Microbes and microscope info

[Zendo]

Since brewing ACT I have been wondering about what my teas look like, and using a scope to be able to read when a tea is best used, or no longer usable.. basically, I want to nerd out with it, and know everything I can..

So, I have a loaner scope..

Leitz laborlux k
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]• Leitz Microscope
• Two 10X Eyepieces
• Binocular Head
• Phase condenser[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]
• Mechanical stage
• 5 Objective Turret that includes a 10x and 40x[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Is this powerful enough, and are there any useful links as to what I should be looking for, avoiding, etc.. Do I need to get a 100x?
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]I figure there must be a wealth of information that some users in here know about, or helpful tutorials for a micro noob.
[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Thanks in advance!
[/FONT]

 

[SoloGro57]

It's been a while, but back in the day in Microbiology class we always used a 100x oil immersion lens to look at very small critters. Of course we stained em too.

 

[exploziv]

I think you need way more than 100X to look at microbes.

 

[SoloGro57]

Like I said it's been a while. Maybe it was 1k oil immersion

 

[SoloGro57]

Ok I went and googled it:

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/methods/microscopy/oilimm.html

When to use an oil immersion lens

Use an oil immersion lens when you have a fixed (dead - not moving) specimen that is no thicker than a few micrometers. Even then, use it only when the structures you wish to view are quite small - one or two micrometers in dimension. Oil immersion is essential for viewing individual bacteria or details of the striations of skeletal muscle. It is nearly impossible to view living, motile protists at a magnification of 1000x, except for the very smallest and slowest.

Like I said... it's been a while

 

[Microbeman]

400X (40X objective is the highest you need) 20X objective is very useful. www.microbeorganics.com - look for microscope advisory in resources

 

[CT Guy]

Yeah, don't bother with the oil immersion, you don't need it. What you do need is MM's dvd ($40 with free shipping). It will help you to identify all these organisms that you're seeing, but the microscope you have should work just fine. (www.microbeorganics.com).

Quick pointers.

Start at 10x to get a good idea of what's on the slide. You'll be able to spot nematodes and fungi. You can then go up to 20x to get a better view of smaller flagellates and really start to see the fungi. You'll be able to see the bacteria but they'll be small. At 40x you'll be able to see good detail on everything and the bacteria will be about as big as the "i" on the screen I just typed.

Remember about brownian motion though. If it's vibrating back and forth at high magnification that doesn't mean it's alive. Also, it takes some practice to identify fungi and if in doubt, assume that it's just junk (organic matter)

 

[Microbeman]

Yes, Leitz makes a lovely scope. Is it a turret phase condenser? You should try to find a Leitz 20X phase objective if so [in good condition]. This is about the best objective I've ever used. You should be able to find manuals for your scope online.
http://www.classicoptics.com/manuals/leitz/leitz-manuals-page1.html

 

[secondtry]

Hey CT and MM,

I thought you'd like to see this paper, I know it's off-topic of this thread but it's not too far off topic...I would like to see flagellates kill a nematode under my MM scope! If you can't find the full text of this paper and your interested let me know I can email it to you.

Bjørnlund, et al., 2008.

The 'David and Goliath' of the soil food web - Flagellates that kill nematodes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. Volume 40, Issue 8, August 2008, Pages 2032-2039
​

All the best, hope you guys have a good day

 

[Zendo]

wow

wow

Thanks for all the replies so far.

CTGUY - I've been spending some time on your site as referred by clackamas coot, and will be picking up some kelp and humic shortly. that DVD set on MM's page will be a great first step.

Microbeman - I've spent all morning on your site... Little bit of info on there..Looks like you've spent some time with this? /sarcasm..
I'm watching the vids on there now, and I'll be picking up your DVD this week.

I'll look into getting a 20x on the turret as well, but funds are kind of limited at the moment, so it'll be a few weeks.

 

[Microbeman]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

CTGUY - I've been spending some time on your site as referred by clackamas coot, and will be picking up some kelp and humic shortly. that DVD set on MM's page will be a great first step.

Microbeman - I've spent all morning on your site... Little bit of info on there..Looks like you've spent some time with this? /sarcasm..
I'm watching the vids on there now, and I'll be picking up your DVD this week.

I'll look into getting a 20x on the turret as well, but funds are kind of limited at the moment, so it'll be a few weeks.

Does your scope have a turret phase condenser? E.G. does it turn in different phase rings for use with different objectives?

 

[Zendo]

MM- I'm not sure what you mean, as I said, I'm a total noob to this..I've not looked in a scope since college, and that was...well...some time ago now.

http://www.lehmanscientific.com/p_7656A.html is a page with some pictures of the exact one I have.

I'm not in front of it now. I do have the manual with it as well.

After looking at some of your videos and images I am starting to be able to identify the things I have been looking at over the last few days..

 

[Microbeman]

If you have a turret condenser (the thing below the stage which focuses the light on your sample), it will have a knurled edge on the front which allows you to set it for various phase contrast objectives or for brightfield illumination. It will have numbers or letters indicating the different settings (usually 5 or 6).

 

[CT Guy]

What MM is talking about is the need to adjust the condenser based on what objective you are on.

For example on my Meiji, I have to have it on PH1 when using the 10x objective and then I slide it to PH2 for the 20x and 40x objectives.

Hope this helps, the terminology takes getting used to...

 

[Microbeman]

Condenser will look something like this if turret phase contrast;

http://cgi.ebay.com/Leitz-Phase-con...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea8954893

 

[Microbeman]

I have a top of the line Leitz Orthoplan

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artmay06/ma-orthoplan.html

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Zendo

That is one serious microscope! I'm jealous!

CC

 

[Zendo]

Condenser will look something like this if turret phase contrast;

http://cgi.ebay.com/Leitz-Phase-con...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea8954893

Ok, yes it does have a condenser..looks after taking out the "plug" and adjusting that light, it realllly changed things..

Being able to see thru the bodies of the microbes, instead of having it look like they were "sitting" on a surface, and not see thru.. Really brought out some incredible detail at 400x!

 

[Zendo]

Zendo

That is one serious microscope! I'm jealous!

CC

Yeah, it's pretty cool. Too bad it's on loan..It'll be here for a while, but someday I'll have to snag one of my own.

 

[Microbeman]

Ok, yes it does have a condenser..looks after taking out the "plug" and adjusting that light, it realllly changed things..

Being able to see thru the bodies of the microbes, instead of having it look like they were "sitting" on a surface, and not see thru.. Really brought out some incredible detail at 400x!

Is it the type of condenser in the picture? Tremendous difference in operation and images if so.

All serious microscopes have a condenser.