Question related to planting tanks already in their cycle...

[fishgeek]

just to jump in and grab some info, if pearling is occuring is that a suggestion that CO2 i being over supplemented ?

I think it looks great and have turned my CO2 down after hearing the above
Any comments

 

[M0oN]

As far as I know pearling is a good thing and means the plants are releasing as much oxygen as they possibly can...

 

[Christine-FishGrrl]

pearling means that the water is saturated with oxygen so that it doesn't dissolve invisibly - it forms bubbles. CO2 and O2 can exist in the water independantly - and in fact, the best way I know to increase the oxygen content in the water is to increase the amount of CO2 and plants. Plants can consume oxygen at night but if the water is saturated with O2 it won't cause a problem iwth your fish. The problem arises when you have very low oxygen levels and add plants without enough CO2.

 

[Discus Man]

I stand corrected, MOoN! Plants do take up nitrite, but I didn't realize the effect would be so profound with rooted plants.

I guess I found the 'other' board!

As I have already told Tula, there are some species of plants that can use nitrite, they are few and far between.

The species aquarists keep use ammonia, some are capable of using nitrate.

HTH

 

[2la]

Thanks, Discus Man. MOoN, I take back what I took back. Adding the plants you did should not decrease nitrite by any uptake mechanism (only reduce the rate at which it accumulates as it sequesters ammonium from the bacterial bed, preventing its conversion to nitrite--but that doesn't specifically reduce the nitrites; the bacteria does that). See this discussion for more details.

Regards,

2la

 

[M0oN]

Thanks, Discus Man. MOoN, I take back what I took back. Adding the plants you did should not decrease nitrite by any uptake mechanism (only reduce the rate at which it accumulates as it sequesters ammonium from the bacterial bed, preventing its conversion to nitrite--but that doesn't specifically reduce the nitrites; the bacteria does that). See this discussion for more details.

Regards,

2la

Understood 2la, I guess I should've been more specific in my original question and asked if the plants ammonium uptake would result in the nitrite's declining because of less bacteria being converted...if that makes sense...

Of course I could have not been so damn impatient and just found out the next day

 

[2la]

Understood 2la, I guess I should've been more specific in my original question and asked if the plants ammonium uptake would result in the nitrite's declining because of less bacteria being converted...if that makes sense...

Yeah, I realized what you were getting at but wasn't explaining myself very well in my reply. I'm just glad to learn that I did know what I was talking about after all--I'd hate to have led you astray with incorrect information!

 

[fishgeek]

sorry when i said over supplemented , i didn't mean in a detrimental way , just more than he plants really need for lush growth , ie you can get away with less C)2 and still have good plant growth

does that sound about right?

andrew

 

[aspen]

>>'sorry when i said over supplemented , i didn't mean in a detrimental way , just more than he plants really need for lush growth , ie you can get away with less C)2 and still have good plant growth'

the more you add the better for the plants, provided the light is there and the macro and micro nutrients. even adding 5 ppm will greatly increase plant growth, but the shots you see of riccia pearling away like mad are likely in tanks over 20 ppm. however, many plants will grow fine without co2, (like anubias, java fern etc) but algae eaters must be kept hungry ime. growth is not great guns though like with co2 supplementation.

while i guess it is debatable whether YOUR plants will or will not eat nitrite, if they are sucking up ammonia, then there is a lot less nitrite to be produced. i have never seen detectable levels in a tank where i used established plants and a light fish load to start. i simply don't consider a planted tank properly put together from the start to need cycling. (lots of plants, co2 addition, algae eaters only to start till the plants are pearling.) things will pick up after the first week to the point that very little ammonia cycling by bacteria is possible actually.

rick

 

[fisheybusiness]

check this webpage and also on your plant q

www.naturalaquariumdesign.co.uk
check the site its old and NEEDS updating but still its got nice plant tank pics on it.

live in uk? buy tropical fish(magazine) this month(april)as we have just taken over the plant pages and we are taking readers on a journey through the planted aquarium where we encounter many problems and ways of working with our problems!.with stunning results.
remember the website pics are old and new pics are works of art!!!!!!