Water changes inducing pearling

[Yenko]

I just did a 30% water change on both my 32 gallon and 10 gallon tanks. The 32 gallon tank has 10ppm nitrates, 5ppm Co2 and 1.1 WPG of light.

The 10 gallon tank has 2.6 WPG, 18ppm Co2 and undetectable nitrates.

About 20 mins after the water change, every plant in the 10 gallon tank began pearling like crazy. It wasn't a gas leaving the water; only plants and stuff with alage on it pearled. In the 32 gallon tank nothing happened. Anyone have any idea what magic nutrient in the water caused this?

 

[reiverix]

When you do a water change you can saturate the tank with oxygen and this causes the plants to pearl. There's no real magic nutrient. My plants pearl every evening but after a water change my tank is fizzing. You might want to up your nitrates a bit though. It's great plant food.

 

[Yenko]

How does oxygen induce pearling? There was no pearling on the rocks or substrate, so it wasn't just dissolved gases coming out of solution.

 

[Aulonochromis]

You might have Co2 in your tapwater. My city puts Co2 in the water.

 

[reiverix]

How does oxygen induce pearling? There was no pearling on the rocks or substrate, so it wasn't just dissolved gases coming out of solution.

If the water gets saturated the O2 your plant will release the excess.

You might have Co2 in your tapwater. My city puts Co2 in the water.

Take a sample of tap water and measure CO2 content by testing for pH and KH. Test tap water thats been left out overnight and measure CO2 content. If the pH has risen then it could be due to CO2 dispersing, raising the pH.

 

[Dubby]

Its probably due to the balance of CO2 to O2 in the tank being changed. Tap water is in compressed form so when it is poured into the tank the excess gases are released. (hence the formation of bubbles on the walls of a bucket) This change in balance prompts the plants to respirate and this continues till the balance is again established.

Pearling can also take place due to plants damaged during the course of cleaning the tank.