# Pearling Effect



## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

ok i cant seem to get my plants to pearl..and if they dont pearl then then are not going through photosynthesis am i correct in assuming this. i have pressurized CO2 at 2 bubbles per second for a 3 gal nano cube tank..can i be using to much CO2. I dont know how to convert to ppm. 

thanks


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## Marilyn1998 (Sep 13, 2006)

Good question! My plants have never pearled either. They are very healthy though, and I have almost no algae....so some things are right here.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

whitetiger61 said:


> ok i cant seem to get my plants to pearl..and if they dont pearl then then are not going through photosynthesis am i correct in assuming this. i have pressurized CO2 at 2 bubbles per second for a 3 gal nano cube tank..can i be using to much CO2. I dont know how to convert to ppm.
> 
> thanks


Bubbles per second doesn't convert to a specific ppm. It depends on how you diffuse the CO2 into the water, how much of it you lose due to surface ripples, how much the plants take up, etc. If you want to know how much you nave in the water, try a "drop checker" per: 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/do-it-yourself/32100-diy-drop-checker.html. You can either buy one or make one. In the next couple of days I will be posting photos of another pair of them I have made or are making (one is finished, the other isn't.)


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

no visible pearling doesn't mean your plants arent photosynthesising.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

i am diffusing through a glass diffusor. i have a drop checker and it shows to much co2 in the tank..can to much co2 cause a non pearling effect


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## Satirica (Feb 13, 2005)

Plants don't "pearl" until the water is saturated with oxygen. Before the water is saturated you will not see the oxygen given off.

You can't have too much CO2 for pearling, but you can have too much for your fish to be comfortable and healthy. If they are all hanging out at the top of the tank, or you see them gasping, you have too much CO2.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

ok i understand the photosynthezing paret of this. plants tank in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen..but when do they take in the carbon dioxide and when do they give off oxygen..do they take in carbon dioxide at night after the lights are off..been awhile since ive been in school..then im not sure i paid to much attention..wish i had now


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## MrSanders (Mar 5, 2006)

Just a bit of info to help you out... Plants only use CO2 during the day when the lights are on... they take in the carbon and give off oxygen as a byproduct... In my tanks having a good supply of carbon was usually what it took to get the plants to saturate the water with enough O2 to visable see pearling. Though I know this isn't required because I have seen non co2 tanks pearl.... 

As for your drop checker what's the KH of the solution your using in it? I noticed the pic of it in your other post, the little red sea unit... its the one I use and it works well  however I know in the instructions it says to use tank water.... But that wont yeild an accurate reading.... You need to get water with no KH an add a known amount. RO/DI and distilled water all work.... I have been using a KH of 5.5 in mine.... no issues so far.... just some things to think about


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## kiwik (Apr 3, 2007)

if plants dont complete photosynthesis, they will die.


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## Rastaman (Jul 24, 2006)

How much light do you have?
I have 15l (4 gal) nano with 3x14W and 1/2 bubbles/sec through glass diffuser. Lights turns of by timer one by one. In the evening, when first tube switch off, i can see decreasing of pearling. 30 min later when the second tube switch of, pearling is no more visible.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Plants respire 24 hours a day (take in O2 and give out CO2). However during the lightperiod they also photosynthesize so they take in CO2 and give out O2. During the light period they give out much more O2 than they take in.

As mentioned, pearling occurs when the O2 levels in the water get to saturation point: no more O2 can dissolve in the water. Therefore instead of dissolving in the water it remains a gas and hence forms bubbles.

Don't get hung up on pearling as a sign of healthy growth. Plants can be growing perfectly healthily and you still won't see pearling. Pearling is a sign of supercharged growth  .


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## MemphisBob (Mar 20, 2007)

Plants DO NOT pearl because the tank has reached O2 saturation. They pearl because they are producing O2 faster than it can dissolve in the water column. This is simply another misconception that gets circulated around this hobby.

I was corrected on this matter on another forum by a well known biologist who no longer posts here.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I stand corrected!


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