What to with Specimens after observing.

[chrish57]

Hi Everyone again,

I have been wondering if after you get done with observing a slide like pond water. Do you scrape slide off back into the water or put it in the drain. Myself I put back into the water. Am i correct in doing that?


Chris

[SuiGenerisBrewing]

I rinse the slide and coverslip clean in the sink, air dry, and reuse.

I am also very, very cheap.

[JGardner]

I toss the slide and coverslip into a bucket of isopropyl alcohol. When enough accumulate I pour off the alcohol and throw the glass in the trash.

[Dubious]

I usually rinse and reuse or in some cases simply discard slides. In fairness, I should probably standardize on a system that returns the protists to an environment where they at least have a chance.

[FatBassPlayer]

I have always returned the sample to the environment from which it came, or if that's impractical, to an environment in which any life in the sample has a chance of survival.

Then I clean and reuse the slide & coverslip.

[chrish57]

Thank you guys that is what I thought. I just couldn't see myself putting it dowm the toilet or sink.

[JGardner]

Come on, guys, why so much anthropomorphizing Protista? These are single-celled organisms that are more like a biological automaton and not thinking, feeling beings.

Remember, every time you wash your hands you're killing millions of microorganisms.

[EYE C U]

YOU WOULD GET JAIL TIME FOR PUTTING STUFF IN THE WATER HERE.

[Dubious]

Come on, guys, why so much anthropomorphizing Protista? These are single-celled organisms that are more like a biological automaton and not thinking, feeling beings.

Remember, every time you wash your hands you're killing millions of microorganisms.

Respect for/fear of karma, more than anthropomorphizing... And it isn't all about single-celled organisms; there are often much more complex creatures such as rotifers in the mix, that maybe do think and have feelings.

[Greg Howald]

Nothing wrong with respecting the lives of microbes. After all they will eat you in the end These little guys were here before us and will still be here when we are gone.

[karhukainen]

I think the main thing to care about is not spreading species to new environments. This can be an issue if you collect samples from a wide area, different habitats, aquariums etc. Don't release aquarium water into your nearby waterbodies Otherwise I guess it's a matter of personal preference, but like others already pointed out, washing your hands, cleaning your house or eating anything will also kill loads of microorganisms.

[Dennis]

When I see the water evaporate toward the little animals from the hot light bulb I feel sorry and when I change a slide to see if can get some fresh finds wasn't getting on the other slide. If humans are all gone someday they will still be here-

https://beta.nsf.gov/news/arctic-rotife ... ozen-state

I feel bad for them that I got a small sample out of my birdbath but then go and hose clean the birdbath and refill it with fresh clean chlorinated water and wipe out zillions!