The close-up of close-ups...aquariums under the microscope!

[Amphiprionocellaris]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13907862#post13907862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DiazE
GREAT THREAD! keep it coming!
What's the equipment your using? I have been thinking about seeing a thread like this; I like trying to see the small stuff down in the sump.

Would also like to see a microscopic picture of what skimmate looks like magnified, to see what life is exported.

First off, thanks for the kind words...it's nice to see everyone having as much fun with this as I do .

As far as the equipment, it's a Zeiss Axiocam, which mounts directly on a microscope. We have a fairly advanced setup in our lab which we use for muscle analysis, and I co-opted it for my tanks. I do know that my dad has modified a digital camera to couple with a microscope, though I can't remember off the top of my head how he did it.

I don't have pictures on file of it, but I've looked at skimmate a bunch for the same reasons, and it was teeming with life (mainly microscopic stuff). The question becomes "is it exporting that, or did that stuff just grow off the nutrients," but there's definitely lots there.

I'll probably be working on the next batch of images once post-semester boredom sets in.

 

[xtm]

Amazing pics! I've always wondered what I would see in a tank water when viewed under a microscope. Thanks for sharing!

Now if you can only capture a video of them moving..

 

[Timanator]

This thread is way better than the Discovery channel!

 

[wishntoboutside]

wow great thread you have going on here. those pictures are incredible. any chance you can take a picture of a nudibranches or even monti nudi eggs? they would be very informative to many.
thanks for sharing
Richard

 

[Rosseau]

Excellent shots here. I'm glad someone has taken a liking to the smallest inhabitants of our tanks. It's not hard to argue their beauty in my mind. In fact, I think that the reef aquariums are only beautiful because of the interactions between all of its parts, big and bright or other.


Perhaps somebody could help me with this one...

I'm not too sure what these are, yet the show up on my glass periodically. Certainly less than a mm across (copepod for scale).

Though not nearly 400x I can get some decent magnification with my camera.

Here's an isopod.

Sump Scene

I wont clutter up this thread any more with photos, however if you want to see more they are in my red house.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Wow nice job.

 

[tonyespinoza]

wow - this is an awesome thread!

would anyone mind sharing what equipment you're using?

i'd like to get a system up to take similar pics -- i see some pretty crazy stuff running around in my tanks...

what would you recommend as the dream system? say, up to $2000?

 

[melev]

Tony, did you read the article about this thread in this month's <i>Reefkeeping Magazine</i>?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-12/feature/index.php

 

[tonyespinoza]

i'll check it out now! thanks for the pointer marc.

btw - the microscope that's been recommended to me is:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...030_M10_Microscope_with_Plan.html#accessories

or possibly this same model without the "plan" optics.

 

[tonyespinoza]

correction: yes, i had read that article -- it's how i found this thread! circular reference...