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Hey guys, I have 2 queens laying now and was wondering if I should go for the specific hybrid nests or just get 2 omni smalls. What are your thoughts if you have used one or both of them?

Rafiredog wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:52 pm

Hey guys, I have 2 queens laying now and was wondering if I should go for the specific hybrid nests or just get 2 omni smalls. What are your thoughts if you have used one or both of them?

Omni Nests provide better observation. Hybrid have better hydration and connectivity with other AC gear. There are other things to consider, but mainly it will boil down to personal preferences I think.

ooper01 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:50 pm

Rafiredog wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:52 pm

Hey guys, I have 2 queens laying now and was wondering if I should go for the specific hybrid nests or just get 2 omni smalls. What are your thoughts if you have used one or both of them?

Omni Nests provide better observation. Hybrid have better hydration and connectivity with other AC gear. There are other things to consider, but mainly it will boil down to personal preferences I think.

Speaking of, how do you hydrate the omni? It doesn't look like it has any hydration medium.

Rafiredog wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:52 pm

Hey guys, I have 2 queens laying now and was wondering if I should go for the specific hybrid nests or just get 2 omni smalls. What are your thoughts if you have used one or both of them?

If you have any species that doesn't require it super moist I'd prefer the Omni. It has a way better price for what you get (imo the hybrids are pretty overpriced), is easier to modify/clean/adapt to your colony's size (you can take off the individual chamber lids and block off parts of the nest with cotton plugs, you can even easily disassemble the entire nest to clean it), offers better view (you can just put a large paper sheet on it to darken it) and I've never heard of any quality issues with Omni nests (can't say that for the hybrids). Also waiting times are way shorter.

Rafiredog wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:45 pm

Speaking of, how do you hydrate the omni? It doesn't look like it has any hydration medium.

I'm pretty sure it comes with the same blue sponges that all the other Omni nests have. They're just not on the product picture. If you have very small ants (like Solenopsis molesta or any Pheidole species) you should buy some 0.2mm metal mesh and glue it in place (aquarium silicone works fine) to block off the sponge chambers. Otherwise your ants may get into the sponge chambers which makes it hard to change them (they might even get out through the holes in the sponge chamber lids).

Rafiredog wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:45 pm

Speaking of, how do you hydrate the omni? It doesn't look like it has any hydration medium.

Yes Omni's use the thick blue sponge material as hydration medium. Water will typically need to be added a little more frequently to an Omni setup than a Hybrid setup.

I love the hybrids. As Serafine mentioned they are pricey but to me the more simulate a natural environment for the colony due the the shape of the premade tunnels that are species specific and the cover to keep them in darkness until you are ready to observe them. That's my personal preference. I plan to also get an Omni nest once my colony grows large enough to add one, but I have quite some time before I will need it.

Some shape in the nest is nice but ultimately once you add your medium the ants are going to shape it how the prefer.