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ProXi: How to use a heat mat (18. Aug 2011 17:05)

Hello,

Can somebody give me some advise.

I have an ant colony in a small testtube.
And I have an ant colony in an small Ytong nest.

What is the best way to heat these colonies?

Testtube colony:
Can I put the testtube directly on the heat mat? Or must I lay somethong beneath it?
Can I put the whole testtube on the heat mat? Or only the part without water? It is a very small testtube.
Must I put something over the testtube so the heath won't escape?

Ytong colony:
Can I put the Ytong directly on the heat mat? Or must I lay somethong beneath it?

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcREpChcmqMb1krx3RIspSBhMcQgbVFbfmbgPNza490XhTOsEhil
I have a vertical ytong nest like the picture above with a water reservoir on top.

What can I do te prevent condensation or that it gets to warm?

Shiver: Re: How to use a heat mat (18. Aug 2011 19:39)

I currently use a timer and table lamp but I would like to use a heat mat I'm just not sure how best to do so. I assume a thermostat is a must to prevent cooking the ants, how to get a cabled thermostat in though without ants getting out... :/

ProXi: Re: How to use a heat mat (29. Aug 2011 21:11)

Is a thermostat necessary?

Still I would like to have more tips.
Because it's doens't seem to have much effect at the moment :P

Andie: Re: How to use a heat mat (30. Aug 2011 08:28)

I put my test tubes in a small arena or plastic box which is raised about an inch above the floor. At the bottom is a heatmat underneath a piece of plywood and the thermostat sensor is above the plywood but under the plastic box, and the temp inside the arena can be adjusted to suite. If you get my drift. If you dont put a piece of plywood between the heatmat and box, the senser will get to hot and keep turning off. What your doing is heating the air in between but regulating it by checking the temp inside the box.