SupersoNick95 Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 (edited) I remember when I first started in the hobby I bought one Val bunch and it exploded in a very low tech tank with inert substrate. Now when actively trying to grow it just seems to be stunted. I have had a 20 long, high tech setup with c02, high fert dosage , and UNS soil capped with coarse sand. It’s been going for about 8 months now and I can grow everything but Val. Crypts grow incredibly fast, dwarf sag has sent out tons of runners after only having started with about 4 bunches. Buce is thriving with little to no algae on the leaves. Java fern has recently been added and it also seems to be growing relatively quickly. I dose easy green about once every day, 2 pumps. 10% Water changes twice a week. Nitrates stay consistently low. I can’t seem to get past 20pmm using the api test kit. I’ve made sure to add root tabs to areas where Val is planted as well. no matter how many times I buy a new bunch of Val it all seems to melt back completely and rot at the crown. I always make sure not to plant too deeply as I know that can cause rot. I do split each bunch into several plants, could this be causing melt? I want to experiment and just plant a single bunch and see what happens. I suspect it may be my ph? I’m at about 6.1 ph. All my fish are thriving as well and are all Amazonian species so the ph has been great for them. However I suspect the low ph may be the culprit of the Val melt. Photo of my tank is attached. I’d really like to get the Val growing from the back corner so that it floats all the way to the other side. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Edited January 1 by SupersoNick95 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 In the past, I've had problems with Val. But of late, I seem to have figured it out. I have it growing in all sorts of tanks, though not as equally well. I think that @Shadow has some extra Val on hand. Do you know what species of Val you're getting? I have has success with Valisneria americana (Jungle Val). My tanks have various pH parameters, but my water is soft. I add root tabs to start, but over time, just rely on decomposition in the substrate to fertilize. I keep it hot (86-F) and cold (60-F). In general, it seems to like a cooler tank. Adding an air-stone or two seems to help a bit . . . but that may just be anecdotal. I'm not really sure that pH is a determinative factor, but maybe I'm wrong. Those Rummynose Tetras look amazing! Wow!! Very special fish. Beautiful scape too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupersoNick95 Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 (edited) On 12/31/2023 at 11:08 PM, Fish Folk said: In the past, I've had problems with Val. But of late, I seem to have figured it out. I have it growing in all sorts of tanks, though not as equally well. I think that @Shadow has some extra Val on hand. Do you know what species of Val you're getting? I have has success with Valisneria americana (Jungle Val). My tanks have various pH parameters, but my water is soft. I add root tabs to start, but over time, just rely on decomposition in the substrate to fertilize. I keep it hot (86-F) and cold (60-F). In general, it seems to like a cooler tank. Adding an air-stone or two seems to help a bit . . . but that may just be anecdotal. I'm not really sure that pH is a determinative factor, but maybe I'm wrong. Those Rummynose Tetras look amazing! Wow!! Very special fish. Beautiful scape too. Thank you! The rummy nose are thriving! I have no clue which species it is. I usually buy bunches from my Lfs and they don’t denote the type of val. I did just order some valisneria spiralis online. I’m going to plant it as one bunch to see if it does better. Edited January 1 by SupersoNick95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted January 1 Administrators Share Posted January 1 pH that low is gonna be rough on the val. Also the val prefers a bit more light, but will grow in that low light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupersoNick95 Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 On 1/1/2024 at 1:17 PM, Cory said: pH that low is gonna be rough on the val. Also the val prefers a bit more light, but will grow in that low light. Hey Cory thanks for the tips! Yeah my water is very soft with a low ph. I’m going to try to buffer the water and see if that helps. The aquasoil is advertised as an “acid buffer” and I have a feeling that’s why my ph is so much lower than out the tap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 It took two years for my JV to just give up in the back of the tank. It put out a few runners but neve actually grew. At present I have Italian Val growing in the front corner where it gets a few minutes of direct morning sun. It was planted mid-tank directly under the light, but has twice migrated to the front corner. It still remains very short but I now have six runners in that corner. I am dealing with low tech, hard water, 76 degrees. Ph is 6.6, but that is up for debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted January 1 Administrators Share Posted January 1 On 1/1/2024 at 10:22 AM, SupersoNick95 said: Hey Cory thanks for the tips! Yeah my water is very soft with a low ph. I’m going to try to buffer the water and see if that helps. The aquasoil is advertised as an “acid buffer” and I have a feeling that’s why my ph is so much lower than out the tap Yeah, acid buffer means it'll lower it. Adding some