Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

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Dragonlord47
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:34 am

Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50571Post Dragonlord47
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:18 pm

I have an interesting problem, not sure if it's minor, major, or nonexistent. I bought 20ft of clear vinyl tubing at Lowes, they don't sell it on the big spools, which means the only way to get it is pre cut to 10ft or 20ft.

After buying the 20ft one 1/2in. O/D I got home cut it in half and ran warm/hot water through both 10ft sections, just to clean out any dust.

I have my Ant nest on one part of my room and the outworld is far enough away for one 10ft section, so the outworld is 10ft away. Now the nest I have hooked up only has maybe 10-12 nanantics.

My problem is a worker ant will get about 4ft down the tube (from the nest side) and turn around and high tail it back to the nest. It's been about 4 days and the workers don't go any further then about 4-5ft down tube before running back to nest.

I took the vinyl tube off and put it up to my nose and the inside of the tube has an EXTREMELY strong vinyl smell. I'm wondering if the inside is too "toxic" and that's why they run back. Or does that not really matter to ants. If it does matter does anyone have a good solution to cleaning out the tube or fixing the problem in some other way?

Bierschneeman
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:11 pm
Location: louisiana

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50577Post Bierschneeman
Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:09 pm

if the colony is that small, they probably dont like getting to far from the nest. most outworld distances i see for young colonies are 12" or considerably less.

but i am also new to the hobby, so i could made a mistake
Founding:
3 Solenopsis I/X
5 Tapinoma sessile
1 Nylanderia terricola/vivulda

Colonies:
1 Brachymyrmex patagonicus
1 Pheidole soritis
1 Tapinoma sessile

The difference between a hobby and a scientific pursuit, is detailed notes.

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idahoantgirl
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50578Post idahoantgirl
Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

I think your problem is that young colonies don't like to travel far. I'm surprised they wanted to go even five feet.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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Whitelotus
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue May 29, 2018 5:50 pm
Location: San Joaquin County, California

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50586Post Whitelotus
Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:56 pm

The tubing is not toxic. My ants have no problem with the vinyl tubes in my set up. Only issue is that they tend to use varying parts of the vinyl tube as their graveyard.

Dragonlord47
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:34 am

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50588Post Dragonlord47
Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:01 am

Thank you Whitelotus my only reason for worrying is because of how strong a smell it is. It almost smells as strong as vinyl melting. It seriously is that strong.

Should I still worry?

Boomdale
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2018 8:49 am
Location: Tennessee

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50604Post Boomdale
Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:51 am

I am unsure how your setup is but depending the tubing may be too hot? Only thing I can think of that could cause a smell like that
Nylanderia Sp.
Pheidole Sp.

Founding - Cremagastor & Solonopsis Invicta

Dragonlord47
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:34 am

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50610Post Dragonlord47
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:24 am

Tubing has no heating element anywhere near it. The inside of the tubing just smells that strong, but not because it itself is hot or melting. I was just using the melting vinyl smell as a comparison as to how strong the inside of the tubing smells.

MorbidBugg
Posts: 284
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
Location: Orangeville

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50617Post MorbidBugg
Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:14 am

Okay first was it washed before you used it. Alot of the times factories aren't up to code when it comes to plastics and health issues. If there is a strong smell I would give it a couple of wash with some very hot water and soap rinse and repeat 3 times rinsing 3 times after all soap washing is done. That should cut down on alot of the smell.
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.

Dragonlord47
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:34 am

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50629Post Dragonlord47
Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:32 pm

Thank you Morbidbugg

Will try this out, what soap do you recommend, and do I just run the soapy water through it, or do I need to actually "wash" the inside of the tube. If I need to "wash" the inside of the tube how do I go about that?

Thanks again

Bierschneeman
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:11 pm
Location: louisiana

Re: Is Vinyl tubing Toxic?

Post: # 50702Post Bierschneeman
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:59 pm

make sure you reduce the distance too.
Founding:
3 Solenopsis I/X
5 Tapinoma sessile
1 Nylanderia terricola/vivulda

Colonies:
1 Brachymyrmex patagonicus
1 Pheidole soritis
1 Tapinoma sessile

The difference between a hobby and a scientific pursuit, is detailed notes.

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