CO2 wiped my tank overnight

[Essjay]

It used to be thought that nitrate had to be in the hundreds before it affected fish. It is likely that the vet has not kept up to date and is still quoting the old guidelines.

 

[seangee]

I have 50ppm nitrate in my tap water. I always thought this was OK based on those old numbers. I also thought it normal for tropical fish to live 18-24 months and spent a fortune replacing fish every year that died of old age.

One night at dinner a friend who keeps the same species told me his fish lived 5-10 years. We tested both our tanks and the only difference was nitrates. I started filtering out nitrates and subsequently switched to RO water as it is cheaper and easier.

That was 2 years ago. Since then I have not lost a single fish - which includes those that were already in my tank at the time.

 

[snailaquarium]

Yes.

Well surely it can't be much or would negate on oxygen production in the day?

 

[Byron]

Well surely it can't be much or would negate on oxygen production in the day?

I do not have the numbers, but it is well known that more CO2 is taken up by trees & plants in general than what they produce during respiration. And there is the added benefit that a by-product of photosynthesis is the production of oxygen which the trees/plants release. [In an aquarium, this can become so great that it can be seen as a stream of tiny bubbles arising from leaves, what is termed pearling.] About 80% of the oxygen we need to live is produced by trees/plants photosynthesizing. This is why so many deplore the mass cutting of forests. We are harming ourselves twice, by not removing some of the CO2 and by reducing our vital oxygen.

 

[Stan510]

I notice many people who gas their tanks in vids point out the pearling. Now,I've only seen real pearling with plants under sunlight and some of the gassed tanks are not especially intense in the light department. So,I'm wondering if the Co2 used blocks the absorption of oxygen,this making the plants excess pearl? Like a big water change of tap water causes oxygen bubbles to form on the glass. It can't be absorbed...at least for a few hours.

 

[Byron]

I notice many people who gas their tanks in vids point out the pearling. Now,I've only seen real pearling with plants under sunlight and some of the gassed tanks are not especially intense in the light department. So,I'm wondering if the Co2 used blocks the absorption of oxygen,this making the plants excess pearl? Like a big water change of tap water causes oxygen bubbles to form on the glass. It can't be absorbed...at least for a few hours.

I don't have sufficient botanical science to answer some of this, but I believe I do see pearling from some of my plants, at least that is what Tom Barr told me it was. It occurs after a water change due to the addition of CO2 from the fresh water. Tom said this can cause more rapid photosynthesis because CO2 is generally the nutrient that first becomes exhausted and I do not add any CO2 by diffusion, it is solely natural. So the sudden influx increases photosynthesis, and I sometimes see tiny bubble streams that are without question coming from inside the leaf. It is not widespread, it might only be from one or a couple of leaves on different plants.

 

[Colin_T]

Pearling occurs when plants get lots of good light and they photosynthesise at a rapid rate. The small bubbles coming off the leaves are oxygen bubbles.

 

[Stan510]

They are pearling I know. But!..when its under a 20 watt LED with a Co2 gas tank,it MIGHT be pearling because the excess Co2 is blocking the plant from the usual transpiration.
I only see pearling in dead still water under sunlight...no matter how much Fluorescent ( 4x40 watt) light I've used,I never saw pearling.
No big difference,but I just wonder if the good results are for the wrong reasons..well,part of the results.