Jungle val struggles in my 50-gallon low-tech tank

[anne67]

I've got a 50 gallon low tech tank going on, amazon swords and a Nubkento4s are doing great, other plants too. But for some reason my jungle val just keeps turning yellow and kicking the bucket. I'm dosing with flourish excel once a week, and I've got a big als brand sand substrate in there. My lights are on for 15 hours a day, and I've got good bulbs from my local fish store.

[florian]

I'm thinking Flourish Excel might be your problem with the jungle val - it's actually pretty toxic to Vallisneria. Also, 15 hours of light is way too much, consider getting a timer to cut it back to 8 hours a day.

[breezo]

I'm pretty sure it's the Flourish Excel, it's known to be toxic to Jungle Vals.

[anne67]

Thanks for the help, @breezo and @florian, I think I've found the issue now.

[boomer]

The issue with Vallisneria and Excel is well-documented - it's a toxic combination. In most cases, Excel will kill Vallisneria species, along with some other plant species. I won't get into the details now, but suffice it to say it's not a good additive for any planted tank.

Regarding lighting, duration is a concern, as mentioned earlier. However, intensity and spectrum are equally important. Since your swords and other plants are thriving, it's likely not a major issue. Vallisneria, though, is a faster-growing plant and requires more intense lighting, along with balanced nutrients. This might make it a less-than-ideal choice for your tank. Additionally, Jungle Val, or Vallisneria americana, is a large plant with leaves that can grow up to 3-4 feet - some sources even suggest 7 feet is possible. This plant isn't well-suited for smaller tanks, and the lighting you have might be too restrictive.

[florian]

The issue with Vallisneria and Excel is well-documented - it's a toxic combination. In most cases, Excel will kill Vallisneria species, along with some other plant species. I won't get into the details now, but suffice it to say it's not a good additive for any planted tank.

Regarding lighting, duration is a concern, as mentioned earlier. However, intensity and spectrum are equally important. Since your swords and other plants are thriving, it's likely not a major issue. Vallisneria, though, is a faster-growing plant and requires more intense lighting, along with balanced nutrients. This might make it a less-than-ideal choice for your tank. Additionally, Jungle Val, or Vallisneria americana, is a large plant with leaves that can grow up to 3-4 feet - some sources even suggest 7 feet is possible. This plant isn't well-suited for smaller tanks, and the lighting you have might be too restrictive.

This is spot on, and couldn't have been explained better. Vallisneria grows naturally in Arkansas, specifically in America's largest trout farm, where they cultivate and release trout. I'm not entirely sure what its purpose is, but it's abundant right before a massive dam and waterfall, where the fish jump over into one of the streams leading to the main river. The Vallisneria there, which I believe is Vallisneria americana, is at least six feet tall, not counting the rest of the leaf that bends over, adding another two feet or so.

I've personally tried keeping Vallisneria in my five-gallon tank, and while it worked, I didn't quite get the results I wanted in terms of height. Instead, it spread more through width, not in the sense of runners, but just generally growing outward. Based on my experience, I would recommend a larger tank for optimal growth.

[Echoflux]

I've had some success with Vallis by cutting the Excel dosage in half. Some species seem more tolerant to it than others, and I've found that at this reduced rate, it grows just fine.

[anne67]

Thanks so much for the help, everyone - @Echoflux, @florian, and @boomer, I really appreciate your input on my jungle val issue.