Controlling Vals - Please help friends

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

jmhart

Revolutionary
Sep 8, 2007
2,746
0
36
Atlanta,GA
This is one of those "be careful what you wished for situations". You wanted the Vals to grow, and it sounds like they did in a big way.


When it comes to rearranging, Vals are incredibly hardy. The only problem I see is that sometimes the a few leaves will pull off easily when you are moving them around, but just as easily as they pull off, they'll grow back.

When the runner plants start to have leaves that are 2-3" long, you can cut them off from the mother plant, and then move them/reposition however you'd like. At this point, you can even take them out and trade them/throw them away if the Vals are starting to outgrow the area you'd like them to be in your tank.

And as said above, they'll be fine in the lower light situation. If anything, it may help you from having to prune so often.
 

midiamin

MidiAmin
Jan 29, 2005
592
0
16
San Francisco
They should do ok. Will probably slow down the growth a little. To move them, dig down in the gravel, under the roots and gently lift vals up a section at a time until you have the entire plant exposed. Of course you can split them if you wish. No harm.
 

FishyMatty

FishKiller
Jan 30, 2007
876
0
0
44
Milford,CT
there is no controlling them. I planted a few of them in an old tank that I left alone for about 4 weeks. With 4wpg and co2 nearly the whole tanks was vals by the end with almost no surface that wasn't blocked by them. I have since removed all vals from all my tanks. they are an infectious weed.
 

briggadane

AC Members
Mar 13, 2008
232
0
16
Lakewood Ohio
www.briggadane.com
I just posted a similar question. One member told me I could trim the leaves down on a slant. I did. All is well. I also moved them to the side of my tank. Neither foreground nor background. They are sending shoots to the middle. I will be moving these to the other side of the tank today.
Good luck.
These people know what to do. :^)
 

satanpie

Banana plant addict.
Aug 25, 2007
571
0
0
36
Long Island NY
www.myspace.com
I wish i could get mine to grow like that
 

RockysDad

AC Members
Dec 27, 2002
99
0
0
Visit site
Pull them all out from the front. Plant only a couple of branches in the back. Sell the rest to your LPS. Repeat every couple of weeks...
 

revelino73

AC Members
Mar 10, 2006
118
0
0
i have the same the problem, i started with about 3 vals mow i have over 15 vals of different sizes. i might trade some here or store credit at my lfs.
 

jtburf

I want to hunt these.
Jul 18, 2007
637
0
0
Houston TX
Have you seen a tumble weed, or maybe even just a bundle of wires, that is what vals look like if not trimmed daily in a small tank(under 55g) I have the same issue, just trim them near the base, they recover qickly and are very prolific. With the plantlings they make great ground cover if forced to stay small like a bush.

P.S. First post in a few months shrimp tank about to get a new string of pics.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store