Jungle Val question

[Catfish Lover]

I have a 55 gallon that's been established for 6 years. I've had horrible luck with plants. Probably being too impatient at times and my patience is testing me again. I just overhauled the tank with probably 130 stems of super long and healthy vals. Now I know they go through transplant shock and that leaves will break off and shed. They've been in there for 5 weeks and they're still breaking and some leaves are just withering away. It still looks very, very, very full in the tank because I got so many but when will this plant get going? I haven't seen not 1 runner. I have a single T5 HO bulb, plenty of root tabs and dose flourish 2 times a week. The plants are in a mixture of play sand and pool filter sand. Lights are on 7hrs a day. I've heard that once they get going they really get going but I'm losing my patience. 130 plants and not a single runner

 

[TMaier]

I have never had much luck with Val's. Melted and never came back.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Mine melted pretty badly for a few months, but I added a lot of root tabs and now they won't stop growing.

 

[AliSab]

I doesn't sound like there's enough light with a single bulb nor that the light is on long enough. I don't know much about this particular plant but maybe it's worth some more research in to it. Do you use any c02 or excel? I've been using excel and flourish and have a double light fixture and my plants grow like weeds.

 

[Fresh2o]

The last time I was successful with Vals was when I had 4x40w T10 NO (normal output) tubes over a 55g. With CO2. A bit of overkill with the lighting.
My last attempt was with a dual T5 NO setup on a shallow 20g long. It was just not enough light. The lack of a carbon source did not help.

 

[Catfish Lover]

I have about 12-15 seachem root tabs in there. I wonder if it's not enough because of the sheer volume of jungle val that I have in there

 

[t-bone]

They grow like crazy in my tank. I do know from experience that Excel makes them not very happy. They will melt and it really stunts their growth. I just have some 6500k cfl lights and use ferts. No carbon source.

 

[fishenthusiast]

I have a 55 gallon that's been established for 6 years. I've had horrible luck with plants. Probably being too impatient at times and my patience is testing me again. I just overhauled the tank with probably 130 stems of super long and healthy vals. Now I know they go through transplant shock and that leaves will break off and shed. They've been in there for 5 weeks and they're still breaking and some leaves are just withering away. It still looks very, very, very full in the tank because I got so many but when will this plant get going? I haven't seen not 1 runner. I have a single T5 HO bulb, plenty of root tabs and dose flourish 2 times a week. The plants are in a mixture of play sand and pool filter sand. Lights are on 7hrs a day. I've heard that once they get going they really get going but I'm losing my patience. 130 plants and not a single runner

Plants take time to root in and get established. Once they have rooted in, more energy can be put towards leaf production. It took months for my Crypt wendtii "Green Gecko" to start producing leaves at a nice pace. I have some Dwarf Sag that has been in my tank for two months, and I haven't seen any runners yet--this tank has CO2 injection too. Patience! Once those Val's take hold, you'll be wishing that they were growing slower!

 

[Catfish Lover]

Plants take time to root in and get established. Once they have rooted in, more energy can be put towards leaf production. It took months for my Crypt wendtii "Green Gecko" to start producing leaves at a nice pace. I have some Dwarf Sag that has been in my tank for two months, and I haven't seen any runners yet--this tank has CO2 injection too. Patience! Once those Val's take hold, you'll be wishing that they were growing slower!

Thanks. I feel like this is probably the best answer and makes the most sense. I guess every tank is different. In your estimation how long does it generally take for Vals to root? Mine have been in about 5-6 weeks.

 

[mbkemp]

For me it varies. Mine are in eco complete. I have had them with co2 and with out. Make sure the crowns are not buried. When they take off it is with s vengeance. How is your flow?

 

[Catfish Lover]

For me it varies. Mine are in eco complete. I have had them with co2 and with out. Make sure the crowns are not buried. When they take off it is with s vengeance. How is your flow?

I'm running 2 aquaclear 70's on slowest flow. It's still melting back bad. I mean I kinda expected it so that's why I got so many so the tank can still look full even with the melting

 

[mbkemp]

When I chop mine back they send runners