Plant bubbling

**greenaqua** · 10th Sep 2012, 11:34

I am trying to figure this out. I dosed Tropica Specialized liquid fert and I just changed substrate to fresh ones. I have about 80W lights 6500k. CO2 is via a reactor with excess gas in the reactor so I presume the mixing is at max saturation, anyway I increased it to 3-5 bubbles a second. However the plants do not bubble.

However when I change 25% water with normal tap water, the plants started bubbling. Its gone the next day.

Is it the pH? Is it something in tap water that I am missing? Checking the PUB site I see that the water has sometimes up to 15mg/L of NO3, less than 0.1mg/l of PO4. Perhaps I am lacking NO3?

Any insights to share?

**|squee|** · 10th Sep 2012, 12:34

80W over a what size tank?

PUB's water parameters are very general imho, because depending on where you live, the water is different.

Mixing might not be at max saturation, it might be simply that the reactor is not effective enough.

Bubbling is very subjective. It depends on plant mass/type (more plant mass/fast growing plants, more O2, ), your lights (more light, more photosynthesis), your CO2 (more CO2, more saturation of the water column). The bubbling you see after a water change can be due to many interconnected factors also. I still don't understand it fully.

I'd try to increase the efficiency of your reactor first, then look at plant growth/mass, and finally light (depending on your tank size).

**greenaqua** · 10th Sep 2012, 13:04

Oops, sorry. 3 feet tank. Water level is about 1.5ft deep. Bubbling means I see the anubias producing a stream of bubbles and other plants having bubbles on their leaves.

**|squee|** · 10th Sep 2012, 13:19

I see bubbles sometimes when I change my water (50% water change, 2ft tank) but I treat them as the bubbles you see in a cup of water after filling it from a fast flowing tap, you know what I mean?

80W for a 3ft tank is kind of low, I think? No experience with 3ft tanks so I can't be sure.

Are your plants actively growing? If they are then it's just a matter of increasing either CO2, lights, ferts, plant mass.

**elwaynetan** · 11th Sep 2012, 01:13

It happened to me yesterday when I did my water change... I had the same sentiments when I saw it on my moss... But my experience deterred me from the excitement.

How old is your tank? If it is a matured tank, you will see your plants bubbling. Bubbling is subjective. It may be just a few bubbles underneath or on the surface of some plants... or it may be string of bubbles streaming from your plants. If it is a young tank, high chances are it is because of the water bubbles created while you are pouring water in... That's why by the next day, the bubbles disappear.

Fast growing plants might mean differently to others as well. The bottomline is to have patience... Have to read up on the plants you have in your tank and their requirements respectively. So they can get the best out of your providence.

**elwaynetan** · 11th Sep 2012, 01:15

Originally Posted by greenaqua

Oops, sorry. 3 feet tank. Water level is about 1.5ft deep. Bubbling means I see the anubias producing a stream of bubbles and other plants having bubbles on their leaves.

haha! not trying to be a spoilsport, but it may be coming from the soil! haha.. the air from beneath the soil! But if you really believe it's O2 they are producing, then you might be on the right track!

**greenaqua** · 11th Sep 2012, 16:20

Come on guys, give me some credit to be able to tell the difference between real and fake bubbles.
Actually it is a tiny stream of bubbles coming out from the anubias that kept going on and on. It is also seeing bubbles come out of the stem and leaves some of the other plants. The bubbles actually appear and bubble out right before your eyes.
It is a fine trail of bubbles like an air leak. Definitely not from soil or from pouring water.

**elwaynetan** · 11th Sep 2012, 17:04

Originally Posted by greenaqua

Come on guys, give me some credit to be able to tell the difference between real and fake bubbles.
Actually it is a tiny stream of bubbles coming out from the anubias that kept going on and on. It is also seeing bubbles come out of the stem and leaves some of the other plants. The bubbles actually appear and bubble out right before your eyes.
It is a fine trail of bubbles like an air leak. Definitely not from soil or from pouring water.

Haaa... Chill boss!! No offence intended! Won't doubt your expertise in this!

allswell! In that case, if I'm not wrong, logically speaking, the ratio of CO2 to plants should be proportional before they pearl right?? Do you happen to have a self derived proportion that I can learn from? My humble experience, probably the absence of pearling the next day may simply mean that the CO2 is not enough after the water change. But u do see it a few days after the water change right?

**felix_fx2** · 11th Sep 2012, 18:17

Originally Posted by greenaqua

Come on guys, give me some credit to be able to tell the difference between real and fake bubbles.
Actually it is a tiny stream of bubbles coming out from the anubias that kept going on and on. It is also seeing bubbles come out of the stem and leaves some of the other plants. The bubbles actually appear and bubble out right before your eyes.
It is a fine trail of bubbles like an air leak. Definitely not from soil or from pouring water.

The one steady stream is pearling, when it starts from the plant itself.

Here's a so so short list. You can brainstorm when free.
When the o2 produced by the plant is faster then the water around the plant can absorb.

Many factors affect how fast water absorbs o2/co2.
Temperature,gas saturation & water flow. Just to name the ones you easily can remember.

Side note, your reactor. Like bro squee mention not just your bps, the effectiveness also a factor.

**greenaqua** · 21st Sep 2012, 11:31

I increased the light to 120W with 1x6500K and 2x3000K (my fishes are now blind), and everything is bubbling with several plants producing streams of oxygen. Quite nice. Plants are literally growing by 30-50% taller every day. So now need to trim every other day. Also green algae patches are starting to grow on the glass wall (and growing by 30-50% every day too, sigh).

**tongyang** · 21st Sep 2012, 17:51

Hi 2x 3000k is probably not necessary. Have you tried doing without them? Would think that your tank is quite warm now.

Sent using Tapatalk

**felix_fx2** · 22nd Sep 2012, 12:22

When you increase lighting, other factor also need to move up as well.
Else it throws the balance off and gives algae chance to thrive.

GSA not very bad thing IMHO. Hair algae worse!!! Tangle up in the plants. ARGH!!