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Thread: Microscope

  1. #1

    Microscope

    Hi,

    I have a couple of fish with fungus which has got me looking at microscopes to learn how to better identify and care for the fish if and when they get ill.

    Can anyone recommend a decent scope that's not going to break the bank given I hope not to need to use it that often.

    Thanks.

    Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk



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  3. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    The best go to scope that most on here use is the https://www.apexmicroscopessecure.co...ctitioner.html

    Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk
    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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  5. #3
    Hi Cavester,
    There are a few bargains on eBay and Facebook marketplace.
    As AJ said apex practitioner and Bresser bio lux are good versions.
    Second hand going for about £50 on eBay but if you keep your eye in you can get them cheaper.
    You need something that goes to 1000 magnification for costia. It should have a light underneath to light up the slide and an adjustable slide holder that you can wind across the viewing section is useful.
    Cheers
    Ady


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  7. #4

    Microscope

    Quote Originally Posted by Adyprice View Post
    Hi Cavester,
    There are a few bargains on eBay and Facebook marketplace.
    As AJ said apex practitioner and Bresser bio lux are good versions.
    Second hand going for about £50 on eBay but if you keep your eye in you can get them cheaper.
    You need something that goes to 1000 magnification for costia. It should have a light underneath to light up the slide and an adjustable slide holder that you can wind across the viewing section is useful.
    Cheers
    Ady


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    A used Apex Practitioner just sold for £107 plus £6.50 postage on an eBay auction. I decided to give it a miss and bought a brand new one for £115 delivered.


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  9. #5
    Junior Member Rank = Fry JasonOB's Avatar
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    Don't know your location, but there is a Brunel Stereoscopic scope on the 'South East Koi Exchange' Facebook group for only £80... https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sout...80558568814545

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  11. #6
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    The Brunel SP22 and Apex practitioner are both the same microscope, both made by Brunel in Wiltshire.
    I find my Apex I use at home very good compared to the more expensive scope I use at work- it’s a bargain if you can cope with using 1 eye. For the number of hours you’re likely to spend looking down it monocular is fine for this use.

    Features to look for (In my opinion):

    • mechanical stage (2 knobs to move the slide, not manual with your fingers like many toy microscopes)
    • course AND fine focus knobs (essential)
    • proper back light, can be bulb or LED but don’t buy one with a mirror under it, or one lit from above (toys)
    • a condenser under the stage- this is a little lever that opens a diaphragm to allow through more or less light (cheapo scopes lack this)
    • magnification range should cover at least x40 to x400. You need to multiply the eyepiece figure and the lenses to get this value. A very high magnification oil immersion lens won’t help you with koi scrapes so isn’t something to pay more to get.
    • a usb camera that can replace the eyepiece is nice to have for sharing what you see online for confirmation

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  13. #7
    Thanks all, I have decided the wife can get me an Apex for my birthday and I'll get the camera add-on

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  15. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Cavester View Post
    Thanks all, I have decided the wife can get me an Apex for my birthday and I'll get the camera add-on

    Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
    Are you getting the Apex camera? I have ordered an iPhone adapter for about £16. Might be crap but worth a try for the money. I'll post some images when I receive it.

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  17. #9
    Yes, just thought being able to connect to my monitor will be much easier to analyse.

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  18. #10
    Anyone know if you get slides and covers with the practitoner scope or have I to buy these separately? Doesnt state on the apex site.

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  19. #11
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cavester View Post
    Anyone know if you get slides and covers with the practitoner scope or have I to buy these separately? Doesnt state on the apex site.

    Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
    Yes you usually get a small pack of slides and cover slips with it, so enough to get you started.

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  21. #12
    Looking for abit of advice I've picked a microscope up cheap not shore if it will be any good for koi Scrapes and need advice on what I need to get for it if anything thanks in advance

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  22. #13
    One way to find out...

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  23. #14
    A couple of videos I made with my new Slokey phone adapter. Not perfect but not bad considering it was only £16 and it takes care of eye strain.

    First one shows me navigating round a slide and changing magnification and focus.

    The second is a scrape at x400 and I had the phone on x2.5. I can see movement but too small to be parasites. Brownian motion maybe?



    https://www.dropbox.com/s/k90x55jofb...ender.MOV?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/wdn9y7saei..._8239.mov?dl=0


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  24. #15
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grommett View Post
    A couple of videos I made with my new Slokey phone adapter. Not perfect but not bad considering it was only £16 and it takes care of eye strain.

    First one shows me navigating round a slide and changing magnification and focus.

    The second is a scrape at x400 and I had the phone on x2.5. I can see movement but too small to be parasites. Brownian motion maybe?



    https://www.dropbox.com/s/k90x55jofbmj150/FullSizeRender.MOV?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/wdn9y7saeikytty/IMG_8239.mov?dl=0


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    You’ve got costia. They are the little tumbling commas.

  25. #16

    Microscope

    Quote Originally Posted by Feline View Post
    You’ve got costia. They are the little tumbling commas.
    I know I shouldn’t doubt you but at x1000 magnification these look way too small for costia compared to videos I’ve seen. They do look like Brownian motion though as the specs are jiggling and not swimming. I can only see this in one small part of the slide where there is more water and less mucus. Also just finished a course of Alparex so I was looking to confirm there was no more whitespot.

    Found this on youtube

    https://youtu.be/PzssJDZn9xI


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    Last edited by Grommett; 10-05-2021 at 10:50 PM.

 

 

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