Another Pearling question

[Aquafreak]

First the tank's stats,

33gal

Lighting 12hrs
2X30watt Arcadia Freshwater Lamps
2X30watt Sylvania Aquastars
1X30watt PowerGlo

KH=4.48
pH=6.4

Fertilization
3Xweek
1/4 teaspoon KNO3
Flourish 7mls
Flourish Iron 5mls
KH2PO4 (Fleet) 3drops

1Xweek
1/4 teaspoon Epsom Salt
3 teaspoons Flourish Equilibrium

Plants
Hygrophila polysperma, Hygrophila corymbosa compact, Hygrophila corymbosa type "glabra", Riccia fluitans, Nymphaea lotus and Echinodorus 'Ozelot' green.

Now the Question:
I've read alot of posts about pearling and why it pearls after water changes (minerals/nutrients only present in tap water, super saturated oxygen), this tank pearls great after a water change, a day after water change all the plants do not pearl at all except for the floating riccia, if the riccia can pearl all week long then supersaturation of oxygen in the tap water would be out of the question I think. With my lighting levels, I think there's enough lights per gallon, so the riccia floating and therefore being closer to the lights shouldn't be the cause of pearling, if for arguments sakes that riccia is pearling because of the distance of the lights, then I can't image how much more lights I would need to see non floating plants pearl. On the other hand, if there was a special mineral present in the tap water which I'm not dosing, why would the riccia pearl and not the rest of the plants? Does riccia not need those particular minerals/nutrients? This seems to be a neverending mystery, hope to be enlightened in some way or another on this matter.

Thanks for your attention

[hatton3]

From my understanding of post-water-change pearling, all that really is a gassing off of the dissolved gasses that were in the water under high pressure from the utility lines. Once the water comes out of the tap to atmospheric pressure, the gasses then escape from the water.

Without seeing a picture of your tank, this might be a bad guess, but if the riccia is floating above the other plants - could it be that it is blocking some of the light to the other plants? That might be why you are only seeing pearling from the riccia because only the riccia is receiving enough intense light to pearl.

What is your tank temp? This can affect pearling as well... Once I started keeping discus, my tank does not pearl nearly like it used to and I've attributed that to the increased temp of 84 degrees. From my understanding, the higher the temp, the less gas carrying capacity that water has.

[TrashmanTodd]

I would think the riccia is pearling from being so close to the lights. That dosen't mean your light levels are to low. What I was wondering after reading your post was if you add CO2. Add CO2 and you'll see pearling. At least I did with my tank.:D

Todd

[Aquafreak]

The riccia is about the size of 2 thumbs, no way its blocking anything. And I have CO2 kh 4.48 ph 6.4 over 40ppm co2, and tank is 25 C degrees.

[inxs]

Aquafreak - how do you add the CO2?

It seems from the info you have posted that CO2 levels are high at the surface - either from gas exchange or because of poor dissolution of CO2 in the lower part of the tank. CO2 will escape quickly if it isn't properly disolved, there is too much watermovement or if the water isn't properly mixed.

You are adding a lot of fertilizer, you have a lot of light so you need to make sure you dissolve plenty of CO2. Make sure you have a properly working reactor that is effective - if you already do , since you are already adding nitrates and phosphates(should make it bubble) - the only thing I don't see added additionaly is potassium (usually not enough in KNO3).

You may also want to recheck your ph and kh tests. (watersample to petstore)

[Aquafreak]

I feed my pressurized CO2 into my eheim canister, all the bubbles go in and no bubbles come out from the inlet. So I assume it's well mixed inside the eheim. I've checked my KH with 2 LFS and my own test kit, also I've checked the pH with pinpoint pH metre and normal color test kits, also asked 3 LFS to check pH, I'm getting all the same readings. I have no doubt that I have enough levels of CO2 in the tank.

I am adding alot of ferts, I derived it from posts of Tom Barr and also djlen. Then I tweaked it a bit after fighting green dust algae, and now I seem to have gotten it right, there is absolutely no algae in the tank.

Now who's NEXT! :D hehe

I hope this mystery that's on alot of people's minds will lay to rest one day.

[inxs]

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL22/551337/1219914/14189625.jpg
Before the icestorm my tank looked like this - I got pearling after waterchanges and on the riccia that was floating AND tied down. Most of the plants would pearl a little/or more but it usually developed more the further into the photoperiod it was.

IMO if you have good growth and no algae : don't mess with it.

Having said that I know I have read that people have gotten their tanks to "bubble like champagne" by adding some phosphate.

If you really want to try , I would add a little more P some more K and perhaps some more CO2.

[Aquafreak]

More CO2? I'm at over 40ppm at the moment, wonder how much more my fish can take?

[djlen]

As the guys said, "if you have good growth and no algae, don't mess with it".
Len

[hatton3]

Oi,
Ditto the above.
:)