Home made formicarium question

[Mongo319]

What kind of grout is the best to use or what do you mix together will concrete work I want to make my own just not sure how to go about it its will be for a crematogaster cerasi queen

[AntsMclama]

i just bought my stuff recently, just waiting for 1 more thing to arrive to begin, But I'm using unsanded grout and I'm going to mix it with perlite and a little water. (I hear this stuff is cancer inducing, don't get the fine powder into lungs etc... so.. might want to wear a mask)
AntsCanada said he had trouble getting a colony to live a year+ in a grout setup with perlite, but I've heard from other sources also that theirs have lived even longer in it. So i bought some super absorbent cloth and I'm going to put it in with the formicarium, but with enough grout in between and the next.

[Mongo319]

Why does everyone use grout what about mixing perlite with concrete with a little sand mixed in it

[AntsMclama]

I don't think everyone uses grout based off the pictures I've seen on here, But if it is that common.. well its probably because its easy to grasp the idea of it.

For my setup, it cost me like 33 USD, not including some tubing and other misc things. And some of the stuff i can re-use or can make more with. But I'm starting with a simple and small setup that i think i will only be able to make 1 with the resources i bought. So compared to buying a quality hybrid nest from AC, I'm having a little fun making it myself, saving some money, Learning, And the best of all! the feeling that everything is done by me, and the colony (soon to be at least)