Dirt

Make your suggestions here.
Post Reply
TheL3g3nd

Dirt

Post: # 23011Post TheL3g3nd
Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:30 pm

I am creating a habitat for my new Solenopsis colony, but I don't want to use dirt from outside, because it has proved unreliable (long story), so I wanted to see if anyone knew a solution for sediment for this habitat. Keep in mind, I captured my queens in jacksonville, fl.

AntsOfKentucky

Re: Dirt

Post: # 23083Post AntsOfKentucky
Thu Jun 15, 2017 3:46 am

You could use coco coir. It's commonly used in hydroponics and reptile keeping. Unlike soil it is an inert media with no nutrients which means it will not harbor bacteria or other microorganisms without some form of organic material or compost added to it. However it provides great aeration and water retention.

Martialis
Posts: 1576
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:30 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Dirt

Post: # 23226Post Martialis
Sun Jun 18, 2017 6:53 am

Plain old dirt works, too.
Keeper of

Selliing:

AntsOfKentucky

Re: Dirt

Post: # 23380Post AntsOfKentucky
Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:39 pm

Martilias is right. I know everyone is on the sanitizer kick these days but when I was a kid we use to play in the dirt and yes maybe even eat a little lol. The only issue I could see with soil is the possible harmful pathogens, mold, viruses or bacteria it might contain. If thats your concern the solution to make any soil safe would be to sterilize it. Bake it in the oven for an hour or so at a very high temperature. This will kill almost all organisms, harmful and beneficial. Other than farmer ant species though I don't think their are any negatives to starting off with a sterile substrate.

CreeperUniverse
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:22 am
Location: New York, NY

Re: Dirt

Post: # 24380Post CreeperUniverse
Tue Jul 11, 2017 7:02 am

TheL3g3nd wrote:
Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:30 pm
I am creating a habitat for my new Solenopsis colony, but I don't want to use dirt from outside, because it has proved unreliable (long story), so I wanted to see if anyone knew a solution for sediment for this habitat. Keep in mind, I captured my queens in jacksonville, fl.
Can you PM me he long story? :lol:
Check out my YouTube channel, Arman's Ants.
https://***/armansants
Also feel free to check out the Discord server, Ant-Keeping & Ethology:
https://discord.me/ants

muhilanirudh

Re: Dirt

Post: # 26281Post muhilanirudh
Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:07 pm

YOU SHOULD TELL US ABOUT THE LONG STORY

Ants can't make a home in coir it doesn't decay stuff like soil does if you want you can mix a little plain coir is no good

Potato

Re: Dirt

Post: # 26304Post Potato
Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:12 pm

I totally wanna hear the long story...

Antacid

Re: Dirt

Post: # 26593Post Antacid
Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:48 am

Long story or it didn't happen..

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests