Dinos and microscopes

[Kens Bees]

How do you sample your sand bed to ID dinoflagellates? Do you stir up your sand and take a drop or some other method?

 

[TPhan]

Scoop it up with a spoon or whatever u have, put the sample in a vial or tube with a cap, pour some tank water in to cover it. Shake vigorously, then put 1 or 2 drops of the water only on a slide and put a cover on. U will need at least a 200x magnification scope to get good visual or take pics.

 

[Kens Bees]

Excellent. I’ll post results later.

 

[TPhan]

This will help ID which type u have. Hopefully u dont.

 

[Reefried]

Results?

 

[Kens Bees]

Results?

I learned I don’t have the best microscope to make a good call. I can see things, but cant really distinguish between them. To be continued for now.

 

[Reefried]

Ok. I got a $40 Amazon microscope and it worked great

 

[TPhan]

Ive been using this for more than a year. Have very good magnification.

AmScope M150 Series Portable Student Monocular Compound Microscope - 40X-1000X Magnification - Features LED Light