Our tank's biology up close

[nursedude]

Wow, amazing post. I forgot how much fun it is to look through a microscope. Plus the camera allows capture. Very cool! Thank you for posting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jason2459]

I found the 4 they show on the label and then some. A nice bacteria count as well.

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0001 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0002 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0003 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0004 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0005 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0006 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0008 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0014 by Jason, on Flickr

Ocean_Magik_Phytoplankton-0016 by Jason, on Flickr

 

[bertoni]

Interesting. It'd be very interesting to find a way to estimate the volume of phytoplankton a a percentage, but that probably difficult, to say the least.

 

[taricha]

Hey, Jason. Have you ever run across these before?
I've seen them a couple of times but no idea what they are.
super tiny (cyano for size comparison), swim with a spiraling motion - see video 1. Pigmentation like dinoflagellate. Shaped flat like a flea.
vid 1
https://youtu.be/qFZ_Xrjo1HY

higher power vid 2
https://youtu.be/DR0qZlgSgc8

Live with cyano on sandbed - see pic

 

[jason2459]

Hey, Jason. Have you ever run across these before?
I've seen them a couple of times but no idea what they are.
super tiny (cyano for size comparison), swim with a spiraling motion - see video 1. Pigmentation like dinoflagellate. Shaped flat like a flea.
vid 1
]

Live with cyano on sandbed - see pic

Yes, dinoflagellets for sure. Possibly a type of Amphidinium

 

[taricha]

Thanks for reply and awesome thread. I got lucky and found an ID I think I like - (movement doesn't seem a match for amphidinium dino).
Cryptomonas
and maybe more specifically a Rhodomonas
I got a better detailed video
https://youtu.be/IP0znkYW9xw
It's cool. It's a whole different class of thing than what I've ID'd in my tank before.

 

[karimwassef]

what microscope are you using to get those videos? I can't see anything that good with mine.

 

[taricha]

what microscope are you using to get those videos? I can't see anything that good with mine.

heh, it's a sad old high school scope (30 yr old prolly) maybe this one that was discarded by biology class - shot through galaxy 4 phone.

 

[jason2459]

Thanks for reply and awesome thread. I got lucky and found an ID I think I like - (movement doesn't seem a match for amphidinium dino).
Cryptomonas
and maybe more specifically a Rhodomonas
I got a better detailed video
https://youtu.be/IP0znkYW9xw
It's cool. It's a whole different class of thing than what I've ID'd in my tank before.

Nice. What could help is if you could close the iris to help increase the contrast and see if you can spot two flagella.

Easier if you can capture with vid that could increase exposure and boost contrast as well. And even then it could be hard.

Looking it up even the first ID sketch of that species only had a single flagellet. Also looks like it may be one of the non-toxic species. So they would be a score minus when they bloom. lol

 

[taricha]

Nice. What could help is if you could close the iris to help increase the contrast and see if you can spot two flagella.

Still shot of what looks like flagella coming out of the grooved end (or maybe my imagination)

And here's a few still shots stitched into animation

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[jason2459]

Yes, it certainly looks like it.

 

[karimwassef]

Maybe I need microscope training

 

[taricha]

Maybe I need microscope training

Actually I revise my previous statement disrespecting the scope. It's not fancy, has no "features", but...
Precise fine focus, clean sharp image at plane of focus, decent magnification, and heavy metal scope with little vibration.
The good phone camera compensates for the rest - additional magnification, and compensates for the color of the terrible yellow microscope light.

 

[karimwassef]

I got one for my kid and tried to use it.

http://exploreone.com/products/40x-640x-national-geographic-microscope

I can't see anything in my water with it.

 

[jason2459]

Been to long...

What's left of some hair algae after playing around with that Vibrant product. Noticed a few bubbles on the HA and figured I might find some dinoflagellets

 

[bertoni]

So the Vibrant seems to have killed the hair algae?

 

[jason2459]

So the Vibrant seems to have killed the hair algae?

I certainly can't say it has with at least my system. My ATS was never impacted and its been way to long for any certainty that the vibrant is responsible for the very slow recession of the algae above the pump.


On another note I believe I just witnessed an amoeba consume a walking ciliate. [emoji4]

 

[jason2459]

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0003 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0004 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0010 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0011 by Jason, on Flickr

 

[jason2459]

A walking ciliate
Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0012 by Jason, on Flickr

With something on it
Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0013 by Jason, on Flickr


An Amoeba Consuming the ciliate!
Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0013 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0016 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0017 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0018 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0019 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0020 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0021 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0022 by Jason, on Flickr

 

[jason2459]

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0035 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0024 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0025 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0034 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0038 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0041 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0045 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_Above_Pump2-0046 by Jason, on Flickr