Ants / Pool Pump Energy Source / Greenhouse Automation - Help Pls

A couple of questions here.

Ants. I have an ant problem near the sliding patio doors at the back of the house towards my pool. This happened las summer and it seems to be coming up again. Ants are inside the house just inside the sliding door, and outside along the external wall. A asked a few friends and they told me ants at this time are common but not as many as I have. I've bought the drops and those little traps but they don't seem to be doign anything. A friend suggested I use ammonia and squirt it down the cracks (outside of course) to penetrate and kill the ants. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Greenhouse. I have a greenhouse attached to the south side of the house. I like it a lot and want to make it functional. I suppose at some point in time it worked (automated) but the wiring for all the things is all bad and I will need to redo. It has a side vent that kicks open flaps when it is on, vents along the top (one row of windows opens) that are hooked up to a couple of boxes powered by a transformer 12V, and a gas heater at one end. There are 3 thermostats, 2 VERY old ones (coil type) and a newer one (mercury triggered). None of this stuff works due to the wiring. Does anyone know of anything for the home (maybe a single control unit) that could handle controlling all three devices (side vent, gas heater, top vents) so I can automate and regulate the temperature in there?

Pool Pump. Last but not least, I would love to be able to run the pool pump with solar energy. Since this is the time (from what I've read) when the pool water should be cycled (when it's sunny) I'd love to have the sun drive the pump. Is this something likely? I have searched the net but have not found any application just for this which in my mind would be perfect for pool owners. Again any help would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long winded post, I appreciate any help/suggestions/feedback.

TIA MP

Reply to
MP
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Ants are pretty smart, so you might be able to train them to run your pool pump & open the vents in your greenhouse. But they are really only strong as compared to their size. It would take several colonies to make enough power to do either of those jobs. And they don't seem to get along well, either, so you might have some difficulty there.

I think I'd use ant traps on the ants-- buy something from Radio shack for the greenhouse & plug the pool pump into the grid.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

What kind of ants, red , large black , brown.

Greenhouse, it will probably cost as much to heat it as your house. but it could be done.

A solar powered pump is doable but it will probably cost thousands and have a 15- 20 yr payback

Reply to
m Ransley

:) house towards my pool. This happened las summer and it seems to be coming up :) again. Ants are inside the house just inside the sliding door, and outside :) along the external wall. A asked a few friends and they told me ants at this :) time are common but not as many as I have. I've bought the drops and those :) little traps but they don't seem to be doign anythi

If along outside is the ground/ flower beds you might try granulated ant baits...if it is concrete you might try one of the gel baits to ooze in any cracks...may have to try a protein bait if the sugar baits aren't effective.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Reply to
Lar

log onto

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and buy liquid ant bait. Worked for me.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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