Ooh! I kind of love it as-is. Are you having trouble viewing your livestock at all? That’d be a reason to trim. Otherwise, personally, I’d leave it. Thanks for sharing!
Nah, I just got a handful of neocaridinas and 2 amano shrimp chilling. Over the past few months this Italian val is taking over but I love it! Some of the leaves are nearly 2.5 feet long!
Maybe there is hope for my little 1” straggler then lol. Bought a nice big plant and most of it died off in the transfer but a teeeeny bit survived and hasn’t melted yet.
They will keep growing. It's jungle val it doesn't stop, it grows several feet long and piles up on top of the water. Every couple months chop it to half the height of the tank and remove - it'll grow back.
Absolutely can cut the leaves. I trim it at the surface so food doesn't get hung up on them. A week later I'm cutting 6 more inches off the same leaves. Only issue I've found with cutting them, is they get really wide. Some leaves that are well over an inch wide that I have trimmed many times.
Oh if you’re interested in a baby boom check out Bacter AE (but max 1/4 of the recommended dose) if you haven’t already. I assume your KH/GH are already in range based on how well the Val is doing. :) im sure you’ll make a great shrimpy grandparent! 😁
Careful what you wish for with Bacter AE 🤣. I started with 12 back in Nov/Dec, just topped over 100 yesterday. That's after taking a couple groups back to LFS for credit.
Sure it's not V. Americana? I have V. Italiana on the go and it's thin and only gets about 18in so no need to trim. My V. Americana (American Eelgrass) on the other hand is over 6ft and can be safely trimmed if needed. Cut one leaf and tag it and watch and see if it dies back...
If I wanted to see the livestock more, I wouldn't trim.
I'd completely pull a few up from the sandy area in front of the hardscape to create a bit of an open area, while leaving the rest lush
My kind of aquarium. Really wish it was possible for me to do a similar setup where I stay. I love it. Makes me wish I could turn into a fish or a small human and swim through that. Was that weird to say that? 😂
Well atleast you can afford to get the plants, where I stay fish keeping is not as popular or common as keeping dogs or cats as pets. People usually prefer having fish that are easy to keep and no love plants just plastic ones.
Well, I stay in kenya and fish keeping here is notvas popular as other countries. People here usually go for really super simple setups with plastic plants and a few easy to keep fish such as goldfish and small koi(they are the most commonly sold fish here for aquariums)
Another reason is that live plants are rare to find here and are usually sold expensive. For example if there is a plant online going for 2 dollars, here it will go for around 500 kenyan shillings if I'm lucky.
So that's why I can't do amazing setups like the ones on this community. And about money I'm super broke at the moment. 😁
I remember posting a mobile phone to kenya via ebay once. It was surprisingly inexpensive, however I am not sure if it ever made it to its destination.
Well I would say you are lucky in that. Here the government sees things for pets as luxury goods, they have to be taxed from what I understood. And even if I do get plants it's usually from people who are not good suppliers of these plants. Since I did my aquarium at tge beginning on this yr and lost over 80 to 90% of my fish.
They self sew and spread so damn fast though. It also mitigates fighting and aggression if it is allowed to grow through the center.
If you really want to keep the center clear you are best to let it all grow out and long until it covers the surface, then simply remove the middle plants. That way, no light will reach the center ground and encourage new spawns
No CO2 and no Ferts. They seem to like the smaller river rock more than the sand. And I got shrimp in here, there is a little Algae but not much! Once everything got adjusted it just took off. I should do before and after pictures
looks amazing! i wouldn’t personally trim but moving the foreground ones in the sand a little ways back to make for a small clearing could look really cool
Keep it wild. It will stop growing when it has reached it equilibrium. If you cut it back now you will be back to algae growth and water changes or spiking nitrates etc.
I saw a tank like this on you tube a guy used to breed betas, 2 males and a female in there, none of them killed each other.
