[G0rkhe]

Hello, I am very new to planted tanks. Jungle Val is literally my first plant. I got them shipped a week ago and they came in brown due to cold. I cut the very brown parts and planted it in my tank (the planted ones were still a little brown). :icon_neut

Then I realized the LED kit light hood from walmart + one desk lamp with 11watt cfl (~2700k) was not at all decent lighting for any plants. So I bought two clip on lamps at walmart and two 23 watt 6500k cfl bulbs online (I'm waiting for it to arrive). :icon_redf

I also have sand substrate so I bought some root tabs online (which I am expecting it to arrive this week also). And after all this I realized I might as well get DIY CO2 system as well so I'm expecting that to arrive this week as well. :icon_cool

My question is, will my val survive till I get all my stuff put up this week? I had it with very bad (next to no) lighting and no ferts for a week. It looks like a lot of its leaves are melting with no sign of new leaves or new green anything. My Dwarf sag and Java fern on the other hand seem to be ok, but not progressing. Is it normal for jungle val to completely melt with no signs of green and then have new leaves come out later once it gets settled? :icon_ques

I currently have the two clip on lamps with two 11watt cfl bulbs at ~2700k for my 10 gal until I get my 6500k bulbs. The bulbs and fert, everthing will arrive in 2-3 days from today. Also my pH is at about 7.8.

This is what it looks like right now.

 

[OVT]

To answer two of your questions:

Will they survive? nobody knows. It really depends on how badly they got damaged by cold. If ALL leaves are melting, then highly unlikely. And that is irrespective of your current light and fertilization (Healthy Vals can prosper at pretty low light. Low light = lower demand for nutrients. The melting leaves are releasing nutrients).

Will they survive if ALL leaves melt?: Highly unlikely, especially in the current situation. If ALL the leaves got so badly damaged as to completely melt, the chance that roots and the bulb did not sustain similar damage is improbable.

Even healthy plants can have difficulties adapting to a new environment.

Sorry for my grim opinion .

v3

 

[Raymond S.]

What size tank ?
The two CFL lights are all that you need and could be more than you need.
The 23W ones are overkill.
10-14W is usual and depending on the size tank 1 or two of them till you get to 36".
But 6500K is what is normally used.
If you use two I'd try to get one of them in 4000K
Need more info/ tank size any ferts ?

 

[G0rkhe]

The tank size is 10 gallon and the fert I'll be using is osmocote root tab. So do you think there would not be a balance of fert and light if I put in a 23W one?

The root did not seem to be damaged at all when they came in, they looked all healthy when I planted them.

 

[oblongshrimp]

Vals are very sensitive to Flourish Excel too so if you are using that it will cause them to melt.

 

[jeremy va]

Everyone is giving you good information but, in my experience, Vals will often melt when they are transplanted -- but they come back. I just transplanted some (maybe 30) and a good number of leaves are melting. Sometimes, if they are large plants (8" or more) I cut them back to about 3" and transplant them because I figure most of the leaves are going to die back anyway. So, don't give up on 'em yet -- wait a couple of weeks and look for new growth...

 

[JwDiedrich16]

yes the val should survive no worries it does that usually

 

[ctaylor3737]

Yes they should come back, they just look like they usually do from shipping. Remember if you cut a blade chances are it will all die. Not always but if it was just shipped plant it and let it be. With any new plant there will be many changes and one thing you can learn in this hobby is patience. With plants nothing is quick, easy or a cure-all. Do your research on here and read some more, ask questions and if all possible keep your hands out of the tank until your sure that's the best course of action!

You will make mistakes and learn the hard way but that's the joy of this hobby.

 

[G0rkhe]

Thank you for your replies.

No, I haven't used flourish excel and don't plant to. I ordered, osmocote and some 00 size capsules to make DIY root tabs. I also ordered some stuff for DIY CO2 so i will put all those in the tank by the end of the week and see how it goes. Would 2 x 23 bulb really be over kill? I read that for tanks 10 gallon and less, you need more watts per gallon to achive the required PAR amount. I was aiming for mid to mid-high lights with CO2 so I could get dwarf sags make a carpet instead of just grow tall.

Any feedbacks?