Hello All,
I just upgraded to a pressurized Co2 system, from the DIY yeast generator I had earlier. My lights run 10 hrs on 140 W PLL.
Substrate is bottom layer of JBL aquaplus and top layer of controsoil(20L). The Co2 is diffused at 1.5bps. Everything good and fine except stunted growth for few plants. The banana plant, cabomba, swords are alll growing reasonably fast. But all other single stem plants have died/melted away. Some remained without adding even a single leaf for 5 months and then finally the cichlids picked them. I doze K2So4, MgS04 weekly once along with EDTA iron.
Problem: I am badly looking for some pearling in my tanks. My little girl gets so happy looking at those plants pearl. The only way I have figured out to make it happen now is by changing water(100%). Been trying to figure out a way to replicate the water change environment layer to prolong the activity, but been helpless. The pearling(or false pearling) happened for close to 5 hours since wc. After that things go back to normal. By the way, my tank is a 75 (2feet deep) and has been setup for more than a year now. I tried carpet plants and they all perished. SO gave up the hope and now have all big plants.
Just noticed that my water changes acidic (pH 6) from 7(during water change). Does pearling have anything to do with pH?
Have read lots of reviews, but nothing seems to solve the problem I have. Since I have invested in lighting and Co2 just for the pearling, I think I want to make it happen at any cost.
I read a guys post where he was trying to prove that on water change days, when the water is drained from the tank, the plants all get exposed to atmospheric air for at least 10-15 mins and then the new water comes in. This may be the major factor for pearling seen during wc. I tried to figure this out yesterday, when I didn't empty the whole tank, but just emptied the water above the plant leaf level and filled with new water. There was no pearling(even false). Then I emptied the whole tank and filled it with water, after waiting a good 15 min. Surprisingly, the plants started pearling. Something makes me feel that the contact with atmospheric air resulted in the false pearling I saw.
I measured the pH too during the wc and it was 7. Today morning after waking up, its gone down to 6(probably the pressurized co2 made it acidic) and there is no pearling.
Qn- What do you guys recommend ? Get a good fertilizer like excel/floropol and start dozing? Get a higher kelvin light(currently at 6000K)? Adjust pH(heard its not recommended)? The temperature is a bit high(33Deg C) these days(but I didn't have pearling during the winter either).
I just upgraded to a pressurized Co2 system, from the DIY yeast generator I had earlier. My lights run 10 hrs on 140 W PLL.
Substrate is bottom layer of JBL aquaplus and top layer of controsoil(20L). The Co2 is diffused at 1.5bps. Everything good and fine except stunted growth for few plants. The banana plant, cabomba, swords are alll growing reasonably fast. But all other single stem plants have died/melted away. Some remained without adding even a single leaf for 5 months and then finally the cichlids picked them. I doze K2So4, MgS04 weekly once along with EDTA iron.
Problem: I am badly looking for some pearling in my tanks. My little girl gets so happy looking at those plants pearl. The only way I have figured out to make it happen now is by changing water(100%). Been trying to figure out a way to replicate the water change environment layer to prolong the activity, but been helpless. The pearling(or false pearling) happened for close to 5 hours since wc. After that things go back to normal. By the way, my tank is a 75 (2feet deep) and has been setup for more than a year now. I tried carpet plants and they all perished. SO gave up the hope and now have all big plants.
Just noticed that my water changes acidic (pH 6) from 7(during water change). Does pearling have anything to do with pH?
Have read lots of reviews, but nothing seems to solve the problem I have. Since I have invested in lighting and Co2 just for the pearling, I think I want to make it happen at any cost.
I read a guys post where he was trying to prove that on water change days, when the water is drained from the tank, the plants all get exposed to atmospheric air for at least 10-15 mins and then the new water comes in. This may be the major factor for pearling seen during wc. I tried to figure this out yesterday, when I didn't empty the whole tank, but just emptied the water above the plant leaf level and filled with new water. There was no pearling(even false). Then I emptied the whole tank and filled it with water, after waiting a good 15 min. Surprisingly, the plants started pearling. Something makes me feel that the contact with atmospheric air resulted in the false pearling I saw.
I measured the pH too during the wc and it was 7. Today morning after waking up, its gone down to 6(probably the pressurized co2 made it acidic) and there is no pearling.
Qn- What do you guys recommend ? Get a good fertilizer like excel/floropol and start dozing? Get a higher kelvin light(currently at 6000K)? Adjust pH(heard its not recommended)? The temperature is a bit high(33Deg C) these days(but I didn't have pearling during the winter either).
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