Diatom Search

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microb
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Diatom Search

#1 Post by microb » Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:17 pm

So I got pond water scrubbed off a rock pulled out of two feet water.

All I'm seeing it this. So did I use too strong of a Drano cleaner? Or did I run the centrifuge (800rpm for a couple minutes with three washes to remove pipe cleaner) to hard are crush everything? Or is the pond populated with three-eyed fish because the diatoms died long ago?
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microb
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Re: Diatom Search

#2 Post by microb » Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:22 pm

I was trying the scope out with a cheapo USB 2.0 camera. The slide is sitting on top the clip, because the arm angle way up and floats over the slide. Made another post asking how to fix that.
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microb
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Re: Diatom Search

#3 Post by microb » Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:33 pm

My first strew slides. Needs work:
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microb
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Re: Diatom Search

#4 Post by microb » Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:01 am

Dumped out the bottom of the centrifuge tubes and found this guy, but that's it:
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Charles
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Re: Diatom Search

#5 Post by Charles » Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:47 am

Samples off of rocks two feet under maybe too deep. Look for rocks near the surface which are slimy to the touch. Once you scrub the rocks, let the water settle and put a drop of the concentrate under a microscope to see if there are any diatoms. Drano's main ingredients are basis (sodium hypochlorate (bleach), sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium chloride, sodium nitrate), which will dissolve the diatoms if left in it too long. You need to find a drain cleaner which is mainly Sulfuric Acid or get some HCl in the form of Muriatic acid from your hardware store.

MicroBob
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Location: Northern Germany

Re: Diatom Search

#6 Post by MicroBob » Sat Apr 03, 2021 5:07 am

Hi,
under the name "Drano" you get a can of coarse sodium hydroxyde with aluminium bits in it in Germany. This quickly cleans diatoms until they are gone. :lol: What can be used for drain as well as for diatoms is cleaner based on sodium hypochloride, fluid an smelling like chloride. In Germany sold as "Klorix" or "DanKlorix", in other countries as "bleach" or "eau de javel". At a concntration of 2,6% sodium hypochloride for 10 minutes of cold application is a good starting point.

Bob

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