So this is a bit of an unusual question, but does anyone here know microscopes? I'm thinking I'd like to get a not too expensive microscope with which to examine the very smallest inhabitants of my tank.
The darkfield capability is appealing. But I'd rather have a decent brightfield microscope than a mediocre brightfield/darkfield microscope. And you can't really get 2000x magnification with a light microscrope, so I find that claim slightly offputting.
Unless you are wanting to see the fine detail of small, unicellular algae, you really don't need magnification over 200X. Diatoms are clearly seen at this magnification, for example.
It is very nice to be able to display an image on a computer screen, and to save the image for later.
I had one of these and loaned it out and never got it back. Probably going to snag another next time I order from the evil Amazon. While it's not in the realm of a $500 digital or compound light microscope, I was very impressed for twenty bucks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WD843ZM/
Unless the bacteria are pigmented, you will need darkfield to view them. They are just too transparent for brightfield (staining them is an option, however).
I work with light (widefield, bright, dark, DIC, phase, scanning/spinning disc confocal, super resolution) and electron microscopes for a living (but applying them to biological problems).
For algae, as mentioned a high magnification is not particularly required.
For bacteria, you'll ideally want 1000x (10x ocular, 100x objective). Staining will be required, but with a dark field capable microscope, you can skip that extra step.
That being said, larger considerations are the numerical aperture of the lenses, and whether you want a water or an oil immersion lens for the higher magnification objectives.
I work with light (widefield, bright, dark, DIC, phase, scanning/spinning disc confocal, super resolution) and electron microscopes for a living (but applying them to biological problems).
For algae, as mentioned a high magnification is not particularly required.
For bacteria, you'll ideally want 1000x (10x ocular, 100x objective). Staining will be required, but with a dark field capable microscope, you can skip that extra step.
That being said, larger considerations are the numerical aperture of the lenses, and whether you want a water or an oil immersion lens for the higher magnification objectives.
I've been toying with this idea as well. I've been hoping to find a microscope with the ability to send an image to my laptop so I can build up a library for reference and to be able to share. It seems that the microscopes with this feature have opted for low-resolution image sensors. Have you come across anything promising?
I'm not immediately interested in photography, so I went with the darkfield microscope previously linked, and ordered slides/coverslips and a selection of biological stains. The higher magnification lenses are oil immersion, which I'm fine with.
I'm kind of recapturing my childhood here. I had a (fairly lousy) microscope as a kid: It arrived with one objective already cracked (but, oddly, still usable), one objective that had obvious astigmatism, and a high power lens that really needed to be oil immersion but wasn't. Had hours of fun with it anyway. Looking forward to doing that at a much higher level. (Enough that I don't mind my wife making slight fun of me.)
The Amazon tracker says the scope and slides are out for delivery today. Practically bouncing in my chair with excitement. Alas, tonight is my barbershop music rehearsal so I won't get home until 8:30.
Scope and slides arrived. I spent an hour looking at some filter scum. A rotifer, two nematodes, a gastrotrich, a couple of colpoda, and a large pink blepharisma that my wife (the professional biologist in the family) had to identify. And of course lots of algae, including a few lovely freshwater diatoms. Zoomed in on one narrow strand of green algae (I think) that looked like a hollow tube studded with green cells or chloroplasts. And what looked like a dead mite of some kind.
Oh, I know, I'm geeking out here.
Dark field works nicely. Did not try the oil immersion lens, or at least not with oil. Overall impression is that this is a serious microscope worth every dollar I paid for it. Would recommend to fellow geeks sharing my interest in amateur microscopy.
I feel almost like Ralphie with his Red Ryder B-B gun.
Snow delay at work this morning. Looking at a tuft of green algae from the tank. Yeah, it's the same algae I saw a single strand of yesterday. Lots of freshwater diatoms, all one species so far as I can tell; tended to clump on the older algae strands. Oddly, not a single moving critter in this sample: A forest without animals. Well, except for Brownian motion, which I could never make out with my toy microscope as a kid.
Probably ought to move this to my blog, since it's not really about planted aquariums (though the best samples so far have been from my planted aquarium.)
Alas, I did not buy the eyepiece camera with the scope. I've had enough fun with the scope that I think that may be a future purchase.
I spent a good hour last Sunday watching an amoeba do its thing. I've never seen a live one before.
It's been interesting sampling microenvironments in the tank. Bits of decaying vegetation yield tons of rotifers and Vorticella. Filter scum likewise plus large numbers of diatoms and the amoeba; this particular species of diatom looks like sets of curved bars, with obvious nuclei. Green brush algae looks like hollow tubes crusted with green. Algae picked off some driftwood was remarkably devoid of other microorganisms, and there are practically none floating free in the water; I am pleased to see I have a pretty clean tank. Water from the substrate also was surprisingly clean. I see a few ciliates in most environments other than open water.
Bacteria are fun in the dark field; little specks, some wiggling around. I pulled out a bit of sweet potato I'd blanched for the otos and found that the plant cells were remarkably intact, but the sample was just swarming with highly motile rod bacteria. I suspect they're tasty seasoning so far as the otos are concerned.
Some flagellated protozoa as well.
And some mysteries. In the dark field, I've spotted something that looks for all the world like a tiny metal spring. It's thin enough to be a spirochete, but the coils are much larger than I would have expected. perhaps an unusual algae.
It's a binocular, so I'd have to do the switch. Which doesn't particularly trouble me.
I've managed to take pictures through a telescope with crude equipment, so I guess I have nothing to lose trying with a microscope. Will see what I can do.
I've found I can indeed take crude photographs through the eyepiece with my point and shoot. The trick is getting them to post here; for some reason, the IMG tag isnt' working for me. I'll just have to post links.
your address isn't "secured".. This site, AFAICT won't accept http: addresses for images
https: only and I can't get some formats to post either like png's (not your issue, the http thing is).
HTTPS is basically an HTTP protocol with additional security. ... But in addition to adding that extra layer of security, HTTPS is also secured via TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol.
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