Corkscrew val - Aquarium Advice

itafx · 02-19-2007, 09:27 PM

This is supposed to be so easy to grow, but it rots in my tank and I can't get it to really perk up. My Anacharis and Sagittarius are doing fine with the Anacharis growing like gang busters. How can I get the vals to thrive?

rich311k · 02-19-2007, 09:30 PM

How much light do you have? What do you fertilize with? Do you add CO2? What kind of substrate?

Do you have any test readings?

JDogg · 02-19-2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itafx

This is supposed to be so easy to grow, but it rots in my tank and I can't get it to really perk up. My Anacharis and Sagittarius are doing fine with the Anacharis growing like gang busters. How can I get the vals to thrive?

how much light and ferts do you have?

itafx · 02-19-2007, 09:50 PM

I was doing 12h/d of light (~2w/gal) but cranked it back to 10h in battling BGA. I used a substrate formula from a Jim Kelley post which had garden soil, vermiculite and osmocote.

The only readings I have are Ph and Ammonia. Zero ammonia and Ph ~7.2

rich311k · 02-19-2007, 09:54 PM

10 hours is fine. What are your nitrate readings? Do you add ferts?

itafx · 02-19-2007, 10:02 PM

I tried hunks of lillytabs from Lilypons, pushed into the substrate at the bases of plants, but I wasn't sure how well it worked and I know it had some phosphorous. The other fert I tried was osmocote time release fertilizer pellets, but they have phosphorous too. I've ordered the tablets from aquariumplants.com that don't have any free phosphorous and are supposed to last 2-3 months. I really don't want to put fertilizer into the water. I'd rather keep it in the substrate. I did measure nitrates with a test strip. NO2 was zero and NO3 was 40.

zenkatydid · 02-19-2007, 11:24 PM

my experience of those vals is that really appreciate co2 injection. mine didn't thrive until i added diy co2.

rkilling1 · 02-19-2007, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itafx

I really don't want to put fertilizer into the water. I'd rather keep it in the substrate.

Sorry to tell you this, but most aquatic plants get most of their nutrients from the water column. Substrate ferts do help some plants, but you WILL get better growth with water column and substrate ferts or just dosing the water column alone as compared to only substrate dosing. There are quite a few plants that only have a root system to anchor it in place and not uptake nutrients.

gu2high · 02-21-2007, 08:49 PM

Corkscrew val will rot if you plant its root deep! This is the main cause. You need leave the main stem out of substrate and can barely see the root.

shayfish · 02-21-2007, 10:37 PM

I have corkscrews that do great in only 1.5 wpg and dose with only flourish comprehensive. I really don't think they need co2.

02-19-2007, 09:27 PM	#1
itafx Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 402 Images: 12	Corkscrew val This is supposed to be so easy to grow, but it rots in my tank and I can't get it to really perk up. My Anacharis and Sagittarius are doing fine with the Anacharis growing like gang busters. How can I get the vals to thrive?

02-19-2007, 11:24 PM	#7
zenkatydid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sydney Posts: 765 Images: 3	my experience of those vals is that really appreciate co2 injection. mine didn't thrive until i added diy co2. __________________ 50gal planted - yoyo loaches, BNs, SAE, odessa barbs 28gal planted - sparkling gouramis, dwarf cories (hastatus, habrosus, pygmaeus) 5gal planted - betta, otos 5gal planted - glass shrimp, CRS

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02-19-2007, 09:30 PM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	How much light do you have? What do you fertilize with? Do you add CO2? What kind of substrate? Do you have any test readings?

02-19-2007, 09:50 PM	#4
itafx Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 402 Images: 12	I was doing 12h/d of light (~2w/gal) but cranked it back to 10h in battling BGA. I used a substrate formula from a Jim Kelley post which had garden soil, vermiculite and osmocote. The only readings I have are Ph and Ammonia. Zero ammonia and Ph ~7.2

02-19-2007, 09:54 PM	#5
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	10 hours is fine. What are your nitrate readings? Do you add ferts?

02-19-2007, 10:02 PM	#6
itafx Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 402 Images: 12	I tried hunks of lillytabs from Lilypons, pushed into the substrate at the bases of plants, but I wasn't sure how well it worked and I know it had some phosphorous. The other fert I tried was osmocote time release fertilizer pellets, but they have phosphorous too. I've ordered the tablets from aquariumplants.com that don't have any free phosphorous and are supposed to last 2-3 months. I really don't want to put fertilizer into the water. I'd rather keep it in the substrate. I did measure nitrates with a test strip. NO2 was zero and NO3 was 40.

02-21-2007, 08:49 PM	#9
gu2high Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NJ Posts: 355	Corkscrew val will rot if you plant its root deep! This is the main cause. You need leave the main stem out of substrate and can barely see the root.

02-21-2007, 10:37 PM	#10
shayfish Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 520	I have corkscrews that do great in only 1.5 wpg and dose with only flourish comprehensive. I really don't think they need co2.