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I know these types of questions don't often get replies, but I'll ask anyway.

I'm going to redo the background section of my tank because my itlaian vals aren't really working out. They've grown quite well, but that's kind of the problem. They send out crazy runners all over the place and formed a tangled mess. I recently cleaned out a bunch of them, but now the tank looks empty and bad. The tops of them tend to burn when they reach the surface, and that just looks ugly. plus the blades are so light they always