I have either v.spiralis or v. natans I think in a 55g 20 inch tall tank with ~2 " of eco substrate. This val grows to 30+" & blocks quite a lot of light. I tear off the long "comb over" every once in a while & weed out the runner plants every 2 months & try to give them away or compost them.
A much less needy but similar plants crypt. balansae, c spiralis or c.retrospiralis. All of those can get as tall with co2, higher lighting & better ferts than I provide. B they don't spread as widely as jungle val, slowly making a nice clump, not a foreground curtain, lol.
Vals that, in a 55g, are a "mid-ground" plants IME, are V. nana (straight leaves) or V. asiatica (sp? asiana? also called Italian spiral val (but NOT spiralis!). Both get 8-12 inches tall. But beware! vals of all kinds HATE Excel. If it doesn't kill it, it can at least make it very unhappy.
A much less needy but similar plants crypt. balansae, c spiralis or c.retrospiralis. All of those can get as tall with co2, higher lighting & better ferts than I provide. B they don't spread as widely as jungle val, slowly making a nice clump, not a foreground curtain, lol.
Vals that, in a 55g, are a "mid-ground" plants IME, are V. nana (straight leaves) or V. asiatica (sp? asiana? also called Italian spiral val (but NOT spiralis!). Both get 8-12 inches tall. But beware! vals of all kinds HATE Excel. If it doesn't kill it, it can at least make it very unhappy.