Giant Vallisneria. Fast-growing green veil

The tall, ribbon-like leaves of the Giant Vallisneria make it a true showpiece in any aquarium, rapidly filling it with a luxuriant greenery. Aquarists like this plant not only because of its eye-catching appearance but also because of its quick growth, which produces an underwater curtain that gives the environment depth and beauty.

The Giant Vallisneria is a great option for creating a vivid, green backdrop in your aquarium. Its long leaves gently sway in the water, giving fish the ideal hiding place and improving the overall appearance of your tank.

The Giant Vallisneria is a plant that can thrive with little care, regardless of experience level. It may quickly turn your aquarium into a verdant, lush haven because it is flexible enough to adjust to various water conditions.

Distribution

In the wild, reservoirs with stagnant or barely moving water are home to Vallisneria gigantea. Southeast Asian islands serve as the primary distribution area.

D. The plant is found in Korea, China, Japan, etc. Though it can also be found in areas with slightly salted water, fresh water is where it grows most commonly.

Fast-growing aquatic plants called giant vallinia create a lush, green veil in aquariums that provides fish with a natural habitat and aesthetic appeal. Simple to maintain, it absorbs excess nutrients to quickly turn tanks into colorful underwater landscapes while also contributing to the preservation of water quality.

Growing and care

It’s fair to say that Vallisneria gigantea is among the first plants that beginning aquarium hobbyists should become familiar with. Because there aren’t many stringent requirements for the water’s quality, it is relatively simple to maintain.

However, Vallisneria gigantea should only be kept in large aquariums due to its size. If not, its lengthy leaves will start to splay across the water’s surface, shading out nearby plants.

Vallisneria gigantea can be planted in aquariums containing herbivorous fish, in contrast to many other tropical plants. It will be challenging to bite into or harm its leaves because they are quite robust and resilient.

Expert aquarium keepers have noticed that an "old" aquarium with lots of organic matter is ideal for Vallisneria to grow. This is also made easier by the silt that has accumulated on the ground, which is extremely beneficial to this plant.

Vallisneria gigantea can start to bloom if all the right circumstances are met. On it, tiny white bell-shaped flowers form during the flowering season.

Water parameters for ideal maintenance

Vallisneria gigantea should be kept in tropical aquariums with the following water parameters, according to experts:

• temperature — 20-26ºС;
• total hardness — 2-8º;

• carbonate hardness — 5-15º;
• acid-base balance — 6.5-7.5.

Since Vallisneria gigantea grows well in both old and new water, there is no need for frequent water changes. You can concentrate on your more exacting neighbors in this way.

Owner reviews of Vallisneria gigantea indicate that the plant will not put up with rust in the aquarium. The latter typically includes tap water from the city. If the Vallisneria starts to wither under all other properly configured conditions, it is advisable to investigate the water’s composition.

Lighting requirements

Vallisneria requires around 50 Lm / l of light, which is a fairly high amount. Fluorescent lights with a 0.5 W/l power output can be used for this.

You might need to add more side lighting, even if the plant is housed in a large aquarium.

In Vallisneria, there should be 10 to 12 hours of daylight on average. In order to control the plant’s growth and size, some aquarists also experiment with the lighting’s duration and intensity.

Demanding to the soil, nutrient substrate

Vallisneria gigantea needs nutrient-rich soil that is high in microelements. The plant grows strong, robust roots that penetrate deeply into the substrate. Because of this, the soil in the aquarium needs to be at least 7-8 cm thick.

Iron should be the main element in the soil. You can add ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, which is a rich source of nutrients, and Seachem Fluorite soil, which is made of clay, to the bottom of the aquarium so that Vallisneria will receive it in large quantities.

Demanding to fertilizers

The silt that has accumulated on the ground provides Vallisneria with most of its nutrients. While having too much of some macronutrients can harm a plant’s growth and appearance, organic matter is still necessary. For instance, Vallisneria gigantea cannot withstand excessively high sodium ion concentrations. It is also negatively impacted by high copper concentrations.

You can place tablet fertilizers beneath the root system after planting, such as:

Fertilizers can only be required for extra support during this period if the plant starts to wither or lose its color.

Reproduction

Lateral soil layers aid in the vegetative appearance of Vallisneria daughter rosettes. The new plant can be split off from its parent and moved to a different location once 3–4 leaves have formed on such a "runner" and roots have started to show.

Additionally, Vallisneria gigantea can procreate through seeds. However, for a novice aquarist, this breeding technique can be highly challenging. One of the unique characteristics of Vallisneria is that each plant only produces flowers of a single sex.

This means that multiple rosettes of various genders will need to be stored in a single vessel. Since different plants may not flower at the same time, the more Vallisnerias there are in an aquarium, the more likely it is that specimens of different sexes will flower at the same time.

Variations and forms of the plant

A number of other subspecies of Vallisneria, besides the giant, are frequently found in aquaristics:

• Twisted-leaved. Also known as Mini Twister. The name reflects the main feature of the plant – a slightly twisted shape of small leaf blades growing no more than 15 cm in length. Due to its small size, it is used mainly in the foreground of the aquarium.

• Bivana. Another name is spiral. The leaves of this Vallisneria grow from 5 to 50 cm in length and have the shape of a strongly twisted spiral, which is why the plant got its unofficial name. It is undemanding to the composition and temperature of the water, like other species, but requires more intense lighting. In aquascaping it is used as a mid-ground plant, and in large aquariums it can even be placed in the foreground of the composition.

• Floating or natans. This Vallisneria comes from Australia and is very hardy, it can grow both in stagnant water and in reservoirs with a strong and fast current. The leaf blades grow on average up to 50-100 cm in length, have three longitudinal veins. Unlike the giant Vallisneria, it feels comfortable at a temperature of +18ºС.

If you want to give your aquarium some lush, green beauty, the Giant Vallisneria is a great option. Its remarkable height and rapid growth provide a gorgeous, organic backdrop that can completely change the appearance of your aquatic habitat.

This plant is perfect for both novice and seasoned aquarists because it is not only aesthetically pleasing but also low maintenance. Your fish will have a healthy, oxygen-rich habitat if you give the Giant Vallisneria a little care and attention.

Adding this quick-growing plant to your aquarium will make it look much better overall and help maintain a healthy ecosystem, which will result in a colorful and healthy aquatic environment.

Video on the topic

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