Plentiful Pictures of Pearling Plants [*Bandwidth Warning*]

[GlitcH]

OMG thats amazing i really want some of those plants and i want that tank!! what size is it, how long did it take to set up and why have i never seen that tank before!!

Here is more info on Travis's masterpiece...get a napkin cuz your gonna drool.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=39189&highlight=planted+mbuna

 

[travis simonson]

Thanks guys

In answer to your question, "pearling" occurs when oxygen levels in your water column reach saturation due to O2 production from photosynthesis (or other causes, such as a water change). At this point oxygen produced by your plants becomes visible as bubbles on the leaves and (in cases of damage to the plants) streams of bubbles leaking from damaged spots. With enough light, CO2, and nutrients to push photosynthesis into overdrive, you can get some pretty amazing pearling, making your tank resemble a glass of Sprite

 

[Creamhorses]

OK, so is this good thing?

I set up a tank for my wife @ her workplace......we set 2 anubias, micro swords, and the anubias immediately gathered these bubbles. Eventually they went away, but I knew not what they were all about.

Travis....I don't know if this stuff just comes natural to you or you are a reincarnated fish or plant...but you might want to consider setting up shop for aquarium therapy. There's those, who'd probably pay to do what seems to come naturally to you.

Dave

 

[Primetime]

OK, so is this good thing?

I set up a tank for my wife @ her workplace......we set 2 anubias, micro swords, and the anubias immediately gathered these bubbles. Eventually they went away, but I knew not what they were all about.

Travis....I don't know if this stuff just comes natural to you or you are a reincarnated fish or plant...but you might want to consider setting up shop for aquarium therapy. There's those, who'd probably pay to do what seems to come naturally to you.

Dave

Nope, those bubbles indicate a huge water change, uncycled tank or loss of bacteria.

 

[Derek015]

omg that is amazing i was drooling thank you very much i showed my sister and she said that it must have cost lots of $$$(prolly thousands)

i want your tank still

 

[trotty]

Thats AWESOME! Gobsmacked!

 

[Guest]

stunning. i want a tank like that.

 

[joannde]

WOW !!!
that is stunning - absolutely stunning

 

[rkilling1]

Just thought this thread deserved a bump to show what a really nice tank travis has. (my goal)

 

[dapellegrini]

Though I have had my fill of cichlids, that is a beautiful tank. Any updated photos Travis?

 

[zenkatydid]

i have no words. this is the most beautiful tank i have ever seen.

 

[travis simonson]

OK, I've been away a while and thought I would update this thread with a few new pictures. I've got some new plants I'm working on and I thought I'd also throw in some pictures of my Africans mugging for the camera even thought it's a little OT. The plants get way too much exposure so I figured I give the fish a little face time

This is Crinum calamistratum, a variant of water onion that is growing like gangbusters. I just love the way the leaves drift and curl. Some of the leaves are over two feet long:

This is a big bush of Narrow Leaf Java fern. It is pretty wild but makes a nice mid-ground cover plant:

Here's a pic of a juvenile Pseudotropheus demasoni that I call El Tigre because of his markings. Mean little squirt :

This is Filbert, one of my Labeotropheus fuelleborni OB. He's got some beautiful mottled coloration and is quite a nice guy too :

A picture of Lupe, my large female Pseudotropheus acei. She's got great yellow contrast in her fins if my camera could pick it up properly:

And finally, a closeup of Lurlene, a Labidochromis caeruleus. She is my tank's equivalent of trailer trash. She's always carrying around a new mouthful of eggs. Almost all of the L. caeruleus fry in the tank are her kids

OK, I'm done wasting your bandwidth . . . for now

 

[Glenc]

Nice to see you back Travis, beautiful shots as always

 

[Purrbox]

Simply stunning as always. I think your camera did an excellant job of capturing the color on Lupe. Almost makes me want to try cichlids, almost. Definately need a bigger tank someday so that I can play with larger plants.

 

[O ALX O]

OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[squawkbert]

Yes,

OUTSTANDING!!!

How do you monitor your CO2 (pH/KH/Charts or drop-checker)??

 

[travis simonson]

Thanks guys

I use a Milwaukee SMS pH monitor (which I calibrate monthly) and cross reference its pH readings with my KH (measured with a LaMotte KH kit) using the CO2-dKH reference formula on Chuck Gadd's fertilizer calculator. I usually run pH in the 7.3-7.4 range with a dKH of 12-14. This gives me a good solid 25-30 ppm of CO2 along with acceptably alkaline and hard water conditions for my Africans. I've done it this way for over two years now and the fish and plants are both doing very well

 

[mr funktastic]

SWEET TO SEE U BACK TRAVIS!!!! stunning as always to. what do u do with all the extra fry that your fish produce? i would think your tank would be overrun in like 3 months after all the holding cichlids. i just got my first 2 batches of lab fry. how is your foreground of downoi doing? did it ever take off? or did u switch it up for something else? a full tank shot would be sweet

 

[garth7]

wow I am thouroughly impressed. Wow that is so beautiful

 

[drobertson]

Simply Amazing!!!!!!!!!!