Alternative to Val??

IceH2O

IceH2O

Bazinga
Nov 26, 2005
1,682
60
51
Rock Hill,South Carolina
Real Name
Ice
Ok so as others have found out Vals don't like Excel. I've only dosed for 3 days and can already see them starting to turn clear and fall apart.

I'm not going to stop dosing Excel so my only other alternative is to find another plant that is Val like. I have Corkscrew Vals, some people had said theirs did okay with Excel guess its still possible they rebound, what other plant looks like a corkscrew val and will work under medium light?
 
Kind of tricky finding a plant like a corkscrew val that isn't a corkscrew val :)

Here's a few from PlantGeek to look at.

Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Cryptocoryne spiralis
Crinum natans
Aponogeton longiplumulosus
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis
Crinum calamistratum
 
I know several people who use Excell with Vals and see no problem, I also know that I can't raise vals with or without excell. I also know that vals can be pretty crypt like when newly transplanted, and they tend to melt until they get estabilished a lot of the time.
I would definately not up root them until they've had a week or two to see if they spring back.
There aren't many plants that would easily replace corkscrew or contortionist val for looks, The straight leafed vals could be replaced with Dwarf Sag if averall height was not a concern.
Dave
 
I have to admit I've also used Excel on tanks with val and have never experienced a meltdown, or anything close to it. There does seem to be a lot of posts about people using Excel and their vals died off soon after. Coincidence? Well maybe they could be sensitive to an overdose which seems to be a quite common habit among folks. So unless someone does a true controlled test I'll still add Excel no probs.

Still, I prefer limiting val since it does tend to get out of hand pretty quick.
 
Should I just trim them down to the substrate and hope the new growth does well with Excel?

The only time I overdosed was the 1st initial dose. For my tank size 40 ml was called for and I dosed 50 ml. The following daily doses were 5 ml for 50 gallons, I have a 75 gallon, so i actually was underdosing.

Is it possible that it was just to much to quick and I should only dose every other day?
 
RTR said:
I use Excel routinely with Val in multiple tanks without any issues, but I do not OD (as for some algae problems).

Blyxa japonica is used by many folk who want the effect without Bal's aggressive growth, but I do not grow the plant myself.

See: http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_Blyxa_japonica.php
Click to expand...
I've found that blyxa -- aubertii and japonica -- are royal PITAs for me. Every single one I planted melted in a week. I'm having more success with them now that I:

1. made sure the tank was "mature" before planting them
2. stick them in the substrate as far as I can. Up to the beginning of the leaves and almost beyond. After a week, pull them out just a little so that the leaves clear the substrate.

Dunno if that will work for anyone else, but it's the only way I can get these guys to survive. Dunno about growing yet -- but at least they aren't dying anymore :D

Roan
 
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