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Not sure if there are many threads like this, but this is how it looks when I build a formicarium anyways.. =)
Three important things to remember when building a ytong nest.
1. After the formicarium is compeleted, let it "air out", so the fumes from the silicone is not in the nest when you let the ants in. I usually let the nest "air out" for 48h.
2. Use "aquarium silicone". So it does not contains a lot of chemicals which are deadly for animals.
3. Before you attach the glas to the ytong. Be sure you gotten rid of all the ytong "dust" that was created when you created the tunnels. The ytong dust is very dangerous and if you let a ant colony into a formicarium filled with ytong dust, the colony will be dead by morning. I usually spray the nest with a hard water stream from the shower to neutralize of all the ytong dust.
Material info.
Ytong costs around 30-50 SEK för a piece.
Glas costs 20-50 SEK for a medium piece.
Aquarium silicone costs 70+ SEK.
Here is a series of images on the production of a formicarium
Ytong, I bought two, they tend to be a tad tricky to saw..
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg821/scaled.php?server=821&filename=cimg2563h.jpg&res=medium
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Various tools.
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Använder en vinkellinjal och en tjock blyertspenna för att markera ut vart jag ska såga.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg201/scaled.php?server=201&filename=cimg2565zb.jpg&res=medium
I am making an indentation for the saw to follow.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg72/scaled.php?server=72&filename=cimg2566j.jpg&res=medium
Indentation.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg684/scaled.php?server=684&filename=cimg2567u.jpg&res=medium
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Sawing time.. Ytong is very annoying to saw in with a normal saw. It almost always goes wrong, both the ytong and the saw are too soft. There is a special saw to cut ytong with, but it costs 500 SEK.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg839/scaled.php?server=839&filename=cimg2569.jpg&res=medium
So far so good.
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argh..
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I am going to try to get it more straight..
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Not perfect, but good enough.
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Time to drill a water whole to moisten the nest. There is a small chance here that you will drill in a wrong angle and ruin the nest if you are not careful. I try drill as close to the edge as I dare, that way I get more space for the tunnels laters.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg854/scaled.php?server=854&filename=cimg2581m.jpg&res=medium
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Done, it went well.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg862/scaled.php?server=862&filename=cimg2583.jpg&res=medium
Ytong dust, death for any ant.
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Now I am marking the area which I will make the tunnels within.. I usual save 1cm for the edges where I will put silicone.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg600/scaled.php?server=600&filename=cimg2584v.jpg&res=medium
Then I put tejp over the 1cm area that I will put the silicone on later. That way I wont make tunnels in the silicone area by misstake.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg641/scaled.php?server=641&filename=cimg2587q.jpg&res=medium
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg641/scaled.php?server=641&filename=cimg2588q.jpg&res=medium
Time to draw the tunnels.
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Done.. :)
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Now comes the fun part.. Creating the tunnels. You can use a drill or whatever tool you wish.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg38/scaled.php?server=38&filename=cimg2591e.jpg&res=medium
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It doesn't show so clearly, but I am scraping down the edges of the tunnels, so when you add the glas, it makes a small crevasse, so when the ants dump dirt there, instead of the dirt starting to pile up against the glas immediately and obscure your view, it falls into the small crevasse first.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg221/scaled.php?server=221&filename=cimg2605jo.jpg&res=medium
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Finished.
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Time to make the entrances.
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Drilling a whole to fit the tube.
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I make the tunnels where I will put the entrances extra deep, so I am not forced to drill so close to the edges.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg233/scaled.php?server=233&filename=cimg2612d.jpg&res=medium
With alittle hard work I manage to get the tube in.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg807/scaled.php?server=807&filename=cimg2611.jpg&res=medium
Now it is time to fasten it for real, using aquarium silicone.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg692/scaled.php?server=692&filename=cimg2615.jpg&res=medium
I put the plastic tube in the fridge, to decrease its size and to make it more stiff. So it can be easily push in.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg811/scaled.php?server=811&filename=cimg2614q.jpg&res=medium
Done. I normally add a ring of silicone around the tube and then press it in. Then I add some more silicone. To make sure the nest is escape proof.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg217/scaled.php?server=217&filename=cimg2616t.jpg&res=medium
Front.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg408/scaled.php?server=408&filename=cimg2617t.jpg&res=medium
Side
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Side. 3 entrances in total.
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Now comes the next step, filing down the edges. To file down the edges I use rough sandpaper.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg189/scaled.php?server=189&filename=cimg2621a.jpg&res=medium
As you can see, the edges are very uneven and grainy. It is aesthetically unappealing and it makes it so small pieces of ytong can fall of, and if you hit an edge hard, a big piece of the nest may losen. Which is a bad thing. =)
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Edge filed down.
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More edges filed down.
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All the edges are now filed down. The nest only stands on its core "structure" none of the fragile edges any longer have any contact with the surface.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg685/scaled.php?server=685&filename=cimg2625sn.jpg&res=medium
This phase is complete. This is the current state of the nest.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg708/scaled.php?server=708&filename=cimg2626y.jpg&res=medium
Time to wash away the ytong dust.
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The water washes away most of the ytong dust and casues the remaining dust to "solidify" into a claylike structure.
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Done.
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It was an bad ytong segment I selected. And my filing down was very uneaven in itself.. But the princple is good..:P
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Time to put the silicone and glas on.
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Done.
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Now I only need to wait 48h until the silicone fumes have left the nest. I use an old pump to enhance the process.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg715/scaled.php?server=715&filename=cimg2666.jpg&res=medium
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Everything done.
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It toke a total of 6 hours to make this nest. + 48 hours before it can be used.
Nice Strafe. :cup01:
"Nice Strafe. :cup01:"
Thank you. :)
Good job!
This is a really good tutorial on how to build a ytong formicarium. I have sandstone and are making a nest in the same way but are slightly worried that the nest will not be aerated enough. Is this a concern when using ytong also? Or is it porous enough, even with only 3 entrances?
Rob
Excellent!
Can I ask, have you just put an indentation in the top to be filled with water? Or what? :)
I'm hoping to make a Ytong soon.
Well, Y-tong IS concrete so it would be understandable that it's not meant to be cut with a regular saw.
You could cut y-tong with a bread knife, its really soft.
a wood chisel, a wood hole cutter and a wood saw. it kind of shows how soft ytong is.
I my self use a wood cutter for going sideways into the aac. at 5000 rpm it cuts through at roughly 4-5cm per second.