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Re: Pearling




> From: "Dixon, Steven T. (Exchange)" <stdixon at ben_bechtel.com>
> To: "'anthony.ciarochi at eng_sun.com'" <anthony.ciarochi@Eng>
> Cc: "Aquatic-Plants Digest (E-mail)" <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
> Subject: Pearling
> Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 08:38:42 -0700
> 
> Anthony wrote about not getting much pearling from a 110 W compact
> fluorescent fixture over a 55 gal. tank with Discus.  
> 
> I think one of my tanks is quite similar to yours.  I have a 110 W CF
> fixture with 2 - 55W 6700K bulbs over a standard 40 gallon tank.  My
> fish load is a little different than yours, but not light:  7 grown
> Boesmani Rainbows, 2 grown SAEs and a half dozen ottos.  
> 
> My tank pearls soon after the lights come on.  It is quite intense, but
> admittedly not as intense as a tank in my living room when it gets
> direct afternoon sun.  My non-scientific observation is that in addition
> to lighting levels it is CO2 that produces extra pearling.  I run in the
> range of 20 - 23 ppm CO2 and my tanks really 'cook.'  In my 125 gal. I
> run an 'extra' 110 W CF fixture for about 3 hours a day to mimic the
> mid-day sun and get the extra pearling.  
> 
> What CO2 levels are you running in your 55 gal. tank?  
> 
> Regards, Steve Dixon  San Francisco
> 

I don't know my CO2 levels, because the expiration date on my new test kit dates 
back to Donna Summers' last hit single.

I am using a DIY CO2 bubbler which generates a bubble about every 2 seconds.  
The bubble goes into the intake of my power filter, which seems to do a good job 
of pounding it into solution, as I see no bubbles from the outlet.

Now that you mention it, the same shaft of light that crosses my aquarium also 
passes across the yeast container, raising the temperature sufficiently to bring 
the bubbling up to one per second for that short interval.

Although I'm sure this is a factor, I still think light is my limiting factor, 
as it takes a minute or two for the bubbling to increase, while the response 
from the plants is immediate.

Thanks for the input!

 - Anthony