ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Azzer]

As suggested by JimmeVE, this thread is to discuss the guide I wrote over the course of a few hours on YTong nests, the guide itself can be found here;

http://www.antstore.net/viewtopic.php?t=5737

Here you can ask any further questions on it, and make suggestions for things to add/remove/change in it.

The reason for this seperate thread is so that the guide can be stickied and locked to keep the guide neat & tidy without being "spammed up" with replies, so that all of the information is in one post and people reading the guide don't feel they have to read through an entire thread of replies to get all the information they want.

So please, if you have any comments on the guide, or better yet if you have any questions to ask about buying, preparing, or maintaining a YTong nest that is not covered in my guide, then please ask away here and maybe we can add the information to the guide to help other Myrmecologists out.

[JimmyVe]

In deed, good job Azzer. That is what i meant. Now we can discus and talk about it here. Hopes Uta reads the Guide and makes a sticky of it (and delete my post on it.)

[nepenthes_ak]

I guess a question is have you found a supplier of Ytong or aerated concrete? for the US keepers? Cause Antstore wont ship ytong nests to the US. I wish their was a way to convince ant store to ship to the US.

My moms boyfriend manages a Concrete plant, he says he hasn't heard of Ytong, Hydrostone, Or aerated concrete before.

And as you all know Plaster just doesn't cut it!

[miszt]

they are sometimes called Breeze Blocks

[miszt]

or cinder blocks

[nepenthes_ak]

I know its not Cinder blocks cause thats what I have my bee hives on, and they were pretty heavy, didn't seem aerated at all. I think ive seen "breeze blocks" at a DIY store. Thanks, Ill check it out and get back to you guys.

[Azzer]

It isn't cinder blocks or breeze blocks - these are pretty heavy, solid building materials. Aerated concrete is a different technology altogether - very light, very well thermally & sound insulated, and very very easy to craft/shape.

In the US, try searching for/asking in any major DIY chains you have for "autoclaved aerated concrete" ("AAC" for short), or simply "aretaed concrete". I do not have any experience with DIY chains or builders' merchants in the US so wouldn't know what online website shops to search, but I do know for certain that aerated concrete is used in the building industry over there in the States, so you will be able to get ahold of it I am sure... just searh for "AAC" or simply "aerated concrete" on any online DIY shopping sites.

When you find it, be sure and post any links you find back here for any other Americans that are looking!

[Bob]

The best thing one can do if they don't find it, is to have someone from the UK mail it to them. That's what I plan on doing.

[miszt]

Breeze blocks come in diffrent densitys, and there is an Aereated version, pherhaps you picked up a high density Breeze block Azzer

Your local builders merchant or DIY store will definitly be able to get you some Areated Breeze blocks, or even Low/Medium density Breeze blocks, obviuosly High density ones will be allot heavier, but they are still light

Wickes do Areated Breeze blocks...

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[Azzer]

Ah ok, I've always thought of breeze/cinder blocks as the concrete blocks that look like this;

(with the "holes" through the middle).

So could try searching for "aerated breeze blocks", but I think it is best if you simply stick to searching for "aerated concrete", as that is the actual substance you need (regardless of shape/size)... if it's not aerated concrete/ytong, then it's likely going to just be solid concrete.

[nepenthes_ak]

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Is this it?

They ship nation wide, they have several sizes. The only Problem I see is that they are only going to ship in BULK!

[JimmyVe]

It is not the same as Y-tong but it seems like it would work to.
Maybe you can try one out and let us know.

[nepenthes_ak]

What do you mean its not the same?I mean I read some place where they said they cut it with a regular circular saw to make it fit in this one spot. How isn't it the same, light weight, easy to cut.

[Azzer]

AAC is (as far as I could work out) manufactured in a slightly different way (using different stuff), but it's as effectively the same as YTong so should be the same in practise/use!

[nepenthes_ak]

Thank you for all the help, I will send for a sample and let you guys know how it turns out! Just have to wait 2 weeks unless I head to Cleavland Ohio any time soon.