Daubz ant loft

[Deansie26]

Might be better buying moulded boxes and separate lids Dale, far less hassle, probably cheaper and will give you less worry with cracking glue. Just my opinion mate

[Daubz1977]

do you have a link where i could find them please mate?

[Deansie26]

do you have a link where i could find them please mate?

Irish posted these sites previously, they look good. Remember acrylic sheet isn't cheap when you look at the complete boxes mate.

http://plasticonline.co.uk/

http://www.united-plastics.co.uk/displa ... 67_69.html

[Daubz1977]

Im just going to post how im going to do things for my main setup which im hoping will all be ready by the end of April beginning of May:-
Ive got my 50mm celotex insulation boards coming on the 2nd of April to insulate the area. I have a double pole thermostat which will run a 500w oil filled heater and a small portable air con unit, the heater will be on the ground at one end of the loft and the air con unit will be the other end on a shelf mounted about 1.5 mtr, Im also going to put a fan as high as i can mount it to circulate the heat and air.
The housing for the fungus gardens will be 30x30x30cm acrylic cubes with 20mm of plaster of paris and 20mm of soil in the bottom of the cube, i think i will be able to get about 25-30 of these on the table. There will be one main 32mm tube running down the centre of the table connecting the boxes.
There will be a lot of 32mm tubing running around the loft to an out world which i will make with a 1.5mtr square solid plastic pond liner with a few islands and surrounded by acrylic.
Please give me any advice if you think im doing something wrong.

[Acromyrmexbob]

Can I ask, if you are heating the room, why are you joining the cubes up with tubes. I think, if it was me, I would be inclined to create a platform on the shelf, with legs standing in trays of water, and have the nest tanks stacked on this, with each of them having an opening at the front. Then leave a ' highway' clear for the ants to travel through the nest to each of the nest tanks. The eventual effect of the will be an ant city with a much more intimate viewing experience for you when you are watching. Your display will be far more 3d! Just a thought

[Daubz1977]

That is a very good idea, i never thought of doing it that way, it would make adding new boxes for the fungus so much easier as well.

[Acromyrmexbob]

I love the idea of masses of ants going about their duties not because they have to follow the routes that the pipes take them but able to set their colony up the way they want.

[Daubz1977]

The only thing that worries me about this idea would be the fact of a mass exodus of ants it would be less likely with it being connected by tubing.

[Deansie26]

This has the potential to be one of the if not best hobby display in the UK I imagine, I really hope it achieves it potential
It would be great to see a super high way as Andrew describe's, with your room being heated and having such space you have the chance to settings different and away from the norm if you want. Great thread!

[Daubz1977]

Yeah i think Andrews idea would look brilliant, ive looked up how much a piece of acrylic would be for the platform, it was £350 so i think i will have to rethink that, what would other people use?