# Italian Val staying short



## d3snoopy (Apr 1, 2011)

I put a few Italian vals into my tank about two months ago in hopes of getting some nice background plants. Since then one plant has settled in fairly well, sending out runners, but its leaves aren't growing very long so far. The leaves are currently about 6 inches long and haven't seemed to change much in recent weeks.

The other two plants have similarly short leaves and haven't sent out runners.

55gal
low light
root tabs
40-50% weekly water changes
shrimp inhabitants

Maybe the root tab is wearing thin? My amazon swords also seem to stay really short.... I'd like large leaves but it doesn't seem to be happening and I'm wondering if there's that I'm doing wrong.


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## they call me bruce (Feb 13, 2011)

you must have high light


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## they call me bruce (Feb 13, 2011)

sorry just saw u have low light at least 2 watts per gal should send them up anf
d some ei dosing and co2


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## Cboss (Aug 23, 2010)

I took my Italian leopard vals awhile to start getting tall. I had a completely filled in background of 4" tall plants before they got any taller.

My corkscrew vals, on the other hand, took off right away.


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## Scottso (Oct 2, 2009)

Actually in my experience, they stay low and send out runners when they don't have enough light and grow very tall when they have high medium to high light.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

they call me bruce said:


> you must have high light


 
:thumbsdow


This is sooo wrong..They do not require high light, nor Co2 or dosing.

This Vals TAKE a while to "take root" but once they do, they blow up.

EXAMPLE: When I transfered mine to my dirted tank they melted and went away, so I thought. I noticed them one day regrowing out of the dirt. Now they are maybe 8", but they are coming back. 

if they are new GIVE them time. I am not saying Co2 or dosing wouldn't help, but it isnt required. There is only 2 things Vals really need DECENT LIGHTING (med) and Nitrogen. Make sure you have enough N in the tank, if not Seachem makes a line of N.


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## d3snoopy (Apr 1, 2011)

I may need to dose N.

There are just shrimp in the tank so the bio load/nitrate production is really low. I keep meaning to do a better job of testing the tank for parameters at a more regular interval.

I don't have a good way to get to meduim light, though I think I'm at the high end of low right now. Right now I'm running dual T5HO with a screen to diffuse the light. Without the screen I'm sure I'd have to go to dosing and CO2 which isn't in the budget right now.

I'll give them some more time. My micro chain sword is going nuts. The original plant is basically gone, but the first runner/offshoot is huge and sending runner in a directions, so conditions are right for at least some of the plants. The nana and java moss is growing a lot, too.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

How are you at med low with DUAL T5's...That makes NO sense.
A good affordable source of Carbon is Excel. NOW vals will melt if you dose recommended levels so you have to do HALF doses. 
Seachem makes Nitrogen, this is what I use.

Here is a pic of my vals before I transfered them to the 75

BEFORE DOSING 











AFTER DOSING 










After they start..its amazing HOW fast they grow.


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## d3snoopy (Apr 1, 2011)

I have a screen under the lights. They cut the light by 40-50%. The tank is really nicely balanced right now with next to no algae, so I think I'm going to wait a bit and see what happens.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Worse case....remove the screen.


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