I Have Pearling!

[An t-iasg]

I can't believe it!

This tank had so much algae in it a week ago! I was so discouraged. After realizing that I had over 2 wpg, probably 2.5 wpg, I started to add more Excel (this is a 5 gallon tank.) I was really only hoping to combat the algae. Tonight I look in and see many small bubbles on the underside of the leaves. I tried to get a picture but couldn't - the leaves that are pearling are right under the light, so they just look white and washed out through the lens. What a nice surprise! YAY!

 

[crazycat]

YAY! that is soooooo great! congrats!

 

[czcz]

Congratulations

 

[rich311k]

Congrats.

 

[Xzap]

Kudos

dave

 

[Toirtis]

Congrats...irs great when you first see that...a wonderful indicator that you are doing things right.

 

[hashbaz]

Do you add CO2 to this tank?

I'm wondering because Flourish excel sounds like a great substitute for DIY CO2 - ***IF*** you have moderate light and a relatively small aquarium.

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, everyone!

I'm not running any CO2 in this tank. I have two 5 gallon betta tanks, and they each have a 9 watt CF light over them, for 1.8 wpg. I also have a 15 watt NO strip angled 5 inches above both tanks. So I really thought I was under the light levels needed for CO2. After dealing with a lot of algae, I read that CF lighting is more intense than NO lighting, which is what the wpg guidelines are based on. So when I realized that I had medium light, I decided to try Excel every day instead of once a week or so. I was only trying to get rid of the algae, and never in a million years did I expect to see pearling!

hashbaz, you're right -- Excel can serve as an adequate DIY CO2 substitute in a small, medium light tank like mine. I guess I just proved it!

 

[workfortheman]

Dont' you love it when you see results to your actions in this hobby? 'grats, An t-iasg!

 

[An t-iasg]

Yes! I'm so happy! Especially when you consider that a week to 10 days ago, the green color in this tank was more from algae than plants!

Another funny story: I yelled to my husband to come and LOOK! He was watching TV and didn't come over right away. This was just too monumental to wait for a commercial! So after I yelled "get in here right now!" he came over to look. He's probably "getting even" with me for not being too excited last week when he set up our VOIP service!

 

[Jchillin]

That is so good to hear. I did the same thing to my wife last Sunday when the Angels were spawning..."come here quick...you've gotta see this"!

Our poor spouses. ROFL!

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, JC...spawning fish definitely call for dropping everything and rushing over to the tank!

 

[travis simonson]

Very nice Pearling is a hard thing to achieve without CO2 supplementation so you are doing a great job. Bubbles are so nice

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, Travis! Yes, bubbles are nice!

Before I turned the lights out for the night, I decided to "test" the oxygen bubbles. I tapped the leaf until they floated away! Then I was at last assured that they weren't snail eggs! (I don't have any snails as far as I know!)

Thanks also to you, Malkore!

 

[SquishyFish]

Thanks, JC...spawning fish definitely call for dropping everything and rushing over to the tank!

LOL...how would you like it if your fish did that? The tank is sitting on the night stand....one yells across the aquarium. "Come quick! their doing it again!" (2nd fish) "Damn..their worse than rabbits!" All the fish are at the front/center of the tank watching with thier noses against the glass.