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Inspiration

 

5. Tightened the press.

6. The blotting paper absorbs the water and should be changed twice during the first day and thereafter daily until the alga is dry.

7. To test and see if the alga is dry enough it should be placed against the skin. If it feels cold (water is still evaporating) then it is still wet, but if it feels warm then it is dry. Thin alga (i.e. sea-lettuce, Enteromorpha intestinalis, finely threaded algae) dry in a couple of days. Thicker algae (i.e. bladder, toothed, spiral wrack) need about a week to dry completely.

8. Certain algae can be pressed on smaller and stiffer paper that can be a unique and pretty postcard. Small pieces of algae on A4-paper can be letter paper. The dried alga can be secured using transparent adhesive foil. It even possible to scan pressed algae directly into a computer.Look at exemple 1 and exemple 2.

 

The figures on the right show from top: a traditional plant press, a home made press with two pieces of plywood and straps to tighten the press and at the bottom a press consisting of several heavy books.

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© Aquascope 2000   Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Strömstad, Sweden
Bo Johannesson | Martin Larsvik | Lars-Ove Loo | Helena Samuelsson