# Why are Vallisneria decaying?



## Mike Hawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Sounds like Nitrogen Deficiency to me. You might want to add some root tabs to boost health a bit also. You might consider buying some size 00 Gel caps off 3bay and some Osmocote Plus. Fill the caps with Osmocote balls and bury them close to the roots. They will last 2-3 months.


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

oops I know I forgot something. Should have added I have soil, substrate capped with sand. I do have a ton of root tabs.


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## KrazyFish (Dec 23, 2010)

How big is your tank?

Judging by the levels of light and fertilizing it must be at least 200 gallons?


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

Here some pictures. Looks like some of mini swords are having problems. Maybe pictures will help.



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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

I had issues with my Val a while back and I ended up pulling the crowns out of the substrate a little more and chopped them back to about 4 inches tall and withing a couple weeks I had vals up a foot past the water surface and across the top. 

Maybe double check to be sure the crowns are exposed first. They will die off if that is buried.


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> I had issues with my Val a while back and I ended up pulling the crowns out of the substrate a little more and chopped them back to about 4 inches tall and withing a couple weeks I had vals up a foot past the water surface and across the top.
> 
> Maybe double check to be sure the crowns are exposed first. They will die off if that is buried.


Thanks for info. Maybe that part of the problem. What part is the crown?

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## EdwardN (Nov 7, 2008)

*Crown*



Jim_PA said:


> Thanks for info. Maybe that part of the problem. What part is the crown?
> 
> Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk


The part from which roots arising and a growing point from the other side in the case of Valisneria. It may be that you burried the crown too deep. In the case you using 'soil' ( an anatema for me personally...), this problem exacerbates. Vallisneria with a little fertilization ( yours seem high to me) and small gravel or Turface as a substrate, would not be so touchy as to the depth of planting.


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

your not using excel are you that will kill em quick--
and just barly plant em-- or they do sometimes wilt
but looking at your sword i think its just new tank jeters


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

EdwardN said:


> The part from which roots arising and a growing point from the other side in the case of Valisneria. It may be that you burried the crown too deep. In the case you using 'soil' ( an anatema for me personally...), this problem exacerbates. Vallisneria with a little fertilization ( yours seem high to me) and small gravel or Turface as a substrate, would not be so touchy as to the depth of planting.


Thanks for the info. At this point do I need to pull them all out and trim all that dead stuff off, then replant, or from the pictures, are they beyond help and I need to buy some new ones?

Any thoughts on the swords?

Here what I was thinking of making change to the fertz

1 1/2 tsp KNO3
1/2 tsb KH2PO4
1/2 tsb K2SO4
1/2 tsp Plantex CSM+B (not sure about this one)
1/2 tsb Iron Chelate 11% DTPA (not sure about this one)


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

they call me bruce said:


> your not using excel are you that will kill em quick--
> and just barly plant em-- or they do sometimes wilt
> but looking at your sword i think its just new tank jeters


No excel, yeah the sword been in the tank about 3 weeks as well.

Thanks for info


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## jccaclimber (Aug 29, 2011)

How's your CO2?


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

jccaclimber said:


> How's your CO2?


I start the CO2 about 30 mins before lights come on (it on a timer), then it goes off about 30 mins after lights go out. The tank is 6 feet long. I have drop checker on the left and right side, both are green when the CO2 is on. They do go blue/green when the CO2 off.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Vals are pretty tough. I had them look completely dead and come right back so I wouldnt give up on them just yet. Just grab them and pull them up slightly, like a 1/8", just so you can see the top of the roots at the top of the substrate. I would then trim off any dead or dieing leafs as close to the bottom as possible as long as there is a couple decent ones left you should be ok. 

I have noticed though that they seemed to grow better for me when I had them in low tech tank which had harder water. I read they can use some stuff right out of the water column as a carbon source so that is why they seem to do better in harder water.


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> Vals are pretty tough. I had them look completely dead and come right back so I wouldnt give up on them just yet. Just grab them and pull them up slightly, like a 1/8", just so you can see the top of the roots at the top of the substrate. I would then trim off any dead or dieing leafs as close to the bottom as possible as long as there is a couple decent ones left you should be ok.
> 
> I have noticed though that they seemed to grow better for me when I had them in low tech tank which had harder water. I read they can use some stuff right out of the water column as a carbon source so that is why they seem to do better in harder water.


 
Thank you for the info. Any alt plants to vals? I have them all along the back of my tank. One of the reasons I like them is that I don't have to pull them out to trim them such as with stem plants.


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