Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I just realised I haven't has any ants in my system, since I expelled the slugs with lime.
I grabbed a bucket of lime from the farm, and after flooding to bed to expel/kill any slugs hiding there, I made a ring around the edge of the gravel on each bed. Got rid of the slugs ultra quick, but perhaps the ants too? Would somebody with an ant infestation like to see if lime would keep them off?

I'm assuming you put the lime on the edge of the growbed, but not in it??? If lime got into the GB it would raise pH considerably. Can you explain exactly where you put the lime please.
P.S I'm a 'her' not 'him'

Sorry mate I wondered that when I was typing, but to check woul dhave meant navigating away from the posting page that's why the next pronown was 'their' and not 'his' hehe I guess that doesn't make up for it

OK to the point.
I drew a circle on the gravel in the GB of lime, right around the edges.
Then I gave a very light sprinkling all over the GB - if it's light enough there wont be a spike, and try to do it when it's not going to rain, as the lime gets washed away and you have to reapply, doubling the amount going into the water.
Be careful, as many plant leaves became quite cross with me when I sprinkled them with lime.

This was of course to discourage slugs, but it may have a double effect, I really have no idea, except that I have no ants, and it may have coincided with the application of lime.

as I used less than a handful of lime per bed, I did not notice any ph spike.

Plain garden lime is going to be a relatively slow buffer, much like shell grit so it isn't likely to cause too horrible a pH spike though I would not advise this method too often if you don't need to buffer your AP system. (it is the hydrated lime that can cause really sudden shifts of pH with a small application.)

I used this method and it also seemed to work, ant bait to kill the queen.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5711&p=192731&hilit=ants#p192731

Thanks for the explanations Kuda (both of them )
I wont try the lime method in GB,s yet; as i said, they are more of a nuisance than a major problem at this stage. For now i will try the yeast/honey mix but with fresh yeast. Will try some lime on the ground in some area's of our igloo where ants are active and see what effect it has.

Tris,

Quote:

Ian, I just want to clarify your statement: Do you mean not to use Boron due to the expence or because it is too toxic? I did check out the link, but i'm not very 'chemically minded'.

Both really. Too much Boron will prove toxic to certain plants and pure Boron is an expensive subtance, if you can source it, in fact.
Powdered Borax and/or Borasic Acid as we know it in Oz, is readily available from hardware stores, Chemists or even some Nurseries. Mixed with Sugar, Honey or Golden Syrup, placed in the ant traffic will supply them with a tasty "poison" which they take back to their nest, Queen and young pupae to rid the investation over time. It won't kill all of them immediately. Ants in grow beds are there because;
1.They are farming aphids on sap producing plants. The Aphids suck the sap, convert it into a nectar based excrement which the ants collect and return to their nest for food. The ants herd them like we herd dairy cows and they protect them from other predators, so both insect families benefit.
and/or
2. They have found a safe and beneficial space for a breeding colony in the top dry zone of the GB media witha ready supply of good, fresh, oxygenated and clean water! What could be better!

Cheers IanK

thanks Ian

To stop ants climbing growbeds or stands, simply spread a layer of blood and bone around the system or each leg. Ants hate it and will never cross it.

MichyB - are you taking the piss? At my place at least, the ants love blood and bone. Attracts them from all over the place.

As for the lime thing, ants do prefer an acidic environment. Lime is a recommended additiont to worm farms when experiencing ant problems

Thanks VB, I wasn't sure if I was talking out of my ass or not.

Gees kuda making a statment like that you are leaving your self wide open for comment

Yeah, you want to be careful which end your talking out of.....

An ass is a donkey right?
You didn't think I meant arse did you?

i recently had ants build a nest inside the stem/stalk of one of my 18mth old AP silverbeet plants, i just cut back a bit and raised the flood level and now i havent seen any more ants

well i havent seen an in the AP, they are however inside tha house all over the lawn in the kids sand pit, but not so much as to be a pain os i just let them live

Cheers
pete