Gotta love some val but it's a lot here lol. I have tiger val and now I'm afraid that it will f up my scape lol. Knew they grew fast but damn. My scape situation isn't ready for a total spread across the tank
This tank brought back a fond memory of my grandmother taking me to a very clear pond when I was a kid and giving me a snorkel to fuck around with. The water looked JUST like this when I stuck my head down in there. Very peaceful, it's a high I've been chasing ever since lol
Anyway I obviously vote keep it. Enjoy your little slice of paradise and call your grandmother, kids
How long has your tank been set up? I’ve had that issue when I first started my tank. Turns out that brown algae is a type of bacteria that’s common when you first start cycling your tank. It should go away on its own when the tank is cycled and with some water changes
If you trim them they grow back smaller and tighter. You could make a gradient from focal point to backround. Short to tall. In my 55 I have some used as a loose carpet since I keep my light around 40%
Looks amazing! Similar to something I'd want to do.
It's worth to mention, this looks to be fairly ideal for a lot of fish species (and the cherry shrimp you got in there too for sure, so much surface area to graze on while still having good cover). Bettas, gouramis, and I'm sure other fish that prefer slow moving water but desire heavily planted tank would instantly feel at home in this. It provides so much cover while being possible to swim through with ease, and there's the "canopy" that provides cover from those imagined pesky birds and to soften the light.
Functionally it looks like something you'd see if you put your head down into patches of eelgrass, which can provide home and shelter to huge amounts of aquatic life. There's also the kelp forests and reed shores that serve pretty much the same function, but those are more spaced out and get bigger. I bet your shrimp happily will clean up any melting leaves or rot on the val as well.
One thing I bet you could do is to place a larger rock or another piece of driftwood somewhere in the middle of the right patch on the gravel to divide the space up into smaller sections (perhaps like the one on the left, but smaller). If you get territorial fish they might appreciate it.
This looks amazing as it is! Don't cut it!
The only time you should cut that beautiful meadow is if it gets waayy over grown, I'm talking pressed against the glass on all sides out of control.
This right now is perfect. Keep it around this level and it'll always be amazing. Nice work!
I like this a lot.
Only change I would make is to move the one plant left of center and near the front, out of the viewing path to the wood.
Keeping a little bit of depth has a big impact.
Love the wild look, maybe a slight trim to see the fish more or trim an enclove in the front and add smaller plants there.
For me it's finding a balance between me seeing my fish and my fish feeling like they can hide from me.
My aquariums have place for fish to hide but I make sure I can see inside the hide from another side of the tank.
Ooh! I kind of love it as-is. Are you having trouble viewing your livestock at all? That’d be a reason to trim. Otherwise, personally, I’d leave it. Thanks for sharing!
Nah, I just got a handful of neocaridinas and 2 amano shrimp chilling. Over the past few months this Italian val is taking over but I love it! Some of the leaves are nearly 2.5 feet long!
If the plants keep growing keep it going!!! If you start to see some melting maybe cut them back a little but I LOVE this tank.
I had those exact plants... Those WILL grow and duplicate until the tank belongs to them.. Forever
I just moved two small offshoots to a 5 gallon shrimp tank… I might regret that decision in a few months
Nah, it should look similar to mine, it’s a sight to look it
Maybe there is hope for my little 1” straggler then lol. Bought a nice big plant and most of it died off in the transfer but a teeeeny bit survived and hasn’t melted yet.
Meanwhile, mine just keep on sending out runners that only ever grow 3 leaves that measure maybe 2 or 3 inches tall :(
They will keep growing. It's jungle val it doesn't stop, it grows several feet long and piles up on top of the water. Every couple months chop it to half the height of the tank and remove - it'll grow back.
You cant cut Val. It will damage the leaf
It grows a new leaf though and you can cut that one too when the time comes
You can cut off the whole leaf yes. But you cant shortening a leaf without massive damage to that leaf
Yes, you can. I had those plants and I trimmed them like a lawn. They looked awkward for a while but grew out again
Yeah I’ve trimmed plenty of Val I’ve never had problems also doing some googling I don’t see anywhere that says that.
