Eukaryotic (multicelled) cells in H2O (water)

[VikKi M]

I'd like to learn how to test for these types of cells (living or dead) in water. what do I need to do this from home ? is it cheap or expensive to buy the equipment ? please provide details of the equipment needed and just a rough idea as to the cost of doing so at home. oh yeah once i buy the equipment what procedure do i follow. I want to learn how to do this from home as a hobby.

 

[SteamKing]

You can't just get a microscope and look for them in a sample of water under a slide?

 

[Borek]

When I was a kid I remember reading pop-sci books explaining how to use a microscope to watch the poodle life. There are cheap microscopes for kids (mostly of low quality) and reasonably priced good used ones on eBay. Sorry, no idea about books, as the ones I could suggest were printed in Polish and over 40 years ago; but I am more than sure similar books exist in every country and have much more recent editions.

 

[SteamKing]

When I was a kid I remember reading pop-sci books explaining how to use a microscope to watch the poodle life.

A poodle:

Young scientist investigating a puddle:

 

[Borek]

I don't think I ever looked that girly but yes, that's the idea