Plankton nets which one and where to get

[Louis Z]

Asking for experiences. Anyone?

 

[billsreef]

Aquatic Ecosystems has various sized plankton nets. Size depends on just what plankton your after.

 

[Louis Z]

Looking to see what calanoids and maybe oithonia I can collect off Texas coast. Never operated a net. I saw one a year ago and it had a collection cup on the end with 2 screened holes on its side. I think mesh screen at 63 microns wold do it.

 

[billsreef]

For copepods that size should get you plenty of juveniles along with the adults. It will clog fast, so don't make your tows too long. You'll have to do some trial and error to determine how long to tow, as it's going vary a bit based on your local plankton densities. For the tow itself, you need a long enough line to get the net far enough back from the boat to be well out of the influence of the wake and propwash. I usually find about 50 to 75' does it for smaller boats. Tow speed should be just a smidge above idol...basically just barely enough to maintain steerage

 

[Louis Z]

Thanks Bill. I was planning to be ready by this time yet I have been busy getting aquarium setup at a school. Also my tanks setup for fish I will bring back. I will run out of time. I know I can't get my algal cultures up and ready for the copepods,. I was just going to practice the tows to see how to do it. Hopefully I can bring back harpacticoids to raise. I will be doing the tows from a kayak during incoming and outgoing tides. Thanks for the site . Those nets are at the right price.

 

[billsreef]

You'll find some cool stuff in the plankton net, not just copepods I use a 100 micron net for classes, gets plenty of cool stuff, including adult copepods, ctenophores, etc.

 

[Louis Z]

It's during the summer and school will be out. But that is a great idea. As I had posted the last reply, I remembered that Carolina biological supply has micro algae . I usually order from Florida Aqua farms. They take awhile to process the order and send it on agar gel. It's ok but I am in a hurry so I went with CBS So I ordered tetraselmis, isochrysis, dunaliella and the diatom thalassiosira. They will come in on Tuesday so maybe by the time I leave I can have a dilute culture started and ready for when I return 2 weeks later.