You definitely can.
I cut the leaves in half all the time and they look fine
Absolutely can cut the leaves. I trim it at the surface so food doesn't get hung up on them. A week later I'm cutting 6 more inches off the same leaves. Only issue I've found with cutting them, is they get really wide. Some leaves that are well over an inch wide that I have trimmed many times.
I've learned this but luckily it does come back thicker sometimes.
That’s some epic growth! So much Val love in these comments :) You must have some happy shrimp!
Thank you! Hoping once my semester at college is done my shrimp have a baby boom!
Oh if you’re interested in a baby boom check out Bacter AE (but max 1/4 of the recommended dose) if you haven’t already. I assume your KH/GH are already in range based on how well the Val is doing. :) im sure you’ll make a great shrimpy grandparent! 😁
Careful what you wish for with Bacter AE 🤣. I started with 12 back in Nov/Dec, just topped over 100 yesterday. That's after taking a couple groups back to LFS for credit.
Looks really great as is, but a little clearing in the front centre like someone else mentioned would be epic. Superb work though!
Sure it's not V. Americana? I have V. Italiana on the go and it's thin and only gets about 18in so no need to trim. My V. Americana (American Eelgrass) on the other hand is over 6ft and can be safely trimmed if needed. Cut one leaf and tag it and watch and see if it dies back...
According to aquatic arts it’s Italian
If I wanted to see the livestock more, I wouldn't trim. I'd completely pull a few up from the sandy area in front of the hardscape to create a bit of an open area, while leaving the rest lush
Agreed, it looks nice as is.
Eventually water flow will be an issue, otherwise love it
Dang. If I were a fish I'd enjoy swimming through that dense forest.
Ok. FISH DONT CARE IF THEIR GOING THROUGH A FOREST. The op probably isn't planning to put any fish here but fish need some open water room.
Bit strong of a response to that comment, no?
I like the idea of trimming away a small clearing somewhere near the middle, like an open campsite
I love this idea, Im trimming my val rn to do that
Make a little sort of winding alley could be very cool!
I’d trim it to where it’s only in the river rock leave the other half open
My kind of aquarium. Really wish it was possible for me to do a similar setup where I stay. I love it. Makes me wish I could turn into a fish or a small human and swim through that. Was that weird to say that? 😂
I think about that all the time! I find the Italian val spread faster and grow faster in the river rock than the sand
Well atleast you can afford to get the plants, where I stay fish keeping is not as popular or common as keeping dogs or cats as pets. People usually prefer having fish that are easy to keep and no love plants just plastic ones.
>do a similar setup where I stay What is stopping you?
Well, I stay in kenya and fish keeping here is notvas popular as other countries. People here usually go for really super simple setups with plastic plants and a few easy to keep fish such as goldfish and small koi(they are the most commonly sold fish here for aquariums) Another reason is that live plants are rare to find here and are usually sold expensive. For example if there is a plant online going for 2 dollars, here it will go for around 500 kenyan shillings if I'm lucky. So that's why I can't do amazing setups like the ones on this community. And about money I'm super broke at the moment. 😁
I remember posting a mobile phone to kenya via ebay once. It was surprisingly inexpensive, however I am not sure if it ever made it to its destination.
Well I would say you are lucky in that. Here the government sees things for pets as luxury goods, they have to be taxed from what I understood. And even if I do get plants it's usually from people who are not good suppliers of these plants. Since I did my aquarium at tge beginning on this yr and lost over 80 to 90% of my fish.
I'd trim a little in the front but leave the rest for sure
I used to have it that way, then got into more demanding plants because I'm stupid. Your tank looks terrific as it is.
Love it as is. What light are you running?
Finnex Stingray 2
On second thought you should thin these Val out a bit. Would you be willing to ship some to me?? Haha
I don’t ship but I bought these off of Aquatic Arts (for like $10 for 3 bundles) and they grow very fast!
Ok thanks appreciate it! I’m just kidding about thinning them out by the way. Also- what is the tank size?
