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Re: Val Takeover
Lewis wrote:
>I have a problem with valisneria americana taking over a tank. I thought
>it wuold be a nice background covering the back of the tank -- and it would
>have been, if it had stayed there. Pulling it up in the places where I
>don't want it is problematic, since I have a clay/vermiculite substrate
>that clouds the water when rooted plants are pulled up. Any suggestions,
>either for this tank or for future tanks that I might put val in?
I had the same problem with my Giant Vals, since I use Substrate Gold. The
easiest solution is to cut the vals at the crown, and leave the roots in
place. Iuse a small, sharp scissor that seamstresses use for cutting
thread.
The roots eventually decompose in the substrate. Leaving several plants
around the ones you don't want helps this process. Healthy vals are an
excellent way of providing circulation in the substrate, since their root
systems are so robust. And no, I have never measured flow rates, or made
comparisons to heating cables, ug filters, power heads or any of the other
popular discussion items of late :-).
Augustine Rodriguez
Elk Mound, WI, USA