crushed coral to your system or a different additive at water changes should help some. I'd try to get it near 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 12:17 PM, Cory said: pH that low is gonna be rough on the val. Also the val prefers a bit more light, but will grow in that low light. BTW Cory, saw the new fish room video and the vale tank you had going. If you want some fully grown thick stuff, I got extra. Don't mind shooting it your way for the fish room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 On 12/31/2023 at 10:22 PM, SupersoNick95 said: Thank you! The rummy nose are thriving! I have no clue which species it is. I usually buy bunches from my Lfs and they don’t denote the type of val. I did just order some valisneria spiralis online. I’m going to plant it as one bunch to see if it does better. Def agree with @Cory low pH and low light aren't great for vale. I also make sure to dose properly with EZ Green and I also run a CO2 set up, as I see you use both these you are good here. Here are my specs for my Fluval Aquasky(I think that is what you are running), a break mid day helps for longer enjoyment hours when I am home while keeping the chance for algae minimal. I produce so much in my main tank its in that I have to prune every other month as there are more shoots than I need. Hope this helps. 🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 My tanks parameters: 7.0-7.2 pH 77 degrees 40-50 nitrates(I change my water 30-40% every weekend) Substrate: Chalily Aquatic Soil, locked with fine sand, ActivFlora black substrate and scatter gravel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupersoNick95 Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 8:19 PM, Shadow said: Def agree with @Cory low pH and low light aren't great for vale. I also make sure to dose properly with EZ Green and I also run a CO2 set up, as I see you use both these you are good here. Here are my specs for my Fluval Aquasky(I think that is what you are running), a break mid day helps for longer enjoyment hours when I am home while keeping the chance for algae minimal. I produce so much in my main tank its in that I have to prune every other month as there are more shoots than I need. Hope this helps. 🙂 Thank you! Your tank looks awesome, that’s what I’m shooting for! Yes I’m running a fluval 3.0 which is close to the aqua sky. Right now I’m at 8 hours a day with a 2 hour ramp up and 1 hour ramp down. I’m at 45% intensity so as to balance out possible algae growth but I’m thinking about pushing slowly up to 75 over the next three weeks. Hopefully this helps the Val explode. I’m mostly worried about getting algae on my buce which is why I’m being careful with light intensity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 7:25 PM, SupersoNick95 said: Thank you! Your tank looks awesome, that’s what I’m shooting for! Yes I’m running a fluval 3.0 which is close to the aqua sky. Right now I’m at 8 hours a day with a 2 hour ramp up and 1 hour ramp down. I’m at 45% intensity so as to balance out possible algae growth but I’m thinking about pushing slowly up to 75 over the next three weeks. Hopefully this helps the Val explode. I’m mostly worried about getting algae on my buce which is why I’m being careful with light intensity. I have multiple Buce in my tank there and they are well covered enough due to placement of my Java Ferns to shield them from too strong of light until the Vale grew to assist in the coverage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr4tiCrew Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 On 1/1/2024 at 6:19 PM, Shadow said: Def agree with @Cory low pH and low light aren't great for vale. I also make sure to dose properly with EZ Green and I also run a CO2 set up, as I see you use both these you are good here. Here are my specs for my Fluval Aquasky(I think that is what you are running), a break mid day helps for longer enjoyment hours when I am home while keeping the chance for algae minimal. I produce so much in my main tank its in that I have to prune every other month as there are more shoots than I need. Hope this helps. 🙂 Jealous. Starting to wonder if this type of plant growth is even achievable without CO2. At least I am not having any luck doing so. Slow growth and BB algae. 😞 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 On 1/3/2024 at 4:17 PM, Xr4tiCrew said: Jealous. Starting to wonder if this type of plant growth is even achievable without CO2. At least I am not having any luck doing so. Slow growth and BB algae. 😞 It is. I have some different kind of vale in my 65 gal that I do not run CO2 on, as its a warm water tank and I don't want to decrease the oxygenation anymore than it is already with adding extra CO2 in. I still dose with EZ Green. I really think light settings play the biggest part and I have had plenty of BB algae even with the growth. It comes and goes depending how heavy the tanks gets fed, along with the amount of water I do at water changes and light cycle. I think my settings are dialed in now, as I have seen less and less BB algae over the last 3 or so months since my last light adjustment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr4tiCrew Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I have a Co-Op light running 3 clicks down from full power and use EzG once a week when I do a water change. I’ll keep tweaking the settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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