Paradise fish
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2017
- Messages
- 10
Hello! I had some problems with my Corkscrew Val my whole hobby and was wondering why they have such a hard time growing. I have several of them, all of them under six inches.
Which is the problem, low temperature or low nitrates?
I tried to find out the problem for a long time why this plant, commonly known to be a easy beginner plant, had such a hard time in my tank. I even dosed CO2 (not much because I heard that vals don't like them as much), fertilizers (potassium, magnesium, phosphates, nitrogen, and trace minerals), gave it a great substrate, and high lighting. So I gave both a low tech care and high tech care, with not much progress.
I came up with two possible and most likely reasons: low temperature or low nitrates. I heard that vals are normally kept in a heated tank. I don't have a heater as I specialize in subtropical aquarium fish. For that reason, my tank usually stabilize around 66F to 72F. But still, I heard that vals can still do fine in these temperatures, so I don't think it's the reason.
I also heard that stunted growth in vals come from low nitrates. As my tank is very heavily planted with hardy and/or fast growing plants, my nitrate levels are always at 0 ppm, even though I'm technically over stocked. Yet I thought the fertilizers, soil, and ammonia produced by the fish would be more than enough to compensate, so I didn't think it's the reason either.
Has any of you had success with vals in lower temperatures?
Which is the problem, low temperature or low nitrates?
I tried to find out the problem for a long time why this plant, commonly known to be a easy beginner plant, had such a hard time in my tank. I even dosed CO2 (not much because I heard that vals don't like them as much), fertilizers (potassium, magnesium, phosphates, nitrogen, and trace minerals), gave it a great substrate, and high lighting. So I gave both a low tech care and high tech care, with not much progress.
I came up with two possible and most likely reasons: low temperature or low nitrates. I heard that vals are normally kept in a heated tank. I don't have a heater as I specialize in subtropical aquarium fish. For that reason, my tank usually stabilize around 66F to 72F. But still, I heard that vals can still do fine in these temperatures, so I don't think it's the reason.
I also heard that stunted growth in vals come from low nitrates. As my tank is very heavily planted with hardy and/or fast growing plants, my nitrate levels are always at 0 ppm, even though I'm technically over stocked. Yet I thought the fertilizers, soil, and ammonia produced by the fish would be more than enough to compensate, so I didn't think it's the reason either.
Has any of you had success with vals in lower temperatures?
