This thread will be a bit like a wiki, as new points and ideas come up,i'll add them to the top of the thread
Food Sources:
Carbohydrates - Seeds - grasses and high-yeld but small seeding plants
Sugar - Honey Dew (aphids?), Honey, Sugar, Nectar - flowering plants?
Protien - Insects - obviously somthing that wont eat the ants or make to much mess
Water - this would have to be supplied by the owner, unless it was placed in the garden, but it wuld still not have access to the water table
Contamination
Ant waste - Ammonia, Nitrites.. this is not usually an issue, as biological systems will setup within a week or so to deal with these chemicals
Mold - ventilation
Parasites
Mites - some of these are good, and will clear up mess, some are not, also preditory mites could be introduced to control other inhabitants, but would they attack brood?
Humidity and Water
If a good biological filter can be setup, then a 'pond' could be used, with plants, to humidify and provide a good water supply
Heat
I'm not a fan of heat mats or rocks, i prefer using lamps, as they provide a light source aswell as heat, I usually use a 12w bulb hooked to a timer and a thermostat, which keeps temps around 26C depending on the size of the tank obviously, the tanks i have are quiet big and havnt yet gona over 26.5C, in summer that will change of course
To stabalize an eco system, contamination must be kept as close to nothing as possible, and food at a level that supports the ants, but does not destroy the eco system
Plants will absorb chemicals from ant waste
There would need to be a large enough space that will keep a balance between rotten bio-matter and clean space...
tbh, i dont htink this is possible, but maybe....it works in our gardens, so why not in a tank?
thoughts....