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Considering adding crypts to my community setup. Looking for a variety that'll grow tall but stay manageable. I've heard they're a breeze to grow, so that's a plus. I've got sand in this tank - will they also need some soil to thrive?

I've had some experience with Vallisneria, also known as jungle Vals, in my planted tank. I planted them in gravel and initially they had some melt issues, but they started growing pretty well. That was until my golden mystery snail decided to go on a rampage and cause some damage. Despite that, some of the Vallisneria is still growing, and I've managed to keep it going without adding any special chemicals or soil.

oldraider wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:51 am I've had some experience with Vallisneria, also known as jungle Vals, in my planted tank. I planted them in gravel and initially they had some melt issues, but they started growing pretty well. That was until my golden mystery snail decided to go on a rampage and cause some damage. Despite that, some of the Vallisneria is still growing, and I've managed to keep it going without adding any special chemicals or soil.

Whoa, snails can be a handful. I've got seven different kinds in my tank, just thinking about it is making me nervous.

I had a couple of them and they ended up causing some trouble - uprooting a few plants and nipping at the leaves of others. I separated them and moved one to a different tank, and the one that's still in my 55 gallon hasn't been a problem since. It's weird, though - I had them for two months and they were great, no issues at all. I was actually thinking of getting a few more, but that's on hold for now.

It really comes down to personal preference. I've had good experiences with both crypts and Vallisneria. The Vallisneria tends to spread with runners, producing new plants. I started with a single Vallisneria and now I have a total of five, plus some extras. Both plants are relatively easy to care for and seem to thrive in sand, at least in my experience.

Vals can be a slow burn, taking their time to get established, especially after a root trim. But once they kick in, they're off – and if you let them, they'll take over the entire tank. Like Riotstorm mentioned, they produce runners, making it easy to snip off the extras with a pair of scissors and keep them in check. I've had mine for a while now, and they're doing great.

As for crypts, I'm still getting familiar, but my cryptocoryne wendtii are doing well so far. I recently added a couple to my community tank, and they're settling in nicely. There was some initial melting, but it was less than I expected, and I started seeing new growth in under a week. I did give them some root tabs to help them along.

Thanks a lot, everyone. Really appreciate all the input, now I just need to decide which way to go...

When considering these two plants, there are two key factors that haven't been discussed yet - light and water hardness.

Vallisneria does better in harder water, which is no surprise given its natural habitat in the rift lakes. It needs calcium to thrive, and the brighter light in these lakes also supports its growth. In fact, Vallisneria grows rapidly when it has ample light and nutrients.

On the other hand, Cryptocoryne species can handle less light and softer water. Since they're slower-growing, they can make do with fewer nutrients.

I've found that Vallisneria is generally hardier and easier to care for, being less prone to melting when parameters or light change.

Vallisneria will do better in harder rather than softer water as it needs the calcium. It grows natuflakely in the rift lakes, so that should tell us something.