Corkscrew vals are fading; suggestions?

[Duncan A. McRae]

Greetings

I have four of them at the front of a 38g tank which has a reliable 20w
light and a not-so-reliable 30w light. The lights are on 0700-0800, then
1100-2300 (13 hours total). I regularly dump liquid fertilizer in the tank
(the Big Al's generic stuff) inject DIY CO2, and do partial water changes
from the tap. The plants are in gravel, and fish poo should be collecting
as I don't vacuum unless it starts looking particularly nasty in there (I
have about 6-10 Amano shrimp and 2 panda corries). I see no sign of fish
harassing the plants.

Should I be looking at fertilizer sticks?

What's a good site to identify my plants (I didn't keep track of what I was
buying >>>sigh<<<) and research their needs?

Thanks all;
Duncan

[Daniel Whiting]

Are other plants doing well? For me, there were a few weeks where I
didn't really pay attention to my tank.. I forgot to renew the co2
bottle or fertilize. I fed the fish (with the help of an auto-feeder)
and changed water but put the plants on hold.. Either way, during this
time the high maintanence plants died back and my vals just took off
like weeds. I gave quite a few to the LFS when I finally got back into it.

Anyways, my point is, are the nutrients being taken by other faster
growing or nutrient-hogging plants?

Duncan A. McRae wrote:

> Greetings
>
> I have four of them at the front of a 38g tank which has a reliable 20w
> light and a not-so-reliable 30w light. The lights are on 0700-0800, then
> 1100-2300 (13 hours total). I regularly dump liquid fertilizer in the tank
> (the Big Al's generic stuff) inject DIY CO2, and do partial water changes
> from the tap. The plants are in gravel, and fish poo should be collecting
> as I don't vacuum unless it starts looking particularly nasty in there (I
> have about 6-10 Amano shrimp and 2 panda corries). I see no sign of fish
> harassing the plants.
>
> Should I be looking at fertilizer sticks?
>
> What's a good site to identify my plants (I didn't keep track of what I was
> buying >>>sigh<<<) and research their needs?
>
> Thanks all;
> Duncan
>
>
>
>
>

[Duncan A. McRae]

Other plants are doing quite well, yes. Except for the grass, which I can't
anchor very well.

"Daniel Whiting" > wrote in message
. ..
> Are other plants doing well? For me, there were a few weeks where I
> didn't really pay attention to my tank.. I forgot to renew the co2
> bottle or fertilize. I fed the fish (with the help of an auto-feeder)
> and changed water but put the plants on hold.. Either way, during this
> time the high maintanence plants died back and my vals just took off
> like weeds. I gave quite a few to the LFS when I finally got back into it.
>
> Anyways, my point is, are the nutrients being taken by other faster
> growing or nutrient-hogging plants?
>
> Duncan A. McRae wrote:
>
> > Greetings
> >
> > I have four of them at the front of a 38g tank which has a reliable 20w
> > light and a not-so-reliable 30w light. The lights are on 0700-0800,
then
> > 1100-2300 (13 hours total). I regularly dump liquid fertilizer in the
tank
> > (the Big Al's generic stuff) inject DIY CO2, and do partial water
changes
> > from the tap. The plants are in gravel, and fish poo should be
collecting
> > as I don't vacuum unless it starts looking particularly nasty in there
(I
> > have about 6-10 Amano shrimp and 2 panda corries). I see no sign of
fish
> > harassing the plants.
> >
> > Should I be looking at fertilizer sticks?
> >
> > What's a good site to identify my plants (I didn't keep track of what I
was
> > buying >>>sigh<<<) and research their needs?
> >
> > Thanks all;
> > Duncan
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[LeighMo]

IME, corkscrew Val needs a little more like than regular Val. You may not have
enough light for it. You've got only a little over 1 wpg, and that's counting
the "unreliable" bulb.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Duncan A. McRae]

I've just picked up a two-bulb 36" fixture (for a total of 80 watts over a
38g tank). Not sure I'll put both 30w bulbs in, but at least I have that
option. Have also boosted the fertilizer a little. My test kits are only
the standard stuff -- Ammonia, Nitrite, pH, pH High, gH and kH -- so what
should I be looking for with the next test kits? I'm thinking Iron and
Nitrate, but do I need anything else?

Thanks;
D


"LeighMo" > wrote in message
...
> IME, corkscrew Val needs a little more like than regular Val. You may not
have
> enough light for it. You've got only a little over 1 wpg, and that's
counting
> the "unreliable" bulb.
>
>
>
> Leigh
>
> http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Bob A]

"Duncan A. McRae" > wrote in message
ble.rogers.com...
> Greetings
>
> I have four of them at the front of a 38g tank which has a reliable 20w
> light and a not-so-reliable 30w light. The lights are on 0700-0800, then
> 1100-2300 (13 hours total). I regularly dump liquid fertilizer in the
tank
> (the Big Al's generic stuff) inject DIY CO2, and do partial water changes
> from the tap. The plants are in gravel, and fish poo should be collecting
> as I don't vacuum unless it starts looking particularly nasty in there (I
> have about 6-10 Amano shrimp and 2 panda corries). I see no sign of fish
> harassing the plants.
>
> Should I be looking at fertilizer sticks?
>
> What's a good site to identify my plants (I didn't keep track of what I
was
> buying >>>sigh<<<) and research their needs?
>
> Thanks all;
> Duncan
>

This is something I've been curious about in my tank for a while... they are
not fading (I have 2wpg), they are doing quite well, but once in a while a
leaf/strand will turn a beautiful red color. Seems to be mostly at the
point they reach the surface and float.

best,

bob allred

[LeighMo]

>This is something I've been curious about in my tank for a while... they are
>not fading (I have 2wpg), they are doing quite well, but once in a while a
>leaf/strand will turn a beautiful red color. Seems to be mostly at the
>point they reach the surface and float.

IME, when a Vallisneria blade turns red, it's because it's dying. Kind of like
autumn leaves. It's natural for the older blades to die off. As long they're
being replaced by new ones, it's nothing to worry about.




Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Bob A]

"LeighMo" > wrote in message
...
> >This is something I've been curious about in my tank for a while... they
are
> >not fading (I have 2wpg), they are doing quite well, but once in a while
a
> >leaf/strand will turn a beautiful red color. Seems to be mostly at the
> >point they reach the surface and float.
>
> IME, when a Vallisneria blade turns red, it's because it's dying. Kind of
like
> autumn leaves. It's natural for the older blades to die off. As long
they're
> being replaced by new ones, it's nothing to worry about.
>
>
>
>
> Leigh
>
> http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/


Thanks, now I know. :) I think they are (like autumn leaves) quite pretty.
Good to know its not a problem.

bob

[Micheal Pelt]

"LeighMo" > wrote in message
...
> IME, corkscrew Val needs a little more like than regular Val.

So give them all a BIG HUG!