# Pearling - how much = success



## David W. A. (Aug 22, 2006)

I recently reached the *pearling* zone. Plants are growing, but I do have some algae, mostly black crusty algae on the sword leaves and the grass. 

When I do a 50% water change the plants pearl like crazy for a few hours. During the week, the plants pearl but not nearly as much.

I would say on a scale of 1 to 100, if the water change pearling is 100, the normal daily pearling is 5 to 10. Is this normal, or am I to hope for more pearling?

DA


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Water change pearling is not real pearling. But if the conditions are very good, the plants will pearl for a longer time. Ferts, light , and co2 have to be in good balance.


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## David W. A. (Aug 22, 2006)

I understand that water change bubbles are not pearl bubbles, I was just using them as a reference. That said, I have pearling bubbles, but only about 10% of the bubbles compared to water change bubbles. Have I achieved normal pearling levels, or should I expect more? 

Also, I seem to see most of my pearling from the sword leaves that are tattered. I have a 6" royal pleco that I have to get rid of, mean time it ravages the sword leaves and these are the leaves that pearl the most. The healthy sword leaves hardly pearl at all. 

The tiger lotus pearls real well. fact is I have 4 or 5 lotus plants and they are going nuts. I have heard that maybe these plants out compete other plants for nutrients? Maybe up my nutrients? I an dosing standard EI 

Tank facts
120g, Pressurized CO2, 4x65w, EI Ferts (with phos and nitrates)
and I have a lot of plants - they are growing, just not pearling a lot.

DA


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

Generally water from the tap is high in CO2, so the pearling you see post water-change may in fact be from pearling. The tattered leaves throw the most bubbles because there is plant vasculature dumping directly into the water as opposed to diffusing through a membrane. How high is your CO2 cranked? With your tank specs, it sounds to me like you should be seeing more than you are in the growth department.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I have tanks that pearl in the 70-80 range, where some pearl in the 40-50 range and between the 5-15 zone, based on your scale in post #1. Growth and health in all 3 tanks are pretty good I would say. The difference in pearling stems from the different light intensities for me. Higher light for me induces more pearling and the need to have a higher bubble count and CO2 saturation.

From your tank specs, I would expect moderate pearling. Pearling doesn't mean that you're not doing well. It's just means the O2 in the water column isn't super saturated. To be reach that point, the 120 gallon tank must be pack with lots of plants to saturate the large body of water.

El Exorcisto explained why the rips in your plants tend to give off oxygen bubbles more than other plants. This happens for me when I trim stem plants too.

-John N.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Plants produce oxygen as a result of photosynthesis. After water changes, I assume you pour water back in from a bucket, the water is saturated with air bubbles and oxygen. As a result, when the plants produce oxygen and there's already a lot from the water change, they escape as bubbles and this produces the "pearling" effect. Pearling is just a bonus to having healthy looking plants. It is not a measurement of how healthy/successful your tank is. From what you wrote, it seems like you're just adding phosphates and nitrogen ferts but not potassium. Potassium is another key "ingredient" along with micros to produce healthy plants.


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## David W. A. (Aug 22, 2006)

Thanks all for the info...

I think I should say that my pearling is maybe 5-15 after an hour or so and eventually ramps up to 25 by the end of the shift. I am thinking 4x65w is moderate lighting at best on 120g so maybe I shouldn't expect too much more.

When i do crank up the CO2 to 6 to 8 bubbles per second and leave the CO2 on 24/7, my fish gasp, during the time the lights are *on* and the plants are pearling!. right now I have about 3-5 bubbles per second and turn the CO2 on and off with the lights. Makes me think, Oxygen infusion? I have funny feeling this is dangerous. Running the CO2 on/off make me worry about PH fluxuations too.

I have had 3 fish die so far. Unfortunately the royal pleco isn't one of them (being sarcastic) gonna be hard to catch him/her.

I am running full ferts, Hoppycalif has corrosponded with me several times, I have the full EI, phos nitrates potassium too. I just don't know the names well yet.

I think I need more lights. Seems like I can't pump up the CO2 more. it bugs me that the swords, crypts, crinums and the grass all have this black crusty algae on them. The lotus, water sprite and wysteria seem fine. The crinums do pearl at the base, its the long leaves that get black and crusty.

I just did my first trim - big ol bowl of watersprite and 5 or 6 huge lotus leaves, never imagined that I would be actually cutting lotus leaves - wow!

if any one is interested... I have pictures - you can see the plant selection and load.

H O O F com full tank shot

H O O F R.com Pictures
(**go to menu upper left and select pets then select plants2006**)


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

No worries about running CO2 only during the day. I do with my fish and shrimp, and no deaths as a result of pH swings. My shrimp would tell me if there was a problem, as they can be sensitive to that sort of change. Since they are not, then CO2 on only with the lights is perfectly fine.

It looks from your website your plants a growing extremely healthy beside some algae on the leaves. Give it time, and stick to your shedule of CO2 and ferts and that algae will go away by itself. 

Oh, great looking website, and definately interesting music to "jive" to as one peruses the site. 

-John N.


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