Pearling

[malken]

I put two more plant bunches into my tank the other day and last night I noticed a few of my plants are pearling. As I understand it, pearling is a sign that the water is saturated with Oxygen.

If this is the case, wouldn't every plant that is resperating (possibly incorrect term for plants) be pearling?


In the time I spent writing the question I came up with a possible answer. Oxygen leaves the water at a given rate, most likely having a direct relation to surface area and airation. In that case, only those plants that produce O2 fast enough to outweigh the O2 leaving the tank would pearl.

Is that anywehere near accurate?

 

[Yoemen]

My experience to pearling is at waterchanges and when I have seriously overinjected CO2 into the water, which coincidentally corresponded with a BGA/BBA outbreak.

BTW, the easiest thing in the world to get to pearl is BGA/BBA

 

[Mgamer20o0]

its not pearling during water changes.

might be in that given area. some plants are more likely to pearl then others.

 

[phanmc]

Pearling occurs when O2 is generated faster than it is dissolved, which can occur before the water is saturated with O2. Different plants will generate O2 at different levels and the water flow rate can affect O2 diffusion.

 

[skillful abbot]

I have a ton or riccia in my tank but they never pearl. I regularly pull out riccia and put in a cup outside the tank for later use and those pearl like crazy. I think its because of the current in my tank. My Japonica sends outs little speedy streams of O2 bubbles during the evening. Other plants usually just spit out a stream of bubbles as well. Not exactly pearling.

 

[loaches r cool]

In the time I spent writing the question I came up with a possible answer. Oxygen leaves the water at a given rate, most likely having a direct relation to surface area and airation. In that case, only those plants that produce O2 fast enough to outweigh the O2 leaving the tank would pearl.

Is that anywehere near accurate?

Yes, basically that is correct. Generally seing pearling on one plant and not another just means the first plant is giving off oxygen a lot faster, usually to do with faster growth. of course things like lots of current can prevent the bubbles from sticking to the leaves until they are large so you wouldnt see the pearling there either.

 

[austinpetemo]

so is pearling bad or does it just mean that the plant is giving off oxygen? oh and is it possible to have to much oxygen?

 

[fgump]

Pearling isn't bad. And no it's not possible to have to much oxygen.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

yea pearling isnt bad just over saturated with o2. which is a good thing.

 

[austinpetemo]

how do you get the plants to pearl? can you speed the process