ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Ashton McStansfieldio]

I have a colony of Pheidologeton diversus on the way which will be kept in a y-tong nest inside a glass tank. I have filled the tank with sharp sand.

Will this be ok for the ants or do they not like sand without loam. cant work out if the loam is just to help the structure of the nests. (which in my case is not a desired effect outside of the y-tong.)

also the tank is quite big so i dont want to pay the delivery costs of lots of loam if i dont need to.

Thanks,
Ashton

[Pugberto]

You could always mix the sand with small stones in the garden, smaller than pebbles though.

[sithmaster676]

don't worry about loam i have a large tank just full of sand without loam it isn't really needed but i have a really coarse sand in my tank that holds together better but because your keeping them in a ytong nest there is not need to worry about the sand at all the best thing to do is just leave it not even wet it
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

I also keep these species in a y-tong nest, my out world has no sand in it. and they are just doing fine. Make sure to give them a good humidity and heating. Also keep the nest moist. (This is not an easy species to keep)

[Ashton McStansfieldio]

Thanks for the help and suggestions guys.

In respose to Jimmy, I have a ceramic heater linked to a dimmer thermostat that i will test and upgrade if needed to make sure it maintains 28 degrees. I am certain my y-tong will stay moist as i have tested it. but im not sure on the humidity, i have a hygrometer on the way and was hoping to just mist the tank now and then. do you think this will be sufficient?

the tank is quite large 4ft by 1ft by 18 inches, maybe the substrate will help with the humidity?

The loam is my main worry now, I read in another thread that wet sand is not good for ph. d. and even plain soil is better. Maybe i find a garden center at the weekend and find some sort of loamy substrate. I`ve noticed a loamy compost before but i think it has fertalizers in it maybe that will be ok?

even better if someone in england can tell me a loam supplyer, the one`s that i`ve found only sell in bulk as topsoil at around £85 for a massive sackfull

[JimmyVe]

The heating device looks fine by me.
About the humidity, if it gets to dry the workers die very fast, i try to keep the humidity above 70%, cover up the tank (ore farm) with something (like this, http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... hite-.html) that keeps the humidity inside but also let the air in and out. (if you understand what i mean)

I read about that to, that is why i don't use sand ore loam in this farm.