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DIY Plankton Cloth

Derived from the Greek word for "drifting," plankton refers to all animals and plants that live near the surface of the ocean and rely on the currents for mobility. Large creatures like jellyfish are a type of plankton. However, most plankton is small, and some are invisible to the human eye. Plankton cloths, or nets, are used to filter small plankton from the water for research and examination.

Things You'll Need

Nylon stockings
Wire coat hanger
Rubber band
String
Baby food jar
Duct tape

Instructions

- 1
  Cut off one leg of pantyhose at the top of the thigh. This will serve as the plankton cloth because it will allow water to flow in and out of it, but not plankton.
- 2
  Straighten the coat hanger and shape it into a circle. Pull the pantyhose leg through the circle and fold it over the coat hanger. Secure the fold by stitching it onto the coat hanger.
- 3
  Cut off the toe of the pantyhose. Insert the baby food jar through the opening and secure it with a rubber band and masking tape.
- 4
  Go wading in an ocean tidal pool. Hold your plankton net behind you with the mouth just below the water. Walk around for 15 minutes and examine the contents of your baby jar for plankton. Some will be immediately visible, while others need to be viewed through a microscope.

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