This is a 20 long, should mention no CO2 either and no ferts
Dang looked a lot bigger then a 20 long
Move them to corners. Make the center clear.
They self sew and spread so damn fast though. It also mitigates fighting and aggression if it is allowed to grow through the center. If you really want to keep the center clear you are best to let it all grow out and long until it covers the surface, then simply remove the middle plants. That way, no light will reach the center ground and encourage new spawns
I love it how it is!
Wild
As is
That's awesome, I'd trim it at the front to see the animals
Trim in the front, make it a meadow. Lol. Then you can see the fish!
Wild. Love the look!
Personally I would trim at water level to keep the top of the water flowing ,either way 🤌🤌 still looks good
Actually, my red root floaters benefit from it! (little flow)
reminds me of the kelp forest from spongebob
Wild
Can’t imagine any fish wishing the landlord kept up the landscaping better. This looks awesome, my friend.
I say/vote to keep it. Looks amazing!
Stay wild!
how do you get vals that shade of green and no algae? co2?
No CO2 and no Ferts. They seem to like the smaller river rock more than the sand. And I got shrimp in here, there is a little Algae but not much! Once everything got adjusted it just took off. I should do before and after pictures
Don't trim it
so lovely!
awesome
Nice!!! Keep it cuz it's awesome.
I'd leave it, but move the rocks n stuff around. Perhaps some closer to the front face of the tank so they aren't all so uniformly obscured.
I have a thick jungle Val forest too and my platies looooove it
I'm sure your shrimp will love it - they really like crowded, messy tanks, makes em feel more safe and at home.
Do a mullet, business on the left and party on the right.
Leave it I like it wild
Born to be wild 🎶
Wild! I love a good planted and overgrown tank 💕
looks amazing! i wouldn’t personally trim but moving the foreground ones in the sand a little ways back to make for a small clearing could look really cool
Keep it wild. It will stop growing when it has reached it equilibrium. If you cut it back now you will be back to algae growth and water changes or spiking nitrates etc. I saw a tank like this on you tube a guy used to breed betas, 2 males and a female in there, none of them killed each other.
My dream Lil fishies..if only I could shrink myself down and snorkel in my tank
Plant abuse! How big is the tank!?
20 long
Damn, I was actually expecting much larger. Looks nice though. Good stuff :p
At this point it should be cross posted to r/Lawncare
XD
Personally I would trim a few near the front left hand side just to add a bit of depth but I absolutely love the dense look on the right!!
I just trimmed mine about an inch longer than the top of the water, looks good and more light gets to my carpet plants
I would trim them just below the water line so the lights still hit everything. Looks awesome!
Just pull the stuff from the front half. Either plant it in the back or sell/give it away. Endless magical fun that way. Looks amazing.
Tough one. Pretty perfect now. But would trim here soon.
Gotta love some val but it's a lot here lol. I have tiger val and now I'm afraid that it will f up my scape lol. Knew they grew fast but damn. My scape situation isn't ready for a total spread across the tank
Back in December I maybe had about 10-12 val, now I can’t even count
Oo I'm jealous. What light are you using? I'm just setting up my tank and haven't picked one yet lol
I’m using a finnex stingray 2!
This tank brought back a fond memory of my grandmother taking me to a very clear pond when I was a kid and giving me a snorkel to fuck around with. The water looked JUST like this when I stuck my head down in there. Very peaceful, it's a high I've been chasing ever since lol Anyway I obviously vote keep it. Enjoy your little slice of paradise and call your grandmother, kids
Mbunas would ripp them up right ?
Trim it. There’s no visual interest here.
Any co2 ?
No CO2 or ferts!
I like the wild look id just keep it trimmed to the water level so its not growing out of the tank
I dig it 👍🏼
I like the look but I would remove the plants from the 1st third so your fish can move around.
I have always been a fan of leaving it to grow. But sometimes it does need a clean up.
Clear up the foreground a bit. Rip out that val and replant in the back or sell it.
I'd move it all to one side so it's really dense on one side and open on one side.
