Test Tube Setup vs Founding Nest - Which is Better?
Bruma 6 min read
In short
For beginners, the test tube setup is usually the better choice: it is the cheapest option, very easy to make and can be left alone for months. A founding nest costs more and needs weekly maintenance, but its built-in outworld and more accurate conditions suit experienced keepers with exotic species.
Test tube setup? Founding nest? Which is the best option?
Today we’re going to compare two of the most popular ways to grow an ant colony from scratch, starting from a single newly mated queen ant!
Let’s get right into it!
Introduction
If you clicked on this article, there’s a very high chance that you’re considering starting an ant colony and that you're not completely sure which method is best for you. A test tube setup? A founding ant nest? Which option has the higher success rate when it comes to founding an ant colony?
As with everything else, both methods have their pros and cons, and the best option for you will depend on several factors, such as your personal experience, your preferences, and how much you are willing to spend.
Hopefully, at the end of this short guide, you will have all the information needed to make a well-informed and wise decision, setting yourself up for success with your new ant-keeping adventure!
Without further ado, let’s start analyzing the two nesting options!
The Test Tube Setup
Let's start with the most popular ant keeping setup of all time! The test tube setup is considered by most ant keepers to be the gold standard of founding nests, and as of today, it defends its title better than ever!
In a nutshell, a test tube setup is simply a normal test tube filled with water, with a small cotton ball dividing the water tank section from the living area. That’s it! Thanks to its very simple nature, the test tube setup is the most recommended way for beginners to start an ant colony from scratch!
This easy-to-manage tiny nest is the perfect solution for creating a temporary and contained environment, replicating the same conditions that a queen ant experiences in the wild inside the so-called founding chamber.
This popular founding system is probably the cheapest and easiest way to grow an ant colony, and to make one, you need very few items. All you need is a test tube, some cotton, some water, and a long stick to easily push the cotton all the way to the bottom of the test tube.
If you are just starting out in the amazing world of ant keeping and want to learn how to make this kind of setup, I would suggest you check out my tutorial on how to make a test tube setup! In this article, I explain in detail how to create one using materials you probably already have lying around your house!
However, there are also some drawbacks to using this type of setup as your founding nest. The main issue with the test tube setup is the fact that feeding the colony directly from the nest can sometimes be a little tricky.
Once the colony has reached a certain size, it becomes almost impossible to remove the cotton to open the setup without having some ants running all over your hands! For this reason, the test tube setup is better suited for founding queens or very small colonies, and after a certain worker count, it’s better to move the colony to a more manageable nesting solution.
Now let’s move to the next option!
The Founding Ant Nest
The other popular alternative you have if you want to start an ant colony from scratch is a founding ant nest. This particular type of small nest has grown in popularity in the last few years thanks to the diffusion of 3D printing and laser-cutting technology, and today every ant-keeping supplier offers its own version of this product.
The founding nest is an extremely valid alternative to the test tube setup when it comes to starting a colony from a single queen! With some exotic species of ants, the test tube setup may not be the best way to recreate the environment needed to make a queen lay her first batch of eggs and grow her first workers.
On the other hand, a good founding nest can offer what a basic test tube lacks and is able to simulate the founding environment with much greater accuracy.
Unlike the test tube setup, this type of founding nest is not always cheap, and in some cases, it can actually be quite expensive! Depending on the ant-keeping supplier you choose, the prices of a brand-new founding nest can be quite high!
Obviously, the higher price point of this nest comes with lots of additional features that we don’t find in the very basic test tube setup. For example, most founding nests come with a built-in outworld, which can make the life of the ant keeper a lot easier!
If you like the nest in the picture above, I would strongly suggest you check out my Anthouse Acrylic NaturColor nest review! In this short article, I go into detail on this small nest, listing the pros and cons of this type of setup!
With a spacious outworld included in the nest, the cleaning and feeding process becomes a lot easier, and the chances of having escapees when you open the lid drop substantially!
Another great advantage of founding nests is the aesthetic. If you are someone who considers aesthetics to be one of the most important characteristics of a product, founding nests are definitely the option for you!
Founding nests are usually very aesthetically pleasing, and in some cases, they are so beautiful that you can actually use them as ornaments for your room! When compared with the simpler test tube setup, founding nests are without a doubt a lot more classy than a test tube wrapped in a piece of tinfoil!
Like the test tube setup, this type of nest has its fair share of drawbacks. The main one is its constant and frequent need for maintenance. Unlike the test tube setup, which can be left without any assistance for months, a more complex founding nest needs at least some weekly maintenance.
For example, most founding nests have some sort of humidity system that usually dries out very quickly and needs to be refilled frequently to maintain stable humidity levels inside the nest.
Without this intervention, all the humidity of the nest would evaporate, causing all kinds of problems for the ant colony!
Comparison Table
Here’s a quick side-by-side summary of the two options:
| Feature | Test tube setup | Founding nest |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Cheapest option | Can be quite expensive |
| Setup | Very easy, few items | Bought from ant-keeping suppliers |
| Outworld | None | Usually built in |
| Feeding | Tricky as the colony grows | Easier thanks to the outworld |
| Maintenance | Can be left for months | At least weekly |
| Humidity | Water tank inside the tube | Dries out quickly, needs refills |
| Aesthetics | Test tube wrapped in tinfoil | Very aesthetically pleasing |
| Best for | Beginners, founding queens | Experienced keepers, exotic species |
So, Which is Better?
Well, the answer to this question solely depends on you.
If you are a beginner and are new to the hobby of ant keeping, the test tube setup may be the best option for you. This kind of simple and cheap setup has been used in ant keeping since the beginning of time, and, colony after colony, has kept its title as the gold standard of starter nests.
On the other hand, if you are an experienced ant keeper who is planning to keep some exotic species with particular needs, a more complex founding nest is definitely the best option for you!
I hope you have found this guide helpful!
If you’re searching for a new nest to add to one of your setups, I would definitely suggest you check out my review of Esthetic Ants Ytong nests! In this one, I go into detail on these amazing nests, listing the pros and cons of this type of material!
FAQs
5A test tube setup is a normal test tube filled with water, with a small cotton ball dividing the water tank section from the living area. It's considered the gold standard of founding nests and the most recommended way for beginners to start an ant colony from scratch, because it is so simple and cheap.
Founding ant nests can simulate the founding environment with much greater accuracy than a basic test tube, which helps with some exotic species. Most also come with a built-in outworld, so cleaning and feeding are easier and the chances of escapees when you open the lid drop substantially.
Yes, founding nests are not always cheap, and depending on the supplier they can be quite expensive, while a test tube setup is probably the cheapest way to grow a colony. The higher price comes with extra features, such as a built-in outworld, that we don't find in the very basic test tube setup.
For beginners, the test tube setup is usually the best option, because it is simple, cheap and easy to use. It has kept its title as the gold standard of starter nests, while a more complex founding nest is better for experienced keepers who plan to keep exotic species with particular needs.
Founding nests need at least some weekly maintenance, unlike a test tube setup, which can be left without assistance for months. Most have a humidity system that dries out quickly and needs frequent refills, because without it all the humidity of the nest would evaporate and cause all kinds of problems for the colony.
Author
Bruma
