When Should Plants Pearl?

[dave_m13]

Hi All

Just wondering when plants should start pearling? How much CO2 needs to be added into the tank.

My Parameters are

PH 6.8 - 6.9
Kh 70 mg/l or ppm
Just under 2 WPG

I am not 100% what the ph is as I cannot work out what the colour is but I think its more 6.9 than 6.8. So if 6.9 and 70ppm. I have worked out that the co2 level is approx 15ppm.

I am already getting 1-2 bubbles a second, should I increase this?

Thanks
Dave

 

[Themuleous]

How big is the tank? Given the right conditions the plants should start to pearl within a few hours of the light coming on, but it might be that you not given them the right conditions to pearl.

Sam

 

[dave_m13]

How big is the tank? Given the right conditions the plants should start to pearl within a few hours of the light coming on, but it might be that you not given them the right conditions to pearl.

Sam

Its the 400 litre tank, I do not think I am adding enough CO2 at the moment only 15ppm if my calculations are correct.

 

[George Farmer]

Sounds like you need more CO2. 1-2 BPS is low for 400 l.

 

[dave_m13]

Sounds like you need more CO2. 1-2 BPS is low for 400 l.

Thanks what should I be aiming for? If I increase will this effect water chemistry significantly? Will I need to be adding more fertilizers etc. I have no algae at the moment, which is good, apart from having to scrape stuff off glass every so often. So will adding more CO2 cause any issues?

 

[Themuleous]

Aim for a CO2 of 30ppm.

 

[George Farmer]

Sounds like you need more CO2. 1-2 BPS is low for 400 l.

Thanks what should I be aiming for? If I increase will this effect water chemistry significantly? Will I need to be adding more fertilizers etc. I have no algae at the moment, which is good, apart from having to scrape stuff off glass every so often. So will adding more CO2 cause any issues?

As Sam says 30ppm CO2 or thereabouts is ideal.

Generally speaking, more CO2 = more plant growth = more nutrient requirement. So you may need to add more ferts to keep things in "balance".

If you are experiencing good plant growth already with no algae issues then I would be tempted to leave things as they are. 30ppm CO2 is not an essential, neither is pearling plants. A lot (me included) strive for pearling as it's an indication that the plants are doing well but as I say, it's not a prerequisite to success. Success, in part at least, is a healthy planted tank with little or no algae. If you're there already then good for you!

How long has the tank been established?

 

[dave_m13]

Sounds like you need more CO2. 1-2 BPS is low for 400 l.

Thanks what should I be aiming for? If I increase will this effect water chemistry significantly? Will I need to be adding more fertilizers etc. I have no algae at the moment, which is good, apart from having to scrape stuff off glass every so often. So will adding more CO2 cause any issues?

As Sam says 30ppm CO2 or thereabouts is ideal.

Generally speaking, more CO2 = more plant growth = more nutrient requirement. So you may need to add more ferts to keep things in "balance".

If you are experiencing good plant growth already with no algae issues then I would be tempted to leave things as they are. 30ppm CO2 is not an essential, neither is pearling plants. A lot (me included) strive for pearling as it's an indication that the plants are doing well but as I say, it's not a prerequisite to success. Success, in part at least, is a healthy planted tank with little or no algae. If you're there already then good for you!

How long has the tank been established?

I have had this tank running for about 1 year now but its an upgrade from 200 litre that I had running for 1 & 1/2 years. In the smaller tank it had no CO2 at all and the only plant that would grow and survive was Vallis.

I must admit the plants are growing ok at the moment, not that quick but growing, probably also due to lighting. I did have in the smaller tank and at the begining of setting this one up issues with some sort of black oily algae on the edges of plants but I longer get this, not sure whether combination of CO2, More Plants and Algae eating fish.

I do know that if the CO2 is not running for a while (Someone unplugs it) I can definitely see a difference in the appearance of the plants, they just look a bit withered. As soon as it is running again the plants all look much better.

The plants that do well in the Tank are Vallis, Java Fern, Anubia's, Hornwort, some crypto's, so many quite hardy and lower light plants. Any large leafed plants such Amazon's last about a week and they get eaten by one of the plec's. So I have to stick with something that survives.

When reading up on pearling I suppose have thought that it is better for plants to be doing this, hence the question and pearling looks good. The only time I have seen the plants pearl in this tank was after adding 2 nutrafin sets and a sochtang carbonator about 6 months ago but did not last very long. I have now changed to presurrised and would like it to happen, so may try increase it slightly to see what happens.

If I increase the bubbles, is this going to effect the water chemistry, will it effect the fish by lowering the PH?

 

[George Farmer]

More CO2 will lower pH but your fish will adapt fine. Don't go above 35ppm CO2 though as this can harm your fish.