HI all.
I have this question that has been bugging me for a week,:it's about the small bubbles coming out of a power head and landing on the plants making them look like they are pearling.
Are these plants really pearling?or the bubbles are just sticking to the nearest plants?
Here is my observation: I have a 6" long tank ,one half of it is co2 enriched by an external reactor(DIY),the other half is by the aid of 2 power heads ,(one power head breaks the co2 to small bubbles And then feeds them to another PH which distributes them around),
The plants in side with the power heads look like they are pearling a lot more than the other side with the reactor but are not growing any better or faster!!.
So how am I going to know for sure the mist injection is the way to go oppose to an external reactor.As far as I understand Tom prefers the mist method to an external reactor,but by just looking at the bubbles on the plants which looks like pearling I am not %100 convinced.

Are you fertilizing heavily, such as with an EI method? How much light do you have? If you are providing relatively low light the plants will not grow rapidly just because you have lots of CO2, and the same is true if you are fertilizing lightly or incompletely.

Sorry I didn't mention about ferts,yes I dose heavily (EI method) and have AHsupply 3.2 WPG.
I have to clarify that I am happy with the plant growth in my tank and have almost no algae ,my question is why do plants look like they are pearling like crazy on the side where the co2 is injected by the power head,are they really pearling or is it more like the bubbles are so small the they simply land on the plants and make it look like pearling.

I think the plants are pearling. But, the significant question is, do the plants grow better and look better? For me they did.

Give things a week and do the entire tank, one method, and then the other.

Then measure the growth and number of new nodes the topped plants produce etc, dry weights/wet weights etc.

Or measure the changes in the O2 levels.

Regards,
Tom Barr

I'm inclined to agree with VaughnH, and it has been my own personal experience that those plants that enjoy direct misting as opposed to only dissolved Co2 tend to be more robust, and vital in appearance.

Have you noted any differences in physical appearance of those plants that appear to be pearling or have the benefit of misting.
1. Vital color or contrast
2. increased growth rate (Measured, and documented)
3. thickness and or uniformity of stems, and leaves (Measured, and documented)
4.Balance and formation of new growth
5. noted algae seeding or formation on new leaves, and stems

I would like to hear more responses from others on their own personal observations.

For high light applications it appears to be almost a necessity. Any Co2 is better than nothing at all, but a balance of distribution (both gaseous and dissolved) seems almost ideal. This is merely my own point of view from short term observation (going on week 5)

Really very intrigued by this subject, and folks individual observations. Thanks, Prof M

Tomorrow, and will commit to at least 1 full month, and document results. I'd appreciate anyones help with the guidelines for documentation.

well, here is my two cents:

I used to have to powerheads (600 and 900 l/h) that provided my 160 liter tank with CO2 mist. The micorbubbles were small and reached the complete tank. It wored quite well, but the plants were almost lying horizontally due to the strong current. So, I changed the powerheads for smaller ones (200 l/h). I didn't notice a real change in bubble size and the bubbles still reached the complete tank. However, after two weeks, I got massive BBA, the stargrass has complete white new growth and the tank looked dirty.
Last week I setup again an external reactor and injected the dissolved CO2 from one side of the tank while on the other side of the tank I used again the 600 l/h powerhead for providing the mist. Yesterday I made two outlets for the dissolved CO2 on both sides of the tank, while the setup of the powerheadwasn't changed.

And now we will see!

greets,

yme

If you get bad algae with either reactor or the mist method, something not good is up.

The main focus is the plants and their growth.
Too much current is not good, while powerheads are good to some degree, a spray bar can really help.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Thank you all for you replies.

Tom ,that is a good idea to do the entire tank ,one method and then the other.

I am planning on purchasing a RIO 600 RVT to disperse the co2 on the left side of the tank (with reactor disconnected ).
After spending hours observing the two methods (diy reactor and mist)side by side,it looks like the plants on the mist side do not pearl in the morning ,it takes 3-4 hours .as you had mentioned in the past.

I know you have done all of these experiments before ,I have read a lot of your posts and articles,that's what encouraged me to plan& see the two methods for myself.
So I mean it when I say thank you for all your help and for making it easier for me to understand.