[w3stsid399]

I kept jungle val in the past in a 10 gallon which never melted right away and grew like grass, had to trim it every week. Now I have it in my 20 Long and 55 gallon tanks and they are not growing long at all, it is almost hard for me to tell difference between sag and jungle val. I want it to grow to the surface but it stops growing. They shoot off runners like crazy but growth is stopped. I am using Finnex planted plus lights on both tanks, maybe too much light??? doesn't seem like it. My 55 is dirted/low-tech. 20 has flourite. any ideas??? Thanks!!!

 

[PMoore]

Can you please provide a few more details. How long have the vals been in the tanks? How long are you running the lights? Did you recently start adding Excel to these tanks?

If you can, please post some pictures, that would help out a ton!

 

[AquaAurora]

I think you have Italian val NOT Jungle val (they are different plants). Jungle vals have 1" width blades and get 4-6 FEET long. Italian val is thinner and looks a bit more like sag.
NO input on the growth stopping, though they can take a month+ to adapt to a change in environment (move to new tank).

 

[lksdrinker]

Everyone seems to have an easy time growing jungle val, italian val, etc. I've given up on it completely. Cant grow it to save my life. Tried in various tanks and various combinations and just never had any luck with it whatsoever. In the past I had no luck in a low tech non c02 injected tank. Figured my higher tech, co2 injected EI dosed tank would do the trick and watched it melt away and die in there too (gave it plenty of time to bounce back and about a year later now there is 0 val left and I did nothing to physically remove it). Tried getting from various sources (most often other hobbyists and always have the same problem. I now use vesuvius and crypt spiralis as "replacements" and those grow well for me. Sometimes you just have to go with whats going to work in your tank for whatever unknown reason!

 

[AquaAurora]

I've grown Italian val and leopard val (about same measurements as Italian.. little thinner with red 'spots' on it) with liquid ferts or root tabs, no excel (melts it all in less than a day) and low-medium light, tanks with and without flow (canister and hob, or sponge filter) pH 7.5 gh kh 30 and 70 range, tds 120s, temps 65-76F, nitrates 0-20ppm, black diamond 'sands substrate. I've not done them in soil as I find soil based tanks a nightmare-ish mess if I want to rescape (which I inevitably do). Not sure about your pH and other params.

 

[lksdrinker]

I've grown Italian val and leopard val (about same measurements as Italian.. little thinner with red 'spots' on it) with liquid ferts or root tabs, no excel (melts it all in less than a day) and low-medium light, tanks with and without flow (canister and hob, or sponge filter) pH 7.5 gh kh 30 and 70 range, tds 120s, temps 65-76F, nitrates 0-20ppm, black diamond 'sands substrate. I've not done them in soil as I find soil based tanks a nightmare-ish mess if I want to rescape (which I inevitably do). Not sure about your pH and other params.

Leopard Val....another one I watched die. Sounds like the only difference is I use dirt substrate.

 

[w3stsid399]

I know it is a combination of italian val and jungle val, i bought like 5 different orders of jungle val back about 4 months ago now. This picture is of the val in my 20 long, but looks about the same in both tanks, very short. Also running my light 6 hours a day