Stupid Spiral / Corkscrew Vals

The Zigman

Here fishy fishy fishy!!!
Oct 5, 2007
5,249
7
62
Near Chicago, Il.
www.uglymuggs.com
I don't get it..
Half of my tank is Swords.. and the other side is Vals.
the swords are growing like nuts!, and the vals arent.

I have seperated the (baby?) swords, and planted some near the vals, and even thay are growing like crazy..

The vals aren't relly getting any taller, but they were seperating and starting new plants.. but they are only about 6-8 inches tall...

I dose:
Potassium, and Plantex CSM+B. and they are planted on Seachem substrate (uhm, forgot the name of it!)
the tank is a 125, its 6' long and I have 2 94 watt compact fluorescent 6700K bulbs. I have pressurized Co2, and the dropchecker says my level is ok.

What do the vals need, that the swords dont? I thought vals were low / med light plants.

Also I have some scarlet temple, that has lost nearly all of its leaves, but has continued to grow out of the top of the tank...
Whats up with that?
 
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I've had crap luck with vals in my 55. Everything else grew pretty well under 2wpg, but the vals sucked. They would send off runners like crazy, but never get more than 4-6" tal.. I just pulled them out and replaced them with sags.
 
I can't grow vals either, they did ok for a while then quit & slowly died. I thought it was lack of light, not quite 2 wpg. I've heard people who can do vals can't grow sag well & vice versa. Sag is doing better but I don't use ferts often enough I think. My swords seem healthier under less light probably for the same reason.
 
I think so, they were a buck at Petsmart.

or corkscrew vals.
If they are indeed real vals then my next guess comes from your statement "I dose: Potassium, and Plantex CSM+B".

Zig: As you frequent the Forum you are aware that I am experimenting with dry ferts and my vals are really growing and propagating.

Have you visited the following site?
http://www.rexgrigg.com/index.html

TR
 
my corkscrew vals do "ok" some reach the top of a 20 long,barely.
now my jungle vals are another story,they put out runners/new plants like crazy mad,but none are any more than 5 or 6" tall tops,I put 3 plants in a 29 awhile ago;a month maybe; and now half the tank is covered in them,same in the 55g,just put in a couple plants and 1/4 of the bottom is covered now,but none are growing tall:confused:
thats why I wanted them,I saw pics of peoples tanks with them grown to the top and almost covering the surface.
 
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