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To Pearl or not to Pearl?

REDSTEVEO

Member
Joined
31 Mar 2008
Messages
1,473
Location
Planet Earth
Hi,

I notice that some of us are getting paranoid (if that is not too strong a word) about our plants pearling, and I should know I am one of the worst offenders, I am not happy if I don't see any pearling. I follow everyone's advice about lighting timings, WPG, CO2, flow rate, correct dosing and so on.

And yet when I come home from work in anticipation of sitting in front of the tank with a cup of tea and watching the plants pearl away, I am dissapointed when its not happening. Flow rate good, drop checker bright green going on yellow, lights have been on for hours and nothing. :?

I do notice that the pearling kicks off big style for one day straight after a water change which I understand because the reasons for that have been explained in detail on this forum. But I have a question about flow rate after I noticed something recently. I was about to do a water change so I switched off the heater and the pumps and filter, I also knocked off the CO2. So, perfectly still water, no movement whatsoever, all the lights still on. The phone goes and I get chatting for 20 minutes, then I make a cup of tea and start pfaffing about with RO water and pipes and buckets, the usual palarva so about 45 minutes has gone by. When I approach the tank armed with a pipe in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, what do I see, yes you guessed it, plants pearling like mad, bubbles streaming to the surface like crazy.

Has anyone else noticed this and what is the reason for it?

Cheers,

Steve.
 
As far as I'm aware, plants pearl when the oxygen they produce isn't becoming disolved in the surrounding water. This is basically because the water is already saturated. With a high-ish fish load the demand for oxygen doesn't allow this and the water flow around the plants enable it to dissolved more readily. Turning off the flow means still water around the leaves, so the immediate area becomes saturated. That's my theory anyway :)
 
beeky said:
As far as I'm aware, plants pearl when the oxygen they produce isn't becoming disolved in the surrounding water. This is basically because the water is already saturated. With a high-ish fish load the demand for oxygen doesn't allow this and the water flow around the plants enable it to dissolved more readily. Turning off the flow means still water around the leaves, so the immediate area becomes saturated. That's my theory anyway :)

Thankyou. Thats the best explanation I have heard yet.
 
Hi all,
As far as I'm aware, plants pearl when the oxygen they produce isn't becoming disolved in the surrounding water. This is basically because the water is already saturated. With a high-ish fish load the demand for oxygen doesn't allow this ......... turning off the flow means still water around the leaves, so the immediate area becomes saturated.
I'm pretty sure this is the correct answer.
cheers Darrel
 
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