stoutaholic
Well-Known Member
So I want to perform some yeast starter experiments and am trying to figure out the cheapest way to perform yeast counts. According to the White Labs website, I basically need a hemacytometer, a 400X microscope, and methylene blue solution. Has anyone used this equipment before? Can I buy just any microscope with a 400X magnification, or do only certain types of microscopes support the use of a hemacytometer? Also, when I google for hemacytometers, they come up in a wide variety of price ranges, from $30 to $340. Are there any particular characteristics of the hemacytometer that I need to look for? Is a hemacytometer made for counting red blood cells applicable for yeast cell counting? Would this one work: Neubauer Hemacytometer Blood Count for Microscope - eBay (item 380089722252 end time Jul-11-09 01:03:06 PDT)
And how about this microscope: LiveScience Store: Ultimate 400x Digital Microscope
I thought this one would be cool because I think it would allow me to just do the counting on my computer screen, rather than staring through a microscope.
By the way, for the experiment, I don't really care about actual cell counts. Those are apparently pretty difficult to extrapolate from a hemacytometer count. I will approximately know the beginning cell count based upon the number of fresh liquid yeast packs that I will empty into the starter. What I am trying to determine is the percentage increase in yeast cells over time. So I will just be comparing my later counts to my initial count, and so as long as my counting procedure is consistent, I should be able to determine the percentage increase from time 1 to time 2. One of the objectives is to determine how long the lag phase lasts, given certain dissolved oxygen concentrations (which I will measure with a DO meter).
Thanks for any feedback!
And how about this microscope: LiveScience Store: Ultimate 400x Digital Microscope
I thought this one would be cool because I think it would allow me to just do the counting on my computer screen, rather than staring through a microscope.
By the way, for the experiment, I don't really care about actual cell counts. Those are apparently pretty difficult to extrapolate from a hemacytometer count. I will approximately know the beginning cell count based upon the number of fresh liquid yeast packs that I will empty into the starter. What I am trying to determine is the percentage increase in yeast cells over time. So I will just be comparing my later counts to my initial count, and so as long as my counting procedure is consistent, I should be able to determine the percentage increase from time 1 to time 2. One of the objectives is to determine how long the lag phase lasts, given certain dissolved oxygen concentrations (which I will measure with a DO meter).
Thanks for any feedback!