How come my plants never bubble?

[lwm999]

On a separate note, I wonder in nature do plants bubble as we see in aquarium tanks. Perhaps someone can share on this.

[Johnc]

It's just that I see plants bubble at so many tanks. Some heavily planted, some sparsely planted, some heavily populated, some barely populated, some chilled, some in the sun, all with CO2, most not measured (bps, Kh, pH)... So, I dun understand why I ALMOST NEVER see my plants bubble... Really puzzling... And to a point rather disturbing... Keke...

Depends on what plants too. Different plants would 'pearl' under different conditions. In my main tank with DIY CO2 injection, many of the plants including the anubias will bubble on a bright sunny day when my low lighting is supplemented by (indirect) sunlight. But there is no bubbling on a cloudy day apart from the crypt pontederiifolia (?). Also the bubbling stops when i turn on the bigger fans (maybe because agitation of water surface cause CO2 loss, I am not sure).

Also my pearlweed (MM/HM), elodia, limnophilia sessiflora, and riccia in my non-CO2, non-artificial-light tank by the window bubbles on most days.

[anzio]

It's just that I see plants bubble at so many tanks. Some heavily planted, some sparsely planted, some heavily populated, some barely populated, some chilled, some in the sun, all with CO2, most not measured (bps, Kh, pH)... So, I dun understand why I ALMOST NEVER see my plants bubble... Really puzzling... And to a point rather disturbing... Keke...

Being a novice, I would imagine that in some cases, those bubbles are just too minute to be seen, whereas in other cases, more oxygen is produces, forming bigger bubbles that can be seen.

[neon]

Last Saturday I was at the Bioplast (boon Keng) , and saw one of Tan's 2ft tank (facing the street) with crypt, Tiger lily pearling like 7-up.

The condition of the tank :
a) mostly Tiger lily and crypt
b) internal filter with CO2 (like those atman type)
c) no artificial lighting at all
d) only light from outside not direct sunlight, those type which glare you when you look out.

Interesting !!

[Justikanz]

Which was why I started this thread... I was wondering what was wrong with my tank... Now upped my lights to 2wpg, changed the plants to APP, MM etc... and still no bubbling...

Could it be the fan?? Or the filter flow??

I think I am giving up... As long as the plants are healthy and growing... bubbling or not, I dun care liao... *sigh*...

[|squee|]

It's alright, I personally prefer a little bubbling only. Enough to show that my plants are doing well and visually pleasing enough. Not like a can of Coke...

[Justikanz]

Keke... You got sparkling mineral water, some got 7-up, I got still tap water... Haha... Hey, at least you have some bubbles...

[bclee]

Factors affecting pearling:
1. Light intensity (usually about 2.5wpg or more)
2. CO2 concentration (>20ppm)
3. Plant density (the higher the better)
4. Water flowrate (lower flowrate encourages pearling)

That's about all I can think of.

BC

[neon]

I agreed with some of BCLee described.

Some of my observation under my 6'x2'x2' tank with 2x150W MH and 2x55w PL :

a) moderate flow rate - whenever I was doing the waterchange, I will switch off all the carnister,pump/powerhead. Slowly I can see the plants are pearling more.

b) reduce water level - likewise during water change, the water level reduce and the plants go thru very intense pearling.

Cheers

[elmike]

To get bubbles, you must have enough gas (CO2). If even having plenty of that doesn't help, you could try using air stones (the very fine ones) and hide these behind plants or even bury under substrate (the flat types).

I guarantee you, your tank will be bubbling all day and all nite long.

[BFG]

Or intense lights! My java fern is bubbling under 3x24watts T5 lighting without co2. Tank is 2x2x1.5ft shrimp tank with chiller kept at 25 degrees.

[bclee]

When rate of oxygen production exceeds the rate at which the oxygen diffuses away from the leaves' surface, oxygen concentration accumulate at the leaves' surface. When concentration exceeds saturation, pearling occurs.

Therefore, you either increase oxygen production or reduce diffusion to increase pearling.

To increase oxygen, you:
- increase light intensity
- increase CO2 concentration
- improve plant health.

To reduce diffusion rate, you reduce water flow over the leaves.

BC

[Justikanz]

Hmm... When I returned home tonight, my still tap water turned 7-up at the right side... Turns out that the CO2 might be sucked into the external filter and was coming out via the flow... The flow was strong, also a little murky (and with very fine bubbles)... So, I can see the water flow rather clearly, the water flowed from the left back corner of the tank to the right front corner, the plants at the right side has alot of bubbles on the leaves and some of the Vallis and MM are bubbling... The Rotala sp. near the back is also covered with bubbles... Now I am wondering if that would be good for my filter...

[StanChung]

Hmm... When I returned home tonight, my still tap water turned 7-up at the right side... Turns out that the CO2 might be sucked into the external filter and was coming out via the flow... The flow was strong, also a little murky (and with very fine bubbles)... So, I can see the water flow rather clearly, the water flowed from the left back corner of the tank to the right front corner, the plants at the right side has alot of bubbles on the leaves and some of the Vallis and MM are bubbling... The Rotala sp. near the back is also covered with bubbles... Now I am wondering if that would be good for my filter...

hi thomas,

i think you've discovered that co2 levels are not level in all areas of tank.
a gentle dispersal of the co2 mix is prefered, thinking of drilling another hole into co2 reactor...

i noticed if my tank is covered with the oily film[skimmer clogged], less light gets to the plants- so less pearling, as soon as i get the skimmer working properly the plants start to pearl[fizzing with the E rubin and E uruguayensis]

i def agree with bclee on all the points he's mentioned to encourage pearling...

[PeterGwee]

Reduction of water flow down to a point where it becomes limiting might seem to help in plant growth aka pearling (plant production) but is only because of a buildup in O2 levels around the leaf area hence resulting in more pearling. The actual fact is the growth of the plants are reduced since less nutrients and CO2 gets to the plant leaves. Do not slow down flow just to get more pearling unless your current flow is a torrent.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[StanChung]

hi peter,
very interesting point...anyway sometime slow growth is a good thing. hehe...

[PeterGwee]

hi peter,
very interesting point...anyway sometime slow growth is a good thing. hehe...

That is not a good way to slow growth down. You get BBA in exchange if you decide on this method. Use less light (evenly spread is important) is a better method.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[StanChung]

hi peter,

...again gunned down...when will i learn to keep trap shut...haha. thanks a heap...

[ZeroKhoo]

i also facing the same problem~
stop bubbling after i put a gang of fish inside~

[plumboy21]

Hi, just to share my one cent worth of experience here. I did not see bubbling on my plants since i started my planted tank nor do i care cos i only want my plants to survive then. Recently i OVERDOSE on fert. to see the "effect" cos i felt that my plants didnt grow well cos of lack of fert & also the fact that i turned on my fan (which could hv cleared the CO2) at night. 1 shrimp nearly knock out (save it in time). By morning, several of my plants were bubblings! Echinodorus tenellus (if correct) was giving out bubbles like air stones (if i did see correctly). In conclusion, i think it's the balance of CO2 + adeq. lights + fert. = plants bubbles. U hv to experience & seek a balance.