If you want to invest $14 into a device that will always tell you if a card is fake or not there is a Carson Microbrite.
You can look at the green mana symbol on the back of the card and a fake card will have a scattered red dot pattern. While a real card will have a L made of 4 red dots. The example picture is one I took with my own phone through the Microbrite.
Get an ultrasonic cleaner. I was on the fence for months. I use it nearly every other day, and not just on pens. That thing has paid for itself many times over. Here's the one I got - wow over 4 years ago and it's still kicking.
Carson microBrite Pocket Microscope...thing is legit and only 13 dollars. you can even put your cellphone camera to the viewing aperture to take pictures of the image, no flash needed. My goto fake card checker.
Sorry to butt-in, I know y’all are over here being insufferable dinks at each other, but the honest answer is, I occasionally toss my link bracelet in a jewelry cleaner. The watch itself gets the occasional pass with an alcohol wipe and a microfiber cloth.
It’s fine that you wear your watch in the shower, but don’t kid yourself that it’s getting “cleaned.”
I know about as much as any bs biology graduate. My microscope was from amazon and is very decent for the price. Personally, I've always been fascinated with observing life under the microscope and have spent several hours using the one I have now. If you have a passion for it, then I'd say it's more than worth the money.
I believe this was the microscope given to me: https://www.amazon.com/Promotion-Set-40X-2000X-Microscope-Mechanical/dp/B0094JTZOU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1476405809&sr=8-2&keywords=omax+microscope
I use this one ( virtually a no name brand ) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SJTXGN7 with my gaggia. I still use the PF with a bottom spout, and I am quite easily able to slide in the scale and the cup. Should work better for a bottomless PF.
Its pretty accurate, may be not as fast as the more expensive ones, but you can quickly get used to offsetting it.
Oh I am so excited to share this! I bought a sonic jewelry cleaner off amazon for $26 and it works AWESOME. I fill it to the water line with warm water and just a tiny bit of dawn dish soap and press the on button. I run it through maybe 3 cycles (3 minutes each) and it comes out SO SPARKLY. It looks just as good as when the jeweler cleans it. I love it. I buy them for all my friends bridal showers too as an added gift and I've gotten so many thanks for it. I also use it for my eye glasses and other cleanable things. Highly recommended!
This one used to be cheaper on amazon. I think you can look it up on camel camel camel to see its price fluctations. It's been recommended quite often on here over the years. If you have the patience maybe you can wait until the price drops on this bad boy. But most of these jewlery cleaners, at least the ones with the similar dimensions, are rebrands. Kind of like those TDS and PH meters you get for your pool, there's a ton of them on amazon and ebay etc. most will perform fairly similar. (you get what you pay for).
i would invest into a $25~35 ultra sonic cleaner on Amazon. They are great for glasses, other jewelry, etc. I plan on using that the morning of the wedding or something. This is what I have here works amazing
edit: trust me, the ring is most likley dirtier than you think. the before and after is SO different.
I have this one and I really love it.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Q2M17K
I've never had any trouble with it. I use it to clean pens, converters, jewelry, my glasses, etc.
I don't love spending a lot of time trying to rinse out closed or semi-closed parts of pens, so I'm big on disassembling pens and converters, tossing them in here, and going through several hands-off cycles where i change the water every time. I usually do a first and second cycle with a drop of dish detergent in the water. then two or three cycles with clean water. After that things are usually pretty good to go.
Just use hot water and some dish soap. Use this machine, does the trick for home cleaning of jewelry. https://www.amazon.com/Magnasonic-Professional-Ultrasonic-Eyeglasses-MGUC500/dp/B007Q2M17K/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=WN2MKHY0DCWW&dchild=1&keywords=ultrasonic+cleaner&qid=1626373738&sprefix=ultrasonic%2Caps%2C228&sr=8-3
5 Gram Pack of 50 "Dry & Dry" Premium Pure & Safe Silica Gel Packets Desiccant Dehumidifiers - Food Safe Rechargeable Paper https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYKTS9C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_JR0DFWZP5Y98B8N8DFBC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
a long time ago I posted about potential fakes on this sub. The best answer I got is there is absolutely no reason to not own one of these as a magic player: https://www.amazon.com/Carson-MicroBrite-60x-120x-Lighted-Microscope/dp/B00LAX52IQ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=pocket+microscope&qid=1600983475&sr=8-3
I check any card I buy over $15 now.
Best way to "speed steep" is a ultra sonic cleaner. Arguably the only way unless you happen to have access to a centrifuge. You can pick one up on amazon for cheap but it only runs for 3 minutes at a time. About 10 cycles is equivalent to a 2 days ish in a dark cool area. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can replace the button with a toggle switch and it will run constantly.
Also benefits on a easy way to clean your gear and coils.
I have something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Magnasonic-Professional-Ultrasonic-Eyeglasses-MGUC500/dp/B007Q2M17K
The one I bought is just some generic brand off Amazon and it works well. Just remember to never throw the whole watch in there.
What would be the difficulties involved with using something like this
That model in particular states a max capacity of 3000ml which is less than a gallon, which presents an obvious difficulty but surely larger models exist?
