Pearling Plants

[carpking]

So then ive beenplaying around with live plants co2 and ferts im also very new to this so forgive the stupid question.

Why do my plants pearl like mad after a decent water change and not at any other time, also if they pearl for long periods is that better for them instead of a short period i ask because my light go out roughly an hour after my water changes just wondered if i did the change earlier in the day it would be better for the plants so they have longer light when pearling, hope that all makes sense.

Thanks in advance

 

[ech0o]

The pearling is just the oxygen created by the plant, after converting from co2.   They should be slightly pearling daily, the bubbles after the water change I would chalk up to the pressurized water from your tap degassing.   A semi-effective way to tell if the bubbles are being created by the plants or just a saturation of gas in the water is where the bubbles form.  Bubbles on the bottoms of leaves are generally from gas saturation in the water, and may also pop up on the glass, and on other surfaces in the tank.  True pearling of oxygen being released from the plant generally occurs on the highest points of each leaf, and not the underside of the leaves,  and is certainly not an aggressive bubbling as only one bubble will release every so often.   
 
SOME of the bubbles might be from actual pearling though, your tapwater contains a lot of trace nutrients and elements very desirable to plant growth.  Not sure what ferts you are dosing, but you might be leaving something out of the equation that is replenished upon water change (iron?), but again I would chalk up the majority of those bubbles to degassing.

 

[hobby5]

This pearling after water exchange has nothing to do with your plants, it simply happens on all surfaces and is not good for your fish.
 
http/en.wikivet.net/Gas_Bubble_Disease

 

[daizeUK]

I didn't know those were harmful to fish. I sometimes see tiny bubbles sticking to the fish after a water change.

 

[hobby5]

I didn't know those were harmful to fish. I sometimes see tiny bubbles sticking to the fish after a water change.

It always depends on the amount, if you have a few tiny bubbles nothing to worry, but if the bubbles are larger and all over the place you should think about how you change your water.

 

[daizeUK]

I use a hose with spray attachment. I guess it mixes a lot of air with the water. I always assumed more oxygen would be a good thing.

 

[hobby5]

I use a hose with spray attachment. I guess it mixes a lot of air with the water. I always assumed more oxygen would be a good thing.

This is a good setup. More oxygen is always a good thing as long as the water is not supersaturated. And supersaturation only happens under high pressure. Its like sparkling water. As soon as the pressure is released (the bottle opened)  the excess gas starts to bubble out. Same happens when you fill tap water, which is under high pressure in the pipes and has more gas dissolved as it can hold under normal air pressure, into your tank using a hose. Only when the water is in your tank the bubbling out begins. To accelerate this process the water need agitation and air contact (like shaking the bottle of sparklng water ). Here using a spray is a good thing. If one uses a bucket this should be no issue as there is a lot of water mixing during filling and emptying the bucket and excess gas can also escape while the water is still in the bucket.

 

[daizeUK]

Thanks for the info hobby5!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

hobby5 nailed the whole thing...  Just wanted to confirm what he said.
 
 
 
The information about pearling is also correct from ech0o, but the situation being described by the OP has nothing to do with pearling plants and would occur in a completely empty tank (just more along the glass).  The bubbles form on surfaces, rather than just in the middle of the tank.

 

[carpking]

Hi

Thanks for the replys the bubbles are defo from the plants only no other surfaces and i can sit there and watch them form from each leaf.