I took a bit of downtime today to put the new QX5 to good use. While it hardly takes images of the QUALITY that I was expecting, it is STILL quite the useful tool. For what it is and considering the price, it is probably a good entry point microscope for the hobbyist. Granted, I invested about 1k in the digital camera I use, and have shot over 40,000 pix with it in the last 2 years...I'm kinda an image quality snob I guess
I harvested samples from 1 of my L-Strain Rotifer cultures and 1 of my SS-Strain Rotifer cultures. These samples were seived through 53 micron, and the effluent from that was seived through 10 micron. These samples were chilled in the freezer for a minute (slows all the little buggers WAY DOWN) and then examined.
The results were quite interesting. Until you get to 200X, it's hard to notice the difference between L-Strian and SS-Strain (which had me wondering all along if my SS-Strain rotifers had become contaminated with L-Strain). Well, the QX5 has a hand on-screen ruler - I had to do some creative photoshoping but I've been able to apply it to the images to easily show the differences in size. Suffice it to say, it looks like the L-Strains I'm producing are 300 X 200 microns, whereas the SS-Strain look to be around 200 X 150 microns.
Videos are .avi; roughly 1 to 2.5 mb a shot.
L-Strain Rotifers at 60X - numerical measurments are 1 MM
Video -
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/nanoree...0X_chilled.avi
SS-Strain Rotifers at 60X - numerical measurments are 1 MM
Video -
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/nanoree...0X_chilled.avi
L-Strain Rotifers at 200X - numerical measurements are 200 um (microns, micrometers etc..)
Video -
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/nanoree...0X_chilled.avi
SS-Strain Rotifers at 200X - numerical measurements are 200 um (microns, micrometers etc..)
Video -
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/nanoree...0X_chilled.avi
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The OTHER interesting observation was what I was able to collect in the 10 micron secondary seive. In the SS-Strain culture sample there was literally NOTHING other than some smaller bits of detritus. Conversly, the L-Strain culture was RIP ROARING with TONS of life.
L-Strain Culture, smaller than 53 microns but larger than 10 @ 60X:
Video -
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/nanoree...0X_chilled.avi
I'm hesitant to utilize this stuff as a foodsource again simply because I don't know what it is! Can anyone identify anything swimming around in there?
I'm definitely eager to put the SS strain rots to good use with whatever batch of fish I try to raise next...mabye the leptacanthus? The mandarins are still on a new lighting schedule (lights out at 8:30 PM or so)...this may partially be responsible for the lack of spawning activity as the ambient lights remain on for several hours after the main lights go out. All the same I'm in NO hurry...20+ spawns and I need to catch my breath!
Matt