# Vallisneria going transparent?



## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Your Plants*



bluecat said:


> I recently got some corckscrew vallisneria and after a few days their leaves have started to turn a transparent, pale brown. It spreads from the bottom of the leaves up to the tip. They are planted in sand with a T8 15 watt full spectrum light that came with my tank and I've used tetra florapride liquid fertilizer. I read some different articles about it, but I didn't see any issues that jump out as a possible cause besides the plants either settling in or needing fertilizer in the sand (maybe root tabs?). Has anyone had this issue? I hate that they arrived all lush and green and are looking so sad right now, I was excited to be moving beyond java fern and anubias in my tanks.


 Hello blue...

Rooted plants need a fertilizer close to the roots. Liquid ferts won't work very well. The pet store carries root tabs that you can put under the bottom material close to the plant roots. The tabs will nourish the plants for up to 3 months. 

B


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## DayOlder (Jul 12, 2014)

Val is one of the plants that will melt if you try to use liquid CO2, excel. That has been my experience.


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## gabysapha (Oct 26, 2011)

I just got a bunch of new jungle vals that are doing the same in their new tank. I'm thinking they are melting after going into a new tank, the way crypts often melt when they are moved into a new tank. I'm just hoping the vals eventually grow back. I dose no ferts at all in my tank, but it does have a dirted substrate


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Vals will grow in a wide range of water parameters, but seem to do best in harder water, neutral or higher pH.


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## Aqua nut (Jul 5, 2014)

DayOlder said:


> Val is one of the plants that will melt if you try to use liquid CO2, excel. That has been my experience.


Same with me I stopped using Excel in my tanks..


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## bluecat (Sep 28, 2014)

Ok, I'll get some root tabs and raise the ph, which is at 6.6, and see if that helps out my rooted plants. I don't have any fish right now, so will baking soda in a water change be fine?


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## bluecat (Sep 28, 2014)

Any specific root tabs you recommend?


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## birbaliktanki (Jun 18, 2014)

could be due to low light level or something in the water like chlorine. did you just change the water?


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## bluecat (Sep 28, 2014)

Yes, I changed some of the water, but I put in api stress coat plus, which I've been using to treat the water and says it gets rid of chlorine and chloramine. Maybe the low light is it, the vals which are in the center of the tank are doing better than the ones on the edges. Is there someway to add a little more light without getting a whole new fixture or spend a ton of money? This will be a shrimp and cory cat tank with low light plants, so I don't need anything fancy.


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## birbaliktanki (Jun 18, 2014)

you could add led clip on lights at the tank corners. they're around 15-25 dollars in amazon.


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## bluecat (Sep 28, 2014)

Ok, thanks birbaliktanki. I'll look into some clip on leds if the plants don't start improving.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Baking soda at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 30 gallons will raise the KH by 2 German degrees of hardness, and in my tanks brought the pH up from less than 6.0 to 6.2. 

Potassium bicarbonate is another good additive, especially since it has a bit of potassium for the plants, too. You won't be using much, though.


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## bluecat (Sep 28, 2014)

Um Diana, is 1 teaspoon per 30 gallons what I was supposed to use.... I actually already mixed in 2 teaspoons of baking soda into the tank because I read someone posted 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons is enough. I tested the water before and it was at 6.6. 3 hours after adding the baking soda the ph of the water is at 7.6. I wonder if it will keep climbing or if 3 hours should be enough for the ph to settle? 1 ph point change shouldn't have major negative effects on plants, right?


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