problems that I usually solved by making minor adjustments.

The air enters the heating box through a large hole at the top left wall of the display and the bottom left wall of the display between the shelves, Then passes through the box and the heat tape and is then returned into the main display through another large hole that is located on the middle shelf's left wall. It is currently set to blow the air directly across the middle of the middle Shelf. I fear this may cause a few problems due to the fact that it will be blowing on to the boxes themselves and not spreading it across the hole display which is not something that I want to happen even though the temperature in the Box should all be the same I do not want any form of fluctuation anywhere in the cabinet. Currently my plan is to make a small crowd that will redirect the air in point towards the front glass panel that way when it hits the front glass panel it will then be spread out across the whole display effectively evenly heating the entire display. (there is room between the front lip of the shelf and the glass)... some photos

I started out with the basics



I then cut my 11x 1s to my desired sizes and began working the shelves and parts into my previously drawn out designs.




attached the thin wooden pannels to the rear for added support and to enclose the shelves as a unit and make an isolated atmosphere.


I began staining the wood to a darker color it looks better in person i wanted a black colored wood stain but more natural looking...



Then I started adding some of the electronics such as the heat tape thermostat led lights and whatnot...


Lighting is pretty straightforward I used some Led tape I have used in previous projects which seems to work pretty great and anywhere from 12 to 18 volts. I have ran it up 23 Volts for short periods of time if you run it any longer than a few minutes to tape starts to get too hot and it will overheat the power supply or melt the glue that is used to hold it to the object. Currently my only power supply I have right now is 18 volts in the lights do not stay on longer than 3 hours before overheating the power supply they have however been holding on to the Shelf with the glue just fine. You will notice the bottom shelf is not yet but I am waiting for more of this tape to come in the mail by hopefully Friday. I already have the wires in place all I have to do is stick it on the shelf and solder it in. Mind you the entire display is not completely airtight yet, I'm working on closing up some of the entrance and exit holes to the entire display there is a gap slightly larger than a quarter inch between the front left and front right glass panel that they can slide in front of each other I could attempt to see all this crap but I fear that would add too much complexity it would be unnecessary. I do want some air exchange between the box and the room it is in to keep fresh air flowing in and out. I just do not want so much that I am constantly losing hot air and having the thermostat running all the time for obvious reasons. The Box currently has no cooling function where I live I have air conditioning and it rarely gets too hot I have an African grey parrot that does not like temperatures to warm so I am unable to allow the room that the boxes in to get over a certain temperature anything so I figured that calling should not be a problem if so I can upgrade that feature later on.

sorry for the delays and the large pictures I have one more update to do befor i will fix the photo size problems.. Enjoy and feel free to ask questions!!

[Ieatflys]

Alrighty to my acrylic and boxes arrived here on Tuesday and I have since started on the nest boxes and connectors and whatnot. Ill share some pictures of what I have accomplished feel free to ask any questions or make any suggestions. some quick info i am using three different sized acrylic pipe with 1/4" wall and using acrylic weld solvent to make my connections. i am in the posses of making some connector ts and elbows(haven't started on the elbows yet).
I know these boxes are not ideal for starting colonies from young but they should work alright they are 4"x4"x5" a little less with the hydro-stone. in the future they will each be outfitted with individual hygrometers and thermometers.

As for the display case I have a few smaller things to do to it still... I have hung it on the wall but still need to shave the door down a bit so it closes all the way (it stays open about 1/4") install some air tightening mods to help with control over the air exchange. I still need to install the third row of lights, change my power supply, move the hear tape into a confined and easily controlled box, build a re-director shroud for the warm air supply, as well as do some testing on how well the heat is distributed through the display and choose the best spot for the temp sensor. other than that things seem to be coming into place despite the continuous recent flooding in the vicinity I am hoping to stay in two weeks... hopefully there are plenty of high ground away from the flood plains I can find young colonies and they haven't been wiped out yet!!!! wish me luck!!!

the nest boxes


recieved th acrylic pipes
1.5"id

1.0"id

.5"id


some cutting up for the boxes connectors.


cleaning up the cuts


welding on the connectors


pouring the hydrostone


this is how they look in the display hung on the wall ant lit


then I started to dremmel and weld the t collectors EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING
I am hoping the elbows will be a simply 90 degree cut with some cleaning up of the cut before the weld
(Im using 3/4"id silicone hose for connectors cut very carefully.)



a custom modified box for a friend of mine who will be joined me on my Texas trip i hopes to help out and share some knowledge and whatnot!

[RichardP]

What an interesting project. Great work...It'll be interesting to see it in full operation. I like the lighting idea.

I can foresee a few issues maybe such as controlling humidity and also how you access the nests for maintenance (mainly feeding I suppose, or emptying rubbish). That said, you may already have solutions.

Great job.

[Britishants.com]

Love it! How much where the boxes?

[Ieatflys]

I spent 50 of 60 on 18 of them then parts for them were more. As for accessing for feeding and cleaning its not a big deal just slide the glass door over and have at it.... as hor humidity the nests will be closed off from rhe atmosphere in there so well see how well it holds humidity. If needed i have added a fogging humidifier to the heat tape boxes befor that turns on whenever the heater turns on. Testing will proceed this week so well see what needs to be done. Does anyone have any reccommendations on affordable hygrometers, and thermometers? Possibly 2 in ones with a sensor probe? Every time i get one the hygrometer quits after a while. I am hoping i can find one with pultiple sensors on it so i can just run the sensors throughout it to one main display.