MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hi folks, I'd like to confirm if this amoeba is of genus chaos? It's alarge one, stretching to over 400-500 microns. There are many round organelles that may be nuclei. Unfortunately I was not able to take a video. Thanks for helping identify. https://i.imgur.com/WikXnHG.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Ea5m...

I like watching Forensic Files. This reminded me of an episode (S02E12) wherein diatoms were crucial to the identification of the perpetrator. Here's it free on YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwXdwqH2M3w

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I particularly enjoy observing the flatworms because they are voracious eaters.

Took some close ups of a few worms from the microbe aquarium. 40x plan achromat + DIC Annelid - aeolosoma oil globules https://i.imgur.com/1OuA8Mb.jpg Nematode - not sure of the genus, looks like eggs in the ovary overlapping food tract https://i.imgur.com/wHjNzkq.jpg Platyhelminth - microstomum(?) ...

Thanks for the video. The level of detail is very impressive - and educational too. I didn't know that there are closterium species that can reach this size.

Hi garyjm,

Here is the guide I used when cleaning up a WL focus block, I believe that it is the same as the universal (credit goes to the German forum poster):

https://www.mikroskopie-forum.de/index.php?topic=9401.0

Otherwise, you may need to check ebay out for one of these focus blocks.

Just wanted to say that you make really impressive mounts and images!

Thank you Luis Carlos, Wes, and 75RR. btw what setup are you using? Wes - I used a Zeiss Standard 18 + DIC (the version with individual objective sliders) + 40x plan achromat. For the photo and video I used an Olympus NFK 2.5x + Canon 5D II. Note on this franken setup: I can't mount the Olympus phot...

Found this crescent-shaped amoeba that has been eating diatoms. Checking the arcella.nl guide, it may be leptophrys.



quick video (warning: dirty sensor)
https://youtu.be/ysNtwfSY0fA

Thanks for looking.

Nice find. They look like diplophrys (the bigger ones).

Amazing detail... especially that mouth spear (hypostome). Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing the video Doc, the sheer number of creatures you have there is impressive! I have also started a microbe aquarium, but the number of large protists (stentors/paramecia) are not high. If I may ask, what do you use to feed your culture jar, and are these populations sustained for we...

For the record, the rotifer is a Lepadella , where the foot is in a distinct notch in the lorica. In Euchlanis the lorica is instead folded over the foot, which emerges from a space between dorsal and ventral plates. Thank you actinophrys for the identification. Just visited your guide, it's a very...

Great images, thank you for posting them! A plancton aquarium is really a joy - even if there is only 15 Minutes of free time one can have a quick look at what is going on in there. I have Lacrymaria in my pond aquariums too - very interesting to observe, especially when they make a bigger catch. B...

I got inspired by the thread on microbe aquaria - bought some azolla (mosquito fern) and put it in a 1 gallon jar. There are lots of critters in the roots and detritus after a few days: Stentor, possibly Roeselii since it's colorless and the macronucleus is worm-like https://i.imgur.com/LPE8uyv.jpg ...

What is the best practice / correct way of setting the field aperture size when doing homogeneous immersion (HI)? Just thinking out loud, I want to do a practical test but don't have my oil immersion objectives at the moment. If I do HI, I need to keep my condenser in a fixed position - in contact w...

Thanks everyone for helping me out, I was able to unscrew the 1,4 NA element. Fortunately I did not have to resort to heating up / WD40 - just used rubber bands though it took quite some effort. There were brown hardened gunk which may be dried immersion oil.

I have the same issue as you with my BH scope. Mine is a BHC unit. I confirm that the teeth part of the condenser carrier is nylon - making it difficult to find a suitable adhesive. I used loctite 401 and it is currently holding fine so far but I do not know how long it will last. Also the break on ...

Hi folks, While cleaning this condenser earlier, I noticed a "0,32" NA labeled on the lip of the main glass unit. https://i.imgur.com/NsgmiHU.jpg Is the top 1,4 NA element (465268) an auxiliary lens that can be removed, revealing the 0,32 element? If so, how - do you just push it up? As you can see,...

20x objective https://i.imgur.com/X23zhTW.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ji4OdPV.jpg 10x objective - now slightly trapped by cover glass, it was moving swiftly prior https://i.imgur.com/LjjEy0u.mp4 Found in moss. Whole body is covered in cilia. Stretches to 0.5mm, quite small for a flatworm - maybe a juven...

I guess I am screwed by my part by part project... But the factory installed DIC seated nosepieces should then come with its corresponding frame/body? I mean Zeiss sold these as whole systems perfectly collimated. So ebay sellers 'cannibalizing' parts will also cause troubles - you buy a DIC nosepie...

Thanks for the links Charles and 75RR. There are so many variables on the transmitted DIC system: SW-NE adjustment of the DIC seat Knob on the slider Centering knobs on the condenser Ensuring perfect extinction of polarizer/analyzer Effect when using a wave plate Hoping that when I get all the parts...

I have both the NFK 2.5x L and 3.3x LD for my BHTU with a 5D Mk II. Turns out I use the 3.3x more. It depends on your application. For me, I use the camera to identify smaller protozoa (5 - 100 microns) with the 40x objective. Does this hartmanella have a uroid? Maybe it's saccamoeba? Is there a vis...

Thanks 75RR for sharing. Listing has inaccurate description saying it's for Standard 18. Looks like the nosepiece removed from a Universal that has DIC factory installed... Screwed tightly and adhered in place. I took the chance and asked the seller if the adapters can be removed. He answered in the...

( :x complaint: why don't we, Zeiss microscope users, have maintenance manuals we deserve, especially against the complex engineering... :x ) When you search for microscope service manuals: Olympus - lots found, multiple websites hosting similar files Nikon and AO - few found, good enough Zeiss and...

Finally, success! Thanks Viktor for the info. I decided to submerge the whole nosepiece in 95% ethanol. With pipe pliers, masking tape, and brute force, the rings were removed. The masking tape was helpful in getting good grip. I used rubber for protection before (no pun here) but I guess it was too...

Not needed anymore, please ignore

Noticed that in my nosepiece, the indexer has indents and the click-stop has an extra bearing. So 60+12+1 bearing balls. You need to put grease to hold this bearing in place during re-asssembly. https://i.imgur.com/jE2CD9Q.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YwTcp5q.jpg I have also cleaned an IM35 nosepiece - y...

Thanks Hobbyst for this informative post! Coincidence that I just did the same for my 5 hole nosepiece earlier today and just saw this now - could've helped me even more. I used denatured alcohol (I think its a combination of ethanol and methanol) to dissolve grease, and then a thicker #3 grease for...

Hi all, I am looking for DIC adapter rings / holders / seats for Zeiss Standard. Need a couple more if any of you have spares.



Thanks.