Garage Sale Find

[Sisterlimonpot]

I was at a garage sale yesterday and deduced that the family had a saltwater tank at one time in the distant past. They had some really dated equipment. There were a couple old aqua lifters, I think I recognized the body of an old ASM skimmer.

However, I saw something that I didn't recognize, a breif inquiry, the woman said it's used like a micro scope that you stick on the glass of an aquarium.

My interest was piqued, the quality felt good so I took a chance.

Has anyone seen this before? There's no identifying marks on it or the case and I can't find anything online.

It sticks to the glass with a robust suction cup. And offers excellent magnification on corals at the front of the tank as well as in the back.

I want to know what this is. Any help would be appreciated.

Jimmy

 

[vetteguy53081]

I was at a garage sale yesterday and deduced that the family had a saltwater tank at one time in the distant past. They had some really dated equipment. There were a couple old aqua lifters, I think I recognized the body of an old ASM skimmer.

However, I saw something that I didn't recognize, a breif inquiry, the woman said it's used like a micro scope that you stick on the glass of an aquarium.

My interest was piqued, the quality felt good so I took a chance.

Has anyone seen this before? There's no identifying marks on it or the case and I can't find anything online.

View attachment 3007082

It sticks to the glass with a robust suction cup. And offers excellent magnification on corals at the front of the tank as well as in the back.

View attachment 3007083

I want to know what this is. Any help would be appreciated.

Jimmy

Been doing this a few decades and have NEVER seen such an instrument. I can see this being a viewer similar to Flipper viewer but not a microscope as it would be impossible to fix onto an object in the tank that would not stay still.

 

[ManWithAClam]

that thing is sick! i'm just as curious as you are.

 

[taricha]

Wow!
I had no idea anyone would manufacture such a thing. But in the past I've taken apart a low power microscope of mine to do just that.

 

[mfinn]

I remember reading about those a few years ago. Just can't think of the name. Started with Ol?

 

[taricha]

With a microscope- like focus, you can image the organisms in the film that grows on glass, diatoms, coralline etc. + any corals or sand that gets right next to the glass.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

It doesn't have a camera attachment but I was able to hold the cell phone just right to capture some detail. Much better when viewing with the naked eye.

 

[crusso1993]

I was at a garage sale yesterday and deduced that the family had a saltwater tank at one time in the distant past. They had some really dated equipment. There were a couple old aqua lifters, I think I recognized the body of an old ASM skimmer.

However, I saw something that I didn't recognize, a breif inquiry, the woman said it's used like a micro scope that you stick on the glass of an aquarium.

My interest was piqued, the quality felt good so I took a chance.

Has anyone seen this before? There's no identifying marks on it or the case and I can't find anything online.

View attachment 3007082

It sticks to the glass with a robust suction cup. And offers excellent magnification on corals at the front of the tank as well as in the back.

View attachment 3007083

I want to know what this is. Any help would be appreciated.

Jimmy

I do believe that is a first generation Ogles Mesoscope.

 

[crusso1993]

It doesn't have a camera attachment but I was able to hold the cell phone just right to capture some detail. Much better when viewing with the naked eye.

View attachment 3007097

View attachment 3007096

View attachment 3007094

If it has a camera attachment then, yes, it’s a mesoscope and made by Ogles. Pretty confident.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Oh there it is:

Ogles Mesoscope hits version 2 with angled eyepiece, better field of view and improved suction mount | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The Mesoscope V2 is the long awaited successor to the extremely useful aquarium tool which helped us to learn so much about the minuscule reef world and coral behavior. The original Ogles Mesoscope is…

reefbuilders.com

Ogles Mesoscope 2

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I was at a garage sale yesterday and deduced that the family had a saltwater tank at one time in the distant past. They had some really dated equipment. There were a couple old aqua lifters, I think I recognized the body of an old ASM skimmer.

However, I saw something that I didn't recognize, a breif inquiry, the woman said it's used like a micro scope that you stick on the glass of an aquarium.

My interest was piqued, the quality felt good so I took a chance.

Has anyone seen this before? There's no identifying marks on it or the case and I can't find anything online.

View attachment 3007082

It sticks to the glass with a robust suction cup. And offers excellent magnification on corals at the front of the tank as well as in the back.

View attachment 3007083

I want to know what this is. Any help would be appreciated.

Jimmy

Buy it

 

[mfinn]

I do believe that is a first generation Ogles Mesoscope.

That's the one I was thinking it was.
May have seen a advertisement in a old FAMA

 

[Tcook]

Wow. A $500 find at a garage sale. Wonder if they ever released the dslr adapter.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I remember reading about those a few years ago. Just can't think of the name. Started with Ol?

It started with an "O" hehe. I remember reading about the V1, and even recognized that one from posts long ago. But must've lost track, they either weren't popular, or too expensive for the time, or a limited run made them fall out of the lime light.

I can see using this to get a close up look at coral tissues and confirm/rule out pests.

And maybe I will turn an aluminum adapter on the lathe to accept a dslr.

Does anyone know if ogle made good on their promise to roll out a dslr adapter?

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Is there a Business in your area that could 3-D Print a Phone Attachment? I wouldn’t trust a Hobbyist Level 3-D Printer, but you might be able to have a prototype made, then a Pro Model Made. I saw an old Danner Supreme HOB Filter at a Flea Market, was temped to buy it, but it was missing many parts. It was just like the one on my Saltwater tank, when I was a Teenager.

 

[Tcook]

It started with an "O" hehe. I remember reading about the V1, and even recognized that one from posts long ago. But must've lost track, they either weren't popular, or too expensive for the time, or a limited run made them fall out of the lime light.

I can see using this to get a close up look at coral tissues and confirm/rule out pests.

And maybe I will turn an aluminum adapter on the lathe to accept a dslr.

Does anyone know if ogle made good on their promise to roll out a dslr adapter?

If the ocular is standard diameter the you could probably use a microscope adapter.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh there it is:

Ogles Mesoscope hits version 2 with angled eyepiece, better field of view and improved suction mount | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The Mesoscope V2 is the long awaited successor to the extremely useful aquarium tool which helped us to learn so much about the minuscule reef world and coral behavior. The original Ogles Mesoscope is…

reefbuilders.com

Ogles Mesoscope 2

Wow- learn something new every day. Never seen or heard of this but a must have

 

[braaap]

Is there a Business in your area that could 3-D Print a Phone Attachment? I wouldn’t trust a Hobbyist Level 3-D Printer, but you might be able to have a prototype made, then a Pro Model Made. I saw an old Danner Supreme HOB Filter at a Flea Market, was temped to buy it, but it was missing many parts. It was just like the one on my Saltwater tank, when I was a Teenager.

lol. The "hobbyist level" 3D printers are the exact same thing as a "commerical" 3D printer. Most use the same materials with the same settings. I did over 45k PROFIT on my "hobbyist" machines last year.

This would be something I could easily make OP.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

lol. The "hobbyist level" 3D printers are the exact same thing as a "commerical" 3D printer. Most use the same materials with the same settings. I did over 45k PROFIT on my "hobbyist" machines last year.

This would be something I could easily make OP.

I think the point he was making was, enyone can print something but very few people have the skill to design beyond extruding simple shapes.

At least that was my take away.

 

[braaap]

I think the point he was making was, enyone can print something but very few people have the skill to design beyond extruding simple shapes.

At least that was my take away.

But that isn't true. 3D printing is VERY simple. 10 youtube videos and you can have a machine well dialed in. Designing a functional product is an entire different game. Not everyone can design. But anyone with a printer can print.