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Vallisneria alternative

NC10

NC10

Member
Joined
20 Nov 2013
Messages
566
Location
Sheffield
Hi all,

I wondered if anyone had any suggestions for an alternative to vallisneria. I've read that it doesn't do very well with liquid carbon which rules it out of my setup.

I've found Cyperus helferi, but it doesn't grow very big, around 30cm max. I need something 50+cm to hide the back wall.

Any ideas?

Cheers
 
Cyperus helferi will grow to 50+ when kept in low light IME. Other (not very similar alternatives) would be one of the big Eleocharis species, or perhaps Juncus repens or Cryptocoryne balansae. Or just give it a try with the liquid carbon. Don't dose it close and don't go overboard with the stuff and it will do fine! It just doesn't handle spot treatment with the stuff!
 
Thanks for the reply Yo-han, I'll go and check them out now.

If you're saying the cyperus grows to 50cm, I think I may just give it a try then. So it's the bright light that keeps it compact? It will be starting life behind some tallish bogwood I have which isn't in direct light, so hopefully this will force it to grow higher.

I'm off out in a minute so I'll see if I can bring a cheap vallis home, see if it can handle my current dosing.

Thanks for the help.
 
Thanks @Iain Sutherland that confirms what @Yo-han said. I'll have to wait until after the bank holiday, but I'll order some online and plant it between the vallis. I've done a bit more reading and it seems to like water on the cooler side. I'm currently around 25 but will be slowly raising it over the next few weeks to bring a few discus in. Battle of the background plants 😀.....and if they do both survive, it should be a nice contrast.

Thanks @stu_ That's what I'm currently using. What sort of dosage were/are you using? I'm supposed to be on 6ml but due to the fact the cap only has 5ml on that's all I'm dosing, so slightly under.
 
What sort of time scale are we looking at to determine if a plant is melting? The vallis has been in a week now and looking fine up to now. The one plant I can see the bottom of has sent a runner out if that's any indication? Maybe it's panicking? Last chance saloon 😀
 
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