No more pearling from carpet. What could be the reason?

[kashif314]

I use to see frequent bubbles emerge from my carpet all day but recently it stopped happening. What could be the reason and is it a sign of some problem?

Carpet looks very healthy. Just grew a little bit tall and I didn't trimmed because I like a little thick. But as I said the difference is minimal. Very very minimal. What could be reason of no bubbles?



This is the carpet.

 

[Brookster123]

Trimming produces bubbles

 

[kashif314]

Trimming produces bubbles

Thanks. But does this mean carpet is not happy and healthy as it was?

 

[Fresh2o]

Any changes in your routines (light, ferts)? I can’t remember, are you injecting CO2?
You’ll want to keep the carpet trimmed. The undergrowth might become yellow and weak.

 

[kashif314]

Any changes in your routines (light, ferts)? I can’t remember, are you injecting CO2?
You’ll want to keep the carpet trimmed. The undergrowth might become yellow and weak.

Thanks. I made one change. Instead of 2.5 ml of excel I started dosing 0.5 as suggested dose because my plants are not co2 demanding. Is this could be reason?

I don't trim carpet because it grow minimally. But what you think is best trimmer to trim carpet easily?

 

[Fresh2o]

Not sure if the reduction in Excel would affect the pearling.
With a tank that small, even DIY CO2 would benefit the plants. It did wonders in my 20g long (eventually went to pressurized CO2).
I️ was trimming the HC Cuba carpet every 1-2 weeks. It would get “lumpy” and did not have that mowed lawn look. I️ used angled scissors to trim the carpet.

 

[kashif314]

Not sure if the reduction in Excel would affect the pearling.
With a tank that small, even DIY CO2 would benefit the plants. It did wonders in my 20g long (eventually went to pressurized CO2).
I️ was trimming the HC Cuba carpet every 1-2 weeks. It would get “lumpy” and did not have that mowed lawn look. I️ used angles scissors to trim the carpet.

Thanks. Can you please show me what scissors are they. I mean how do they look.

 

[IHaveAquariums]

What carpet is that? It's really pretty

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks. Can you please show me what scissors are they. I mean how do they look.

There are curved scissors and angled scissors. Stainless steel. They make it easier to trim the carpet and make it level. Here are angled scissors:

 

[kashif314]

There are curved scissors and angled scissors. Stainless steel. They make it easier to trim the carpet and make it level. Here are angled scissors:

Thanks a lot. I will try to find these otherwise need to import it.

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks a lot. I will try to find these otherwise need to import it.

99% of what I get is online (eBay/Amazon). I try to support local businesses but they don’t always carry what you need.
Cleanup after trimming is always a mess. Thank goodness the trimmings float. If you have shrimp in the tank, use care when netting out the leaves.

 

[kashif314]

99% of what I get is online (eBay/Amazon). I try to support local businesses but they don’t always carry what you need.
Cleanup after trimming is always a mess. Thank goodness the trimmings float. If you have shrimp in the tank, use care when netting out the leaves.

Thanks. My problem is the shipping fee. Its huge from US or Europe to Middle East. Most of the time its many times more than the price of the product itself.

And exactly I was thinking same the other day after trimming plants that thank God they float otherwise very very difficult.

Yes will take extra care not to hurt or pull a shrimp accidentally since I have many shrimplets in tank and now they roam around freely since I took out the fish from tank.

 

[Fresh2o]

Ouch! I am thankful for free shipping provided by Amazon Prime and with eBay (occasionally).
In my shrimp tanks I️ use a fork to scoop out the excess duckweed.

 

[kashif314]

Ouch! I am thankful for free shipping provided by Amazon Prime and with eBay (occasionally).
In my shrimp tanks I️ use a fork to scoop out the excess duckweed.

Thanks. I also want to ask one thing. How you clean the carpet. I am hesitant to do vacum cleaning because of shrimplets. Any suggestions?

 

[PerfectDepth]

Thanks. I also want to ask one thing. How you clean the carpet. I am hesitant to do vacum cleaning because of shrimplets. Any suggestions?

I put a filter media bag over the end of my siphon hose to avoid vacuuming any shrimp or fish. Works great, just be careful so that you don't uproot anything.

 

[kashif314]

I put a filter media bag over the end of my siphon hose to avoid vacuuming any shrimp or fish. Works great, just be careful so that you don't uproot anything.

Thanks a lot

 

[brendenscott]

Did you happen to add more surface movement to the tank?

Just because they are not pearling does not mean they are not healthy. A simple thing like raising the temp and or adding more surface agitation could create such an effect. The visual effects of pearling has no effect on the health of the plant.

Just like when you do a water change you get that false pearling. By having surface movement or warmer temps you may not get as much pearling but could still have very active growing plants.

 

[Fresh2o]

Good point on the increased surface movement. Since there is no CO2 gas being injected, there will be no loss. In fact there might be a slight gain. As CO2 is being used up via photosynthesis, a CO2 debt will occur in the water column. In order to maintain equilibrium, atmospheric CO2 will be absorbed into the water. The increased surface movement will facilitate this exchange.
As for the falsie pearling after a water change, I was under the impression that it may be caused by gasses, such as O2, being in higher concentrations while under pressure in the tap. After adding this water to the tank, O2 levels are temporarily higher than normal. O2 being released by the plants does not go into solution because it is already past the point of saturation.

 

[brendenscott]

Good point on the increased surface movement. Since there is no CO2 gas being injected, there will be no loss. In fact there might be a slight gain. As CO2 is being used up via photosynthesis, a CO2 debt will occur in the water column. In order to maintain equilibrium, atmospheric CO2 will be absorbed into the water. The increased surface movement will facilitate this exchange.
As for the falsie pearling after a water change, I was under the impression that it may be caused by gasses, such as O2, being in higher concentrations while under pressure in the tap. After adding this water to the tank, O2 levels are temporarily higher than normal. O2 being released by the plants does not go into solution because it is already past the point of saturation.

Yup very true that because the o2 levels are higher after a water change it gives the impression of excess pearling. You are spot on.

 

[kashif314]

Did you happen to add more surface movement to the tank?

Just because they are not pearling does not mean they are not healthy. A simple thing like raising the temp and or adding more surface agitation could create such an effect. The visual effects of pearling has no effect on the health of the plant.

Just like when you do a water change you get that false pearling. By having surface movement or warmer temps you may not get as much pearling but could still have very active growing plants.

Yup very true that because the o2 levels are higher after a water change it gives the impression of excess pearling. You are spot on.

Thanks a lot. No I didn't do any changes to water agitation etc. Everything is same except I started to dose low carbon then I use to put in start.