Which soft keys should I use for deepwell plates?
Due to the fact that deepwell plates accommodate a variety of different vessel geometries (based on height of plate, maximum fill volume, shape of the wells) and can be used with different fill volumes, it is not possible to make a general statement about the most suitable soft keys or the ideal mixing parameters for them. Basic rules are: – DWP (96-well) with 2,000 µl, 1,000 µl and 500 µl filling volumes: – With most solutions try setting a mixing rate of 1,400 rpm (soft key 1.5/2.0), as many of these DWP have a mixing rate similar to 1.5 ml and 2.0 ml micro test tubes. – For resuspension of bacteria pellets try a mixing rate of 2,000 rpm, approx. 1 min. – DWP (384-well) – Try mixing at 2,000 rpm; when using the 384 soft key visually check the process to ensure the mixing period is sufficient for complete mixing.
