[Microbeman]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer_OG

Whats the $'s i would need to drop on a half decent usb microscope?

Depends what you mean by a usb microscope. Most of the little hardwired ones are toys. There is some interesting information here
https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/intelplay/index.html about the QX3 which was subsequently replaced with the QX5 which I believe is phased out. A similar toy with similar alterations may be intersting and useful.

There are all sorts of things one can do once they grasp the basic concepts of microscopy.

I bought an old Leitz with 2 garbage objectives and 2 good ones and no power source and no light tube to convey the light to the prism but it had a valuable phase contrast condenser worth upwards of a $1000. I paid $168.

I pulled the socket which the light bulb seated in and found that there was a regular house current bulb which would fit. I wired the socket to a household dimmer switch, put in a 50 watt bulb (original was 15 watts). I used a piece of stainless steel drain pipe for the light tube. I then only needed a cheap portable diffusion filter between the prism (where the light comes through) and the condenser.

I used some other objectives from my collection and volla had a $4000 microscope which many have drooled over.

$168 + $10.00 (dimmer switch) + $3.00 (bulb) + $10.00 (drain pipe)
+ $1.00 (diffusion filter) + $250.00 (used objectives) = $442.00

[Gubar1]

I feel like the easiest way to know exactly how good your composts and ACT's are is to have them tested at a soil lab. The test is relatively cheap. You could have hundreds done for the price of one microscope. You also provided with way more info then what you could learn from looking at the compost yourself under a scope. ACT's are a little tougher to get tested, I would imagine the lab would have to be within driving distance.

[Microbeman]

The lab would for sure need to be driving distance. See my episode with testing on my webpage.

Most labs do not have a clue how to do microbial testing of soils or compost. The absolute best way to test compost is to plant a seed in it. If it grows, it is good stuff. If it grows but rapidly deteriorates, not so good.

Originally Posted by Gubar1

I feel like the easiest way to know exactly how good your composts and ACT's are is to have them tested at a soil lab. The test is relatively cheap. You could have hundreds done for the price of one microscope. You also provided with way more info then what you could learn from looking at the compost yourself under a scope. ACT's are a little tougher to get tested, I would imagine the lab would have to be within driving distance.

Microbes begin to die off in a matter of only 6-8 hours or so. How do you "test" a compost tea when you are shipping the sample? Even if you overnight the sample it will be 24-36 hours before they test the sample. Yet you are suppose to trust their results?

As microbeman said if you can't drive there then I would not trust the test.

A scope is the only way to find out.

Also you can buy a cheap scope that will do the job for around $300. I don't believe the labs charge $1 per test do they?

[Gubar1]

Originally Posted by OrganicOzarks

Microbes begin to die off in a matter of only 6-8 hours or so. How do you "test" a compost tea when you are shipping the sample? Even if you overnight the sample it will be 24-36 hours before they test the sample. Yet you are suppose to trust their results?

As microbeman said if you can't drive there then I would not trust the test.

A scope is the only way to find out.

Also you can buy a cheap scope that will do the job for around $300. I don't believe the labs charge $1 per test do they?

read the end of my post...

My bad. However can you trust a lab to test your soil, and compost if they say that you can ship them tea too?

[il19z8rn4li1]

Microbeman,

what knowledge can you shed on SEMs?


I have been saving up for a scope for about 2 years now, and I was planning
on saving up around 5k for a nice decent used scope, if new thats cool too..
but doenst matter, just needs to work proper right?


Im interested in observing things a little closer then just microbes swimming around.
Im interested in viewing Root hairs and myco hyphe and even the walls
of cells or check out whats going on WITHIN the cells, maybe a specific organelle.


Of someone that has great knowledge, i thought to ask you what your input on that
is.

How much would a scope cost that has that ability?

Thanks

[Microbeman]

An electron microscope used and not guaranteed will set you back $20K. These are not used to observe living cells.

You can do everything you mentioned outside of 'organelles' with a good quality compound microscope. I have lots of resources listed on my webpage.

My good quality scope cost $4500 used and I spent another $4500 upgrading it. It is now worth $20K to sell but $45K to replace.

[il19z8rn4li1]

thanks

[h.h.]

MM,
There has to be at least 2 or 3 folks here who have bought scopes from you. At this point you have to be a hundredaire from all the money you've raked in here. Share the wealth brother.
Perhaps you should have gone to Monsanto State Tech?
Others,
What's with all the hatred? If you don't want a scope, don't buy one. I don't have one. I rely on the information provided by others, just as my grandpa did.
The problem is that the old ways have been forgotten. Grandpa is long gone. If I find someone willing to do the research on the internet that I can trust, I'll listen. I guess that's my downfall. Better go chop down the garden. Not. Any intelligent person isn't only going to read, they're going to question. I'm not going to simply take the word of anybody, but to simply dismiss the fact that another person has put in their time when I haven't and that they might have a bit more insight than myself, that's narcissistic.
I too put my time in college, math and science major. Wow! That just makes me an educated idiot like the rest of the fools who are in the process of running down our economy while destroying our farmland.