Absorbent Concrete R6 Fourmiculture

Description

R6 absorbent concrete, an innovative recipe developed for the manufacture of artificial ant farms.

A game-changing product: Enables the creation of artificial ant farms or mineral slabs as a healthy, natural nest with excellent moisture conduction.

Create your own ant farm by pouring into a container, using silicone molding or any other creative method to obtain a natural, healthy and original result.

More resistant than R5 Absorbent Concrete and slightly less absorbent, ideal for pouring a 3-4mm slab at the bottom of a plexi nest to make it healthier and more humid or to make a complete mold of the nest.

Created and used professionally by Fourmiculture to improve the health and management of our breeding stock.

 

The advantages of our recipe:

• Developed specifically for ants, its qualities are controlled for optimal results.
• Absorbs moisture remarkably well, superior to resin-coated plaster, over a minimum continuous thickness of 5cm.
• Microporous for rapid moisture exchange, breathable and absorbent.
• No artificial additives, 100% natural, healthy and ecological materials. Zero Volatile Organic Compounds.
• Very light dry tint for good contrast
• A wet tint that visibly evolves towards dark beige to measure humidity.
• Exceptional precision for molding, allows for extremely detailed impressions.
• Good fluidity for concrete, facilitates molding.
• Also suitable for plexi nest tiles only 3 to 4mm thick.
• Naturally limits the proliferation of mold.
• Designed and made in France .

 

The origin of our research: Since the 2000s, mixtures of cement, sand, and various absorbents have been made by hand to construct ant farms. Existing mixtures, such as non-absorbent "reconstituted stone" with varying qualities, are also used. Achieving absorption capacity and the ability to change color between light and wet is crucial and delicate, as is ensuring a solid, healthy, easy-to-use, and sufficiently fine mixture, otherwise the colony risks being lost if the result is not satisfactory. Ants are not guinea pigs.

We conducted our research and testing from early 2021 to the end of 2022 with the participation of materials specialists and engineers. After the theoretical development, five recipes were tested to obtain this final mixture, hence its name. We use it to manufacture our own "bamboo" tubes with an absorbent concrete base to improve the growth of our colonies and to develop new ant farm designs. The R5 absorbent concrete provides a specific and consistent quality for ants. The exceptional results obtained motivate us to develop new products based on this innovation, and also to make it available to our customers in its raw form. The latest development, the R6 recipe, is more resistant to boring species and absorbs slightly less moisture to prevent waterlogging.

 

A creative product to improve your chances of success: R6 Absorbent Concrete for Ants is a professional product offered to all our customers to unlock creative possibilities and reduce failures. We would love to see your creations. Please send us feedback with photos of your work; in return, we'll give you a €1.50 discount on your first box with the code: REVIEW150 🙂

Example of a completed project:

Composition: Hydraulic binders including calcium carbonate (same chemical structure as marble, origin: France), sand, natural absorbent.

Instructions for use:

1.  Fill a small container with water to less than half full.
2. Add our R6 absorbent concrete slowly by sprinkling it in until completely absorbed. No liquid water should remain on the surface.
3. Add a little more powder if the texture is too runny.
4. Mix with a utensil until a homogeneous and fluid mixture is obtained. A higher powder content increases the final strength but may reduce the fineness.
5. Pour it into the mold or container provided. Tap if necessary to smooth and spread the mixture evenly.

• Optimal mixing time: 1 minute 30 seconds.
• Practical working time: Approximately 15 minutes before thickening begins.
• Demolding time: 24 hours.
• Complete hardening: Approximately 20 days.
• The mixture can be tinted using natural colorants (based on metal oxides) by mixing with the powder. Test beforehand to determine the desired shade.

These times are given at +20 °C, they are longer at low temperatures and reduced by heat.

Replaces absorbent mortar and reconstituted stone nests, allowing you to build your own ant farm and create an ant nest without buying cement. Ideal for home and classroom use for educational projects.