Plants Still Not Pearling

[mdwags]

I have a Nutrfin CO2 system that I installed in my 20 US gallon tank. I initially tried the mixture that came with it and abandoned it in favor of the recipe here.

I am currently getting 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds on the ladder but they are still getting stuck on the upper sections of the ladder. The ladder has been in the tank for almost a week, I'm guessing that it hasn't quite developed a frictionless surface yet.

I have an external filter and and undergravel filter with a powerhead for filtration. Am I knocking the bubbles off of the the plants? There is a standard 18 inch aquarium light in the light hood of the tank. The plants seem to be growing nicely in the tank.

 

[nry]

Pearling needs high light levels, the standard 18" tube is unlikely to give enough light to pearl in your tank. I had CO2 with a 15w light over a 15gallon aquarium. No pearling but plants did grow better. I moved to a 36w light over the same tank and voila, pearling. Not loads, but enough to let me know the light is doing something to the plants

 

[mdwags]

Pearling needs high light levels, the standard 18" tube is unlikely to give enough light to pearl in your tank. I had CO2 with a 15w light over a 15gallon aquarium. No pearling but plants did grow better. I moved to a 36w light over the same tank and voila, pearling. Not loads, but enough to let me know the light is doing something to the plants

Thanks. I'll have to look for a higher watt light bulb the next time I go to the pet store.

 

[nry]

You may need to upgrade more than just the tube, generally the tube type/length determines the wattage.

 

[mdwags]

You may need to upgrade more than just the tube, generally the tube type/length determines the wattage.

Thanks. Are there lighting systems kind of like the CO2 systems? I have had aquariums for years, but this is my first venture into live plants.

 

[nry]

Depends what you mean. I cut out the lighting etc from my Juwel hood and bolted in an Interpet Power Compact T5. Cost effective for me, £35 all in for a 16" tube, reflector and starter unit, giving me 36watts instead of the original 15watts.