Slow stream simulator Updated periodically
Slow stream simulator Updated periodically
This is an attempt to provide myself with a source of micro organisms that I don't need to leave the house to collect.
Week 5 of the experiment:
Got rid of 2/3s of the fish, and now bacteria in the substrate have dropped to more sensible levels, now I am seeing fewer paranema and a more diverse group of protists in the substrate, which consists of the blue glass beads with a little gravel to anchor the plants, so it has balanced more like a slow rivulet than a stagnant pond. The plants are covered with vorticellids and rotifers.
Removed the filter so there is a constant flow of bacteria over the plants and a piece of quartz where a garden of alge and diatoms is already developing nicely. When this is lush, I intend to brush it off and spin it down. Hopefully, I can figure out how to bleach and mount diatoms.
Time to start hunting amoeba, hydra, and stentor.
I will update this thread as the simulation developes.
Jim
upload picture
The simulator a 1.5 US gallon aquarium equipped with a pump that draws water from the substrate and flows it over the plants, rock, and unfortunately, the front of the tank.
image sharing
The garden
Week 5 of the experiment:
Got rid of 2/3s of the fish, and now bacteria in the substrate have dropped to more sensible levels, now I am seeing fewer paranema and a more diverse group of protists in the substrate, which consists of the blue glass beads with a little gravel to anchor the plants, so it has balanced more like a slow rivulet than a stagnant pond. The plants are covered with vorticellids and rotifers.
Removed the filter so there is a constant flow of bacteria over the plants and a piece of quartz where a garden of alge and diatoms is already developing nicely. When this is lush, I intend to brush it off and spin it down. Hopefully, I can figure out how to bleach and mount diatoms.
Time to start hunting amoeba, hydra, and stentor.
I will update this thread as the simulation developes.
Jim
upload picture
The simulator a 1.5 US gallon aquarium equipped with a pump that draws water from the substrate and flows it over the plants, rock, and unfortunately, the front of the tank.
image sharing
The garden
Last edited by Radazz on Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: Slow stream simulator
Looks great! This is going to be an interesting adventure old chap! Keep us updated.
John B
Re: Slow stream simulator
Thanks, John. The plants will give me material for my ham handed attempts at hand sectioning as well.
Jim
Jim
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: Slow stream simulator
I agree and look forward to your images of the life forms.This is going to be an interesting adventure old chap!
Re: Slow stream simulator
Is the tank acrylic or glass, if glass where did you purchase it (1 1/2 gal), if acrylic was it a kit with everything supplied.
Re: Slow stream simulator
The tank is acrylic, and came with I small pump and light.rabitt wrote:Is the tank acrylic or glass, if glass where did you purchase it (1 1/2 gal), if acrylic was it a kit with everything supplied.
Really a penthouse for a beta.
The filter was about like a teabag, but I left it out to stream water from the substrate out into the tank.
Alge and protists abound!
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: Slow stream simulator
Hi Radz,
This is a wonderful experiment!... Looking forward to more installments..
BillT
This is a wonderful experiment!... Looking forward to more installments..
BillT
Re: Slow stream simulator
A quick dip with a pipette into the substrate brought up these two
Wild Heerbrugg M20 20x PH
Heres a crowd (What is the proper term for a bunch of amoeba?)
Wild Heerbrugg M20
HI 50x PH in oil
Wild Heerbrugg M20 20x PH
Heres a crowd (What is the proper term for a bunch of amoeba?)
Wild Heerbrugg M20
HI 50x PH in oil
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: Slow stream simulator Updated periodically
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: Slow stream simulator Updated periodically
Congrats on your microcosm, Radazz...all microscopists benefit from:'a zoo on the window sill'..as has been suggested for over a century in microscopy hobby. charlie guevara , with indoor microcosms, outdoor microcosms, and now an outdoor mesocosm 'work in progress'.