New to planted tanks — substrate suggestions/opinions?

[the loach]

Despite everything what they say about the jungle val on this forum.... yes it does get big (I have them with leaves about 6 to 7 feet long) you can cut the leaves no problem. It is an easy plant for sure, just a lot of pruning in small tanks.

 

[Sprinkle]

Despite everything what they say about the jungle val on this forum.... yes it does get big (I have them with leaves about 6 to 7 feet long) you can cut the leaves no problem. It is an easy plant for sure, just a lot of pruning in small tanks.

I heard somewhere if you cut leaves, the plant is gonna die or summat. Never cut mine bc of that rumour.

 

[apenhow]

Despite everything what they say about the jungle val on this forum.... yes it does get big (I have them with leaves about 6 to 7 feet long) you can cut the leaves no problem. It is an easy plant for sure, just a lot of pruning in small tanks.

So just to confirm... technically I could grow jungle val, but it would take lots of extra work to prune it to fit smaller tanks?

 

[Sprinkle]

So just to confirm... technically I could grow jungle val, but it would take lots of extra work to prune it to fit smaller tanks?

Nah not really. If it gets too long for you just take it out and cut the leaves.

 

[fishorama]

Too long is too much work IMO. I let my long val grow across the top of the tank & sometimes trim it but it's a PITA & my tank is 20 inches tall...Red plants may not be so red or red at all in lower light or no co2 &/or lesser ferts...That 1 might be worth a try at Modernaq...hard to say, I did read of a short red corkscrew on a plant board. I would beware any that say "jungle" val anywhere in the description (like Leopard), that to me says tall!

I think Sprinkle's val sounds like what I read about "mini twister" 4 inch except hers is not twisted, more like I remember of my short mystery val.

Val asiatica biwaensis has synomyn of tortifolia but there may be more than 1 kind... I had it (or similar) in a 12 inch tall tank I'd say 8-10 inches tall.

There seems to be much confusion over the names. Sometimes all you can do is try 1 & see if you like it in your tank. You can always take it out, give it away or see if your lfs will give a small store credit...or compost it.

 

[apenhow]

Too long is too much work IMO. I let my long val grow across the top of the tank & sometimes trim it but it's a PITA & my tank is 20 inches tall...Red plants may not be so red or red at all in lower light or no co2 &/or lesser ferts...That 1 might be worth a try at Modernaq...hard to say, I did read of a short red corkscrew on a plant board. I would beware any that say "jungle" val anywhere in the description (like Leopard), that to me says tall!

I think Sprinkle's val sounds like what I read about "mini twister" 4 inch except hers is not twisted, more like I remember of my short mystery val.

Val asiatica biwaensis has synomyn of tortifolia but there may be more than 1 kind... I had it (or similar) in a 12 inch tall tank I'd say 8-10 inches tall.

There seems to be much confusion over the names. Sometimes all you can do is try 1 & see if you like it in your tank. You can always take it out, give it away or see if your lfs will give a small store credit...or compost it.

I agree, I definitely don't want to be doing that much extra care if I can help it. Maybe in the future I'll try out the Moderaquarium plant as an extra experimental addition to my tank. I was looking at the reviews and someone said it is “very small“ but who knows what size of plant they are comparing it to.

This was all so helpful! I appreciate it, fishorama.