Microscope suggestions for algae, bacteria, & parasites?

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

I'm hoping some of you have experience with microscopes. I'm looking for something useful for identifying various algae such as confirmation of cyanobacteria vs diatoms, identifying different species of phytoplankton and checking for unwanted guests in cultures. I'd also like to be able to use the scope to confirm identification of various parasites such as Crypto vs Oodinium, and identify species of flukes. I know the size difference of these specimens will vary from less than 1 micron to several mm.

I have a cheap 250x USB microscope that's been fun to play with looking at fish and invert larvae. Now it's time to step it up.

My budget is CAD$500 which right now is a measly USD$350.

One I've heard mentioned is the OMAX 40X-2500X LED Digital Trinocular Lab Compound Microscope with 5MP Camera and Mechanical Stage. Is there any reason(s) that this would not be a good choice?
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CESYP4C/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_31?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ABT2DY60T0YUE

I'm going to double post this to the Algae forum too. I hope that's ok.

Humblefish · Jul 1, 2017

This is the one I've been using for awhile now: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-LCD-Deluxe-Digital-Microscope/dp/B00369V2E0/

It has a lot of negative reviews (on Amazon), but has always worked just fine for me. 40x to 1600x total magnification, what else could you want? :p

@twilliard might have a better recommendation. I plan on buying a new, better scope soon, after we get settled. Just haven't had time to research them yet.

Humblefish · Jul 1, 2017

Apparently these are newer and get better reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4DBWP4/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4DBVKU/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_2_w?th=1

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

Humblefish said:
Apparently these are newer and get better reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4DBWP4/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4DBVKU/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_2_w?th=1

Weird. They're half the price of your current one which apparently gets bad reviews. Haha! Thanks for your input I'll take a look at them. Which magnifications do you use the most and for which objects?

Humblefish · Jul 1, 2017

Myka said:
Weird. They're half the price of your current one which apparently gets bad reviews. Haha! Thanks for your input I'll take a look at them. Which magnifications do you use the most and for which objects?

40x for flukes, 50x for ich, 100-400x for velvet depending on life stage, >1000x for bacteria.

When I say "50x" (for example), I am referring to the microscope's objective lens (these are the ones at the end of the barrel closest to the sample). The total magnification is a function of the eyepiece magnification and the objective. A typical eyepiece will be in the 5x to 10x range, so the ultimate magnification works out to be 250x - 500x.

This is a simple guide to get you started (I have a more thorough one on my desktop in storage): http://www.aquariadise.com/checking-aquarium-fish-parasites/

This is the ultimate guidebook: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0813806976.html

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

@jason2459 I know you have the OMAX I listed above. Any complaints? Any reason I should choose something different? How often do you use the high magnification and what are you looking at with high mag? I'm just wondering if a $200 scope like what Humblefish has would be adequate with the 1500x? Is there a good reason to spend the extra bucks? I'm willing if there's a reason. :)

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

Humblefish said:
This is a simple guide to get you started (I have a more thorough one on my desktop in storage): http://www.aquariadise.com/checking-aquarium-fish-parasites/

This is the ultimate guidebook: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0813806976.html

Awesome!! Thanks for the link - bookmarked! That will be handy. I thought you said you didn't really like that book?

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

Sorry @Humblefish ...I edited. You're too fast.

Humblefish · Jul 1, 2017

Myka said:
I thought you said you didn't really like that book?

It's a little outdated. I prefer more recent research articles I can find using Google Scholar.

But that book contains nice slides of what ich, velvet, etc. look like under a scope.

Myka · Jul 1, 2017

I'm curious to ID algae, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates too. Nerding out at its finest. :D

Humblefish · Jul 2, 2017

Myka said:
I'm curious to ID algae, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates too. Nerding out at its finest. :D

I'd reach out to @twilliard. Those things are more his dept. and I'm pretty sure he has a microscope to ID them. ;)

drawman · Jul 2, 2017

Humblefish said:
40x for flukes, 50x for ich, 100-400x for velvet depending on life stage, >1000x for bacteria.

When I say "50x" (for example), I am referring to the microscope's objective lens (these are the ones at the end of the barrel closest to the sample). The total magnification is a function of the eyepiece magnification and the objective. A typical eyepiece will be in the 5x to 10x range, so the ultimate magnification works out to be 250x - 500x.

This is a simple guide to get you started (I have a more thorough one on my desktop in storage): http://www.aquariadise.com/checking-aquarium-fish-parasites/

This is the ultimate guidebook: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0813806976.html

Very cool! Are you finding them in FW dip water?

Humblefish · Jul 2, 2017

drawman said:
Very cool! Are you finding them in FW dip water?

Yes, and also from gill scrapes of dead specimens. I haven't worked up the courage to extract gill scrapes from live specimens yet. Always learning. ;Doctor

jason2459 · Jul 2, 2017

Myka said:
@jason2459 I know you have the OMAX I listed above. Any complaints? Any reason I should choose something different? How often do you use the high magnification and what are you looking at with high mag? I'm just wondering if a $200 scope like what Humblefish has would be adequate with the 1500x? Is there a good reason to spend the extra bucks? I'm willing if there's a reason. :)

The focusing could be a bit smoother but for the price isn't bad. Amscope is comparable.

I use the 40x, 60x, and 100x all the time. 4x is seldom used. 10x I use to get a quick look around before increasing the magnification.

I use the 25x eyepieces until I hit 60x and 100x objectives and use the live video stream to see everything clearly. If I didn't have the camera software to compensate for the nearly closed diaphragm I would have to use the 10x eyepieces and still wouldn't be able to see as well as the live capture. Looks like the camera is near a 15x eyepiece.

I like observing bacteria, ciliates, amoebas, etc.

drawman · Jul 2, 2017

Humblefish said:
Yes, and also from gill scrapes of dead specimens. I haven't worked up the courage to extract gill scrapes from live specimens yet. Always learning. ;Doctor

If you ever care to document in a thread I'm sure a few of us would love to see. For now I'll excuse myself as I'm derailing :)

Myka · Jul 2, 2017

jason2459 said:
The focusing could be a bit smoother but for the price isn't bad. Amscope is comparable.

I use the 40x, 60x, and 100x all the time. 4x is seldom used. 10x I use to get a quick look around before increasing the magnification.

I use the 25x eyepieces until I hit 60x and 100x objectives and use the live video stream to see everything clearly. If I didn't have the camera software to compensate for the nearly closed diaphragm I would have to use the 10x eyepieces and still wouldn't be able to see as well as the live capture. Looks like the camera is near a 15x eyepiece.

I like observing bacteria, ciliates, amoebas, etc.

Thanks Jason! I'll check out the Amscope too. So you're using the full 2500x combined range often then, good to know.

By focusing being smoother do you mean it's tough to get a fine adjustment - that it's easy to inadvertently over adjust?

jason2459 · Jul 2, 2017

Myka said:
Thanks Jason! I'll check out the Amscope too. So you're using the full 2500x combined range often then, good to know.

By focusing being smoother do you mean it's tough to get a fine adjustment - that it's easy to inadvertently over adjust?

When using the spring lens and fine adjustment focus it can sometimes seem to take a bit more to focus.