Vallisneria Care

[mark4785]

I have some Vallisneria in my aquarium and I’m aware that certain conditions can cause this plant to die, including temperatures over 29 degrees C and the addition of things like ”liquid” co2 products.

Does anybody know if the addition of Catappa leaves would kill the plant?

 

[mbsqw1d]

I have some Vallisneria in my aquarium and I’m aware that certain conditions can cause this plant to die, including temperatures over 29 degrees C and the addition of things like ”liquid” co2 products.

Does anybody know if the addition of Catappa leaves would kill the plant?

Ive always managed to keep a good crop of vallis. And I often add indian almond leaves and oak leaves and generally have tannin stained water.
I dont think its that it doesnt like acidic water, but it doesnt do well in soft water. My gh is 5.7
My water is kept fairly cool, in the low 20s (Celsius)..

 

[mark4785]

Ive always managed to keep a good crop of vallis. And I often add indian almond leaves and oak leaves and generally have tannin stained water.
I dont think its that it doesnt like acidic water, but it doesnt do well in soft water. My gh is 5.7
My water is kept fairly cool, in the low 20s (Celsius)..

Ok that is great to know. I have a breeding pair of Discus and I am just thinking of ways to induce them to spawn again. I figured I would try the addition of cattapa leaves but didn’t want to turn the vallisneria to mush!

 

[Stan510]

Mine has done great in a pot with soil topped with pool sand. Planted into plain sand it's never done even close to as well. I would have thought it to be happier in sand being a stream plant

 

[Colin_T]

Vallis does best in water with a pH above 7.0 and a little bit of GH (100ppm+). However, it depends on what species of Vallis you get. There are a number of species and the smaller more unusual types usually do better in soft water.

Vallis likes light and will fall apart if it doesn't get enough.

Most aquatic plants struggle with sudden changes in temperature or water chemistry (GH, KH and pH).

 

[itiwhetu]

Vallisineria Spiralus does really well in warm soft water. I had a mate with a breeding pair of Discus and the only plant in the tank was V. Spiralus. the fish loved it, they raised a lot of young.

 

[Stan510]

Also,when you keep Val in a plant zoo of many species? They don't do nearly as well. Amazing drop off. The more and larger the growth of Val,and the less of other species the better for the plant. Light IS very important- they can take sunlight blasting through a window just fine.

 

[mark4785]

My tank has no substrate so my vallisneria is plonked on top of bogwood or ceramic pots and has grown up to 120cm in these conditions.

When I used to do a water change with a bucket I would have to put the fresh dechlorinated water in the opposite side of the tank of where the Vallis was growing as the higher pH (7.5) of the fresh water versus the tank water (pH 6.4) would cause it to go brown and mushy. From this experience I know not to make sudden changes to the water so I will look to put a small amount of cattapa leaves in, hopefully where there is no current.

 

[itiwhetu]

How large are your water changes

 

[Stan510]

I have the plain straight leaf Italian val. Also,no longer in a pot and its ok in the sand...but in a 7" pot and as deep, it was once a solid green 28" column. Now,I use C.balansae instead and go with a thin clump of half that height Val.

 

[ClownLurch]

Mine grows until it floats on the surface then turns to mush. Should I be trimming it before it gets to the surface?

 

[raylove]

I agree that Vallis does best without competition. I've had Vallis choke my tanks but when I try to add other species it slows up and inevitably seems to be the plant that loses the battle.

 

[Colin_T]

Mine grows until it floats on the surface then turns to mush. Should I be trimming it before it gets to the surface?

You don't normally have to trim Vallis, however if it gets too long and stops light penetrating the water, it will inhibit plant growth. If this happens then trim the leaves.

If yours turns to mush when it hits the surface, there is something weird going on. You can trim it if that happens.

 

[mark4785]

How large are your water changes

Around 30-40% of the water is exchanged weekly.

 

[mark4785]

Mine grows until it floats on the surface then turns to mush. Should I be trimming it before it gets to the surface?

The water movement at the surface is probably killing it. Mine grows to the surface then continues growing horizontally across the length of the tank. It is safe to let it do this but be mindful of food getting trapped and rotting amongst it.