What scope for freshwater plankton

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Gene
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Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:48 am

What scope for freshwater plankton

#1 Post by Gene » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:34 am

Hi All.
I am wanting to buy a microscope for ID of freswater plankton for aquaculture purposes.
A friend has a compound scope with lcd screen that seems ok but im completely open to suggestions being a total beginner.

einman
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:03 am

Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#2 Post by einman » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:42 am

Ok. I will start by asking what your budget is?

Gene
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Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:48 am

Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#3 Post by Gene » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:58 am

Prob $300 to $400 ish

Gene
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:48 am

Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#4 Post by Gene » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:16 am

The scope i used most recently was a bioloux lcd touch.
Seemed very easy to use.
Is the lcd display a good idea or are u better going with normal optics for plankton?
Also, to view plankton do u have to prepare a slide or can u use petrie dish?

MicroBob
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Location: Northern Germany

Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#5 Post by MicroBob » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:15 pm

I would recommend to stay away from these LCD-toy-microscopes. You will be impresse when you use a real quality instrument after this.
Plankton is normally watched under a normal biological microscope with 10x to 40x objectives. For a thicker water layer it is possible to apply wax feet on the edges of the cover slip. This works very well. A different approach is with an inverted microscope and a petri dish. You can watch bigger samples, but the animals are also diving away in one more dimension.
A perti dish on an normal microscope is problematic as you can easily flood your objectives.
Where do you live? Ist there a good supply of used instruments?

Gene
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Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:48 am

Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#6 Post by Gene » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:45 pm

Ok great- thats some good advice.
I live on the Gold Coast in Australia.
There are a large amount of used scopes for sale in my area but they are usually just listed for sale as plain "microscope". You mentioned biological microscope - what features define one as biological? That way i know what to look for

Hobbyst46
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Re: What scope for freshwater plankton

#7 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:59 pm

On the used items market there are mostly two types - either a compound microscope, aka biological microscope, or a stereoscope, that is used for inspection of larger specimens - electronic components, minerals, gems, whole insects. Stereoscopes are often used by goldsmiths and jewelery designers/craftsmen.

Basically all biological microscopes have a stage on which the specimen is placed, and below the stage there are other components: an illuminator, a condenser, or even a set of 1-5 objectives, in which case it is an inverted biological scope. Inverted scopes are usually expensive, and are relatively rare on the used market. However, to inspect living creatures in a petri dish, they are excellent. On inverted scopes illumination is on top, above the stage. On an upright biological microscope the objectives are located above the stage, and illumination is mostly from below the stage. Another variant is epi-illumination, an upright microscope but the illumination system is on top such that light rays pass through the objective. This serves in fluorescence microscopy and in metalurgical microscopy, apparently not relevant for your immediate needs.

On a stereoscope, the stage is essentially the base of the instrument, in direct contact with the bench. Often you do not see the objective from the outside - it does not protrude out.

If in doubt - post a photo of the scope that is being offered.

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