Fecal Float Slide

[Sue Gremlin]

It takes a little bit of finesse to plop the slip down on the slide without trapping so much air. You definitely want a few bubbles because they are very useful to establish your focal plane (of the bubbles are sharp, you will see the parasite ova the sharpest), but I can see your issue with so many. You don't want actual foam.
When I pick the slide up off the tube, I gently swirl it in a couple of circles while upside down, and then place it with one edge down on the slide, touching, before dropping it.
Practice makes perfect!

 

[ZedikerStation]

It takes a little bit of finesse to plop the slip down on the slide without trapping so much air. You definitely want a few bubbles because they are very useful to establish your focal plane (of the bubbles are sharp, you will see the parasite ova the sharpest), but I can see your issue with so many. You don't want actual foam.
When I pick the slide up off the tube, I gently swirl it in a couple of circles while upside down, and then place it with one edge down on the slide, touching, before dropping it.
Practice makes perfect!

Thanks Sue!

Here's what happened on this one. The fecalizer tube was about half full with feca-med as I learned from a YouTube. I twisted the insert to break up the sample.... all still clear.... I then topped off to form the meniscus. Still okay.... just a few bubbles.... about 2 minutes later the meniscus was covered with foam. Could this have been air trapped in the sample?

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Thanks Sue!

Here's what happened on this one. The fecalizer tube was about half full with feca-med as I learned from a YouTube. I twisted the insert to break up the sample.... all still clear.... I then topped off to form the meniscus. Still okay.... just a few bubbles.... about 2 minutes later the meniscus was covered with foam. Could this have been air trapped in the sample?

Definitely.

 

[ZedikerStation]

Sue,

The new reticle eyepiece fits my microscope but the numbers and marks don't go all the way across the field of view. Is that a problem?

 

[Sue Gremlin]

No, not at all. You only need to fit your object you want to measure into that field and work out how many increments long it is in that scale.
But first you have to work out how much distance is between each increment with each objective you use. It will be different on the 4 x or 10x than it would be with the 40x--while the scale looks the same, you get closer with every objective you switch to, know what I mean? You'd use a 1 mm calibration slide (stage micrometer) to do the math.

Here's a good video that explains why and how to do this, you only need to do it once, and you will get very accurate measurements of your subjects.

A stage micrometer slide should be available on Amazon for about 10 bucks if you don't have one. Some microscopes, like Omax and Amscopes, come with one.

 

[ZedikerStation]

No, not at all. You only need to fit your object you want to measure into that field and work out how many increments long it is in that scale.
But first you have to work out how much distance is between each increment with each objective you use. It will be different on the 4 x or 10x than it would be with the 40x--while the scale looks the same, you get closer with every objective you switch to, know what I mean? You'd use a 1 mm calibration slide (stage micrometer) to do the math.

Here's a good video that explains why and how to do this, you only need to do it once, and you will get very accurate measurements of your subjects.

A stage micrometer slide should be available on Amazon for about 10 bucks if you don't have one. Some microscopes, like Omax and Amscopes, come with one.

Thanks for the video. The stage micrometer will be here tomorrow. My Amscope didn't come with one, and.... it was missing some pages in the manual... I'll give it a try tomorrow!

 

[casportpony]

With 12 or less, I find it easy enough to drench them individually. That way I know exactly how much each gets. Depending on their size, they get between .75ml and 1 ml of Safe Guard. That would be an awful soggy piece of bread... LOL

Remeber that capillary worms require 5 consecutive days of treatment.





Capillary worms

 

[ZedikerStation]

No, not at all. You only need to fit your object you want to measure into that field and work out how many increments long it is in that scale.
But first you have to work out how much distance is between each increment with each objective you use. It will be different on the 4 x or 10x than it would be with the 40x--while the scale looks the same, you get closer with every objective you switch to, know what I mean? You'd use a 1 mm calibration slide (stage micrometer) to do the math.

Here's a good video that explains why and how to do this, you only need to do it once, and you will get very accurate measurements of your subjects.

A stage micrometer slide should be available on Amazon for about 10 bucks if you don't have one. Some microscopes, like Omax and Amscopes, come with one.

Hi Sue,
My marked slide came today. It has several different markings. I'm finding the ruler markings easiest.

It says 1 DIV = .01mm

So lining up the marks, (see image) it looks like the 5 marks on the slide line up best with 2 marks on the eyepiece.

So.... does that tell me that 2 marks = .05 mm at 40 power? (Each mark on the eyepiece would be .025 mm ????)

....trying to follow along!

 

[Sue Gremlin]

can you clarify for me which is the reticle (eyepiece) scale and which is the 1 mm slide ruler scale? Is the slide the one with the numbers on it?

I am seeing that one unit on your eyepiece reticle (if this is the one that's not numbered) equals about 0.04 mm on the slide scale (numbered). That's the distance I am seeing between the two major lines on the reticle (not the smaller ones).
Does that make sense?
Starting at the 3 on the slide in your photo, one unit in the reticle scale goes 0.04 mm until the next large mark (each small unit on the slide is 0.01 mm).

0.04 mm = 40 microns, in range of parasite egg size
If I am confusing the scales, please forgive me, this is confusing enough!

 

[ZedikerStation]

can you clarify for me which is the reticle (eyepiece) scale and which is the 1 mm slide ruler scale? Is the slide the one with the numbers on it?

No. The eyepiece has the numbers. Slide only has mark's.

Here are all 3 if it helps.