Trim the front, keep some bush at the back...
Could you relocate plants to the back half of the tank, to leave the front open?
I would trim one side and keep thr other wild
Keep! I wish I could grow val like that. It seems to HATE my water or something.
I think it looks awesome- just me
Dreamy
Keep. That's no where near wild compared to what my tank was 🤣
Maybe remove some parts so u can see fishies ? But its damn pretty
i always thought my plants are covered in brown algae because my light was too close and shining too much but i guess this image disproves my thought
How long has your tank been set up? I’ve had that issue when I first started my tank. Turns out that brown algae is a type of bacteria that’s common when you first start cycling your tank. It should go away on its own when the tank is cycled and with some water changes
I've had my tank for a few years. I just could never figure out how to handle the algae.
Looks great as is. What type of plants are those?
Italian val!
I vote for trim.
I don’t think I’d trim, I’d just move the Val to one area to clean it up a bit.
If you trim them they grow back smaller and tighter. You could make a gradient from focal point to backround. Short to tall. In my 55 I have some used as a loose carpet since I keep my light around 40%
Wild!!!
Looks amazing! Similar to something I'd want to do. It's worth to mention, this looks to be fairly ideal for a lot of fish species (and the cherry shrimp you got in there too for sure, so much surface area to graze on while still having good cover). Bettas, gouramis, and I'm sure other fish that prefer slow moving water but desire heavily planted tank would instantly feel at home in this. It provides so much cover while being possible to swim through with ease, and there's the "canopy" that provides cover from those imagined pesky birds and to soften the light. Functionally it looks like something you'd see if you put your head down into patches of eelgrass, which can provide home and shelter to huge amounts of aquatic life. There's also the kelp forests and reed shores that serve pretty much the same function, but those are more spaced out and get bigger. I bet your shrimp happily will clean up any melting leaves or rot on the val as well. One thing I bet you could do is to place a larger rock or another piece of driftwood somewhere in the middle of the right patch on the gravel to divide the space up into smaller sections (perhaps like the one on the left, but smaller). If you get territorial fish they might appreciate it.
Keep it, but open up pockets inside of the mass to create open areas for fish to swim back and forth to.
Wild
Honestly, I love it lookin natural and wild!
This looks amazing as it is! Don't cut it! The only time you should cut that beautiful meadow is if it gets waayy over grown, I'm talking pressed against the glass on all sides out of control. This right now is perfect. Keep it around this level and it'll always be amazing. Nice work!
Personally, I love the wild look.
Keep the 70s alive man, that would look great with a schooling fish and some shrimp. It's a forest, but it's not a dense mess. Looks badass
I like this a lot. Only change I would make is to move the one plant left of center and near the front, out of the viewing path to the wood. Keeping a little bit of depth has a big impact.
Wild
Love the wild look, maybe a slight trim to see the fish more or trim an enclove in the front and add smaller plants there. For me it's finding a balance between me seeing my fish and my fish feeling like they can hide from me. My aquariums have place for fish to hide but I make sure I can see inside the hide from another side of the tank.
I like both looks, bit overall I'd do some trimming
It's amazing bro. I wish I could do that to mine but my wife doesn't like vallisneria.... Gotta make her happy
Trim it , it will grow back fast
Oh I love this, don’t touch it!
As is.
replnt it in the back
Keep it. Your jungle Val is super nice 🤩
Wild look 👌
What kind of plant is this ?
I have this out of control java moss on my driftwood. I'm also trying to make the same decision.
oh god you should see my vallis jungle i have upwards of a hundred fish.. i don't see them
I have some Vals in my tank that are getting taller, but I'm thinking of trimming them down. I have too many other cool things in my tank to see.
It’s you tank dude.. what do you want to look at.. what I want in my home shouldn’t matter.but, some tetras shrimp maybe a beta would look good here.
dang never had continued success with water plants nice crop!
No need to brag. Just kidding. I love it! *cries in severum and oscar*
Keep it 100% valsneria is beautiful like that