# T5 HO lighting java moss not pearling????



## Danger69 (Nov 26, 2006)

Like the title says I have a T5 HO lighting 39w 10k and 39w 10k. I have java moss on my driftwood. I leave the light on for 12 hours 7am-7pm. And when I get home no pearling at all. My tank is a 20g long. Is it the bulb? Because when I use to put the moss in a vase and put it in front of my window it pearls in 2 hours. Is it the bulb?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Pearling is caused by good growth of the plants, and good growth means adequate supplies of all of the needed nutrients as well as good lighting. So, we need to know what fertilizing you do, and do you use CO2? If your window gets direct sunlight that is brighter than almost any light fixture you could use. Are your bulbs 10,000K and actinic?


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## Danger69 (Nov 26, 2006)

No ferts and no Co2. My bulbs are 10k and actinic.


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## Aen (Jul 24, 2007)

actinic are marine tubes that are rich in blue. Not really for freshwater plants. Usually pearling occurs in high light high CO2 tanks with ferts.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Pearling is really created when photosynthesis is at peak performance. Good lighting = good pearling (other parameters not withstanding).

Ditch the actinic and even the 10,000K. Drop down to 5000 to 6500K. With the cooler light you will provide more red light and stimulate the other chlorophyll.


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

Also, pearling occurs more often when the oxygen (O2) is close to saturation in the tank and additional oxygen can not easily dissolve in the water, so it just bubbles to the surface.

I've noticed that when the lights and CO2 first come on, there is no pearling, but after a few hours then I see bubbles on some of the plants, and then later in the day there are bubbles coming from many more plants. So early on, I think the plants were adding their oxygen to the water without producing bubbles.

Also, the plants will need a good carbon source since that is one of the main limiting factors in growing immersed plants. For example, with Vallisneria I frequently get pearling after adding baking soda to the water since this plant is able to leverage the carbonate as a carbon source. (Most plants can't do that trick and this is why CO2 supplementation has become so popular.)


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## Danger69 (Nov 26, 2006)

Thanks for the info. I have most of the main stuff for a Co2 setup except for a reactor I guess its time to go into overdrive and get everything done. I also bought the 6000k midday bulb and didn't see any change. Its got to be missing the CO2 injection.


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

As ruki mentioned - saturation must first be reached. Saturation is much easier achieved in a glass vase w/ a smaller volume of water than in a 20 gallon tank. You need healthy, actively growing plants which are fostered (as many posters have mentioned) with good lighting and good fertilization (including CO2). Limiting surface turbulence also helps. *But you also need an adequate percentage of plant mass compared to the water volume.*


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