Floating Vals?

[StephenP2003]

Can vallisneria live a life as a floating plant? If not, how long can you float it without melting it? 

Running out of substrate space but trying to accumulate enough plants to make the trip to the LFS worthwhile. 

[Daniel]

Vallisneria seems like it can go a week or two floating before it expires, but it does not like being a floating plant.

[Ben Ellison]

I have found two sprigs of what looks to be val floating in my tank. Not certain if it's a  propagation of the my plant or what.

[Jessica.]

I have val americana floating in a tank in my greenhouse, and it's been there for 2+ months. I threw it in there and only meant to leave it for few days, then forgot about it until seeing this post. 😬

Check on it now- It looks good. The roots are growing at a perpendicular angle to the val, downward, and have grown about 4". A few new leaves have grown as well. So, I'd say val can survive at least 2 months floating, given there is enough light and ferts. 

[Daniel]

6 minutes ago, Jessica. said:

I have val americana floating in a tank in my greenhouse, and it's been there for 2+ months. I threw it in there and only meant to leave it for few days, then forgot about it until seeing this post. 😬

Check on it now- It looks good. The roots are growing at a perpendicular angle to the val, downward, and have grown about 4". A few new leaves have grown as well. So, I'd say val can survive at least 2 months floating, given there is enough light and ferts.

I wish my Val looked like that!

[Ben Ellison]

I believe my val has died back and some slivers of the old plants floated in my anachris and rooted. I now have two small plants that where just floating at the top and the original melted back and didn't make it.

[Lynn]

I wish mine would grow at all.

[Jessica.]

@Lynn Val not working out for ya? Bummer. If you want to provide more info, maybe we can help? Sometimes vals take a loooong time to adjust to your water before taking off. I've had them sit and look sad for months after getting them, then they slowly start to adapt to your water. 6 months later your tank is full of vals. 

[Lynn]

I have had them in since the beginning of August.   They melted as expected, but so far each plant has leaves one inch long,  they are smaller than all of my plants foreground plants.   I have a low light tank, 29 gal, PH is 8.4  use Aquarium Coop Easy green and root tabs.   I have found that all stem plants I have tried to grow die.   I am beginning to think the light may be just to low.  Cryps grow, Java moss is growing, Sword plant is growing, and Aponogenton Boivinians is growing.  I planted Indian Fern Watersprite, but barely growing in the substrate, pieces floating are growing great.   First planted tank in 20 plus years of having aquariums.