This connection module is the centrepiece of the "Culture tube formicarium," allowing the test tube, water module, and vinyl ports to interconnect. It can also be used as a founding chamber.
The module features a 22x22 mm fixed glass on top and a removable red film.
The module has four openings on its sides and are each used as follows:
- One for connecting a 16 mm test tube with the use of a silicone fitting,
- Two x 9.5 mm (3/8") on the opposite sides for expanding or connections using vinyl tubing,
- One for connecting to the water evaporator module using 12.7 mm tubing; this opening is covered by stainless-steel mesh so that ants will not escape if the evaporator module is disconnected to refill or service, making it easy to use.
Each module includes a red film to cover the glass, two 9.5 mm tubing plugs, and a 1 cm silicon fitting to attach 16 mm test tubes.
The module can be paired with our other smaller test tube inserts or any test tube setup, as long as they are 16 mm in diameter, for example; fill a tube with water and cotton to the top and use it on the opposite end of the water evaporator module, providing humidity and a drinking source, if such cotton gets mouldy just swap it for another one with no need to transfer the entire colony into a new test tube, this creates a very small chamber that can be used for foundation purposes, or leave the test tube empty and plug it with cotton, so it creates a humidity buffer, once the colony is ready to use the long tube then open the tube and use the long insert, or just plug all entrances except ft the water module, in other words, the possibilities are endless.
Heating cable features: the main connection module, the water evaporator module, the underside of the test tube , and the nano outworld allow passing a heating cable under them; if you heat up only the test tube portion, that will dry such section up and keep the humidity near the water module, if you heat only the main module you will pass most of the humidity into the test tube area, and if you heat up only the water module side then you will evaporate more water into the main module and test tube, thus making this a very humid setup ideal for high humidity species. How you route your heating cable will determine gradients of humidity and temperature.
It measures 30x30x24 mm and weighs 8 grams.