Why the little packets of silica that come with a lot of products, especially electronics items are worth keeping and reusing for purposes like this. I keep them in my camera bag or in anything else I store my camera gear in. One can buy them online too.
https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Premium-Packets-Desiccant-Dehumidifiers/dp/B00DYKTS9C
GreaterGoods Digital Pocket Scale, Lab Analytical Scale, Gram Scale, Ounce Scale, Letter Scale, 750g X .1g Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SJTXGN7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_0YQKTX10F91BN1FJJVNT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
My advice to anyone who will listen to me is to get this item from Amazon:
It's a pocket microscope that is perfect for doing the green dot test (Google it for more detail if unsure) on cards. I've gotten counterfeit cards that were only $25 or so, so it's not inconceivable for people to be counterfeiting rhystic studies. It's a great tool that will give peace of mind, and pays for itself the first time you find a counterfeit. Really can't recommend this enough!
Like this kind of thing: https://www.amazon.ca/Carson-60X-120X-Lighted-Pocket-Microscope/dp/B00LAX52IQ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=trichome+microscope&qid=1621385740&sr=8-5
Yeah they aren't great. But they'll let you see the colors of your trichomes, spot powdery mildew and see tiny bugs. Best you can hope for for $20.
Good catch. I see it too. Also, little white dots on the leaves could be thripes. Not that these are. You'd need a microscope to confirm between the two. Or if you have both, which would be awful.
But, there's a microscope online that was the best present under $20 I got for myself to study my plants. https://www.amazon.com/Carson-MicroBrite-60x-120x-Lighted-Microscope/dp/B00LAX52IQ
I look at their leaves all the time under this thing. It's so cool.
Treatment is going to depend partially on the ID. Could be fruit flies or phorid flies just going off size and what I can see of color from here. An extreme close up (use a magnifying glass if you have it) would definitely help. A pocket microscope is by far the best identification tool you can buy for the money. I recommend that one because I bought it and am super happy with it.
Either way though, the most effective treatment is always going to be removing the food source. They both feed on decaying and dead stuff, as well as the fungi that decay those things. Could be rotten fruit/veg in the pantry, a lot of leftover feces in the yard, animal cages (rabbit, guinea pig, hamster...), dead animal close to house or in crawl/attic, trash, etc.
The problem is that they don't always hang out around the actual breeding and feeding sites, so finding a concentration isn't always going to point to the infestation. A thorough inspection is what deals with them.
Gift cards are always nice - generic ones like Amazon, Michaels, Etsy, or more specific experiences, like a mani/pedi, facial, dinner out?
For items - a nice picture frame if she's done engagement photos? Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner? I personally was a total disaster with organization, "wedding crap" all got stored in Amazon boxes that we collected over time, but maybe nice storage boxes for stuff and folders for contracts? A travel garment steamer to have on hand for last minute stuff? Or to go in a completely different direction, adult coloring books are great for stress relief.
Or, I know a lot of brides debate on what pinteresty getting-ready stuff to get - they're all extra and not necessary, but oh so pretty. So maybe one of those popular personalized hangers for her dress, or a nice robe, or champagne flutes?
I got this one from Amazon. Cost about $10. I like that it's portable, so you can put it on any sample. Like all microscopes, it only focuses on a specific distance at a time (adjusted with the focus knob), so it works best if you can hold it up against the sample or on a flat surface to keep it still. All these pictures were taken with the zoom at the minimum position (60x magnification).
It works really well for the price, but if you/your daughter want to take a lot of pictures, I would recommend getting something else. Either a full-sized stand microscope with a camera mount, or the same company makes some slightly more expensive ones with mounts for smartphones. I don't think they had one for my phone, so I had to strap it on with rubber bands to get these pictures.
I got one of these form amazon for 35 bucks and it works great https://www.amazon.com/Magnasonic-Professional-Ultrasonic-Instruments-CD2800/dp/B00HZVYAVM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1500573408&sr=8-6&keywords=ultrasonic+cleaner
Don't use Rice. Do this: https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Don%27t_Put_Your_Device_in_Rice._Here%27s_Why...
Additionally if you want to absorb moisture. Use those Silica Gel packets that come in most of your amazon purchases. Or if you don't care about money, you can buy them from amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Silica-Packets-Desiccant-Dehumidifiers/dp/B00DYKTS9C
EDIT: Spelling
EDIT2: I wonder if buying Silica packets come with an additional Silica packet in the box, not part of the order.
I bought this one: https://smile.amazon.com/Magnasonic-Professional-Ultrasonic-Eyeglasses-Instruments/dp/B00HZVYAVM/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=magnasonic&qid=1557871626&s=gateway&sr=8-5, back when it was in stock at Amazon. It was like $27, but it does the trick when I need it to. The step up model has a timer. Not sure what even more expensive models might provide.
It’s hard to know exactly what is happening without pics, but it does sound like OE since a few managed to make it to a butterfly. If they have NPV or another bacteria, they will die as a caterpillar. I’m in California and it is very prevalent here. Many of us have a plant which we collect eggs from, bring them inside and do a bleach treatment, and then raise them with milkweed that has also been bleached even if they are covered plants. Even with all this intervention, a few manage to have OE. It’s very easy to test for OE, there is a good video on Dr. Lund Science and this a a good and inexpensive microscope Carson MicroBrite Plus 60x-120x... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAX52IQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
They have all sorts. This is the one I use. Chose this one because if I turn it sideways it fits on the Flair drip tray, allowing me to weigh output in real time. Also, if I break it, it’s only a few bucks down the drain.