Is it bad to condense plants?

[zer0signal]

My Vals are spawning like crazy right now, and I currently have them spaced out about 1-2in apart from each other.

Is it ok if I start to condense them closer to each other, pretty make a thicker back wall of vals, or would this starve them?

I was thinking like 1/2in apart from each other?

 

[icydeath]

If you do this whatever tabs/ferts you are using you would need to put in that area.

So if you are putting 6 root tabs in the tank where the vals are, you would need to put 6 in that area. Pretty much the same amount of ferts regardless of spacing so they get everything they were getting before.

You MIGHT choke them but what I would do would be to test it on a third of the plants and leave the rest. If all is good for a while you can do it and if they start melting you can move them back (or if they die you still have 2/3 to repopulate with) Needless to say I doubt you would choke them.

 

[aqua_chem]

The problem you will run into if they get too thick is with light getting blocked to the base. It would depend heavily on how much light you have to spare and just how thick you plant them.

 

[Brookster123]

I find when some of my plants grow in to thick the lower leaves become a bit more algae prone. Best to give them space for light and flow.
Ps- good too see you back on the boards aqua!

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[Fresh2o]

What you might try doing (if not already) is to arrange the vals in a staggered pattern so that when viewed from the front it gives the illusion of being in a thick cluster when in fact the plants are no closer than the 1-2" spacing they are currently in. Think of the last 2-3 rows of bowling pins in a bowling alley. Yet offset a bit so it does not look "too planned".


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[aqua_chem]

You can also plant them a little more sparse and let them grow in. Happy vals will fill the space on their own over time. Not so happy vals..... probably need the space.

 

[zer0signal]

Thank you guys, that pretty much answered my question! They are about 1-2in apart but very random placement. Fresh I'll give your suggestion a go, that should match what everyone else is saying!

One last thing, when do you think I can clip the runners and make these spawns their own plant? Right now some of them have 4-5 leaves at about 2-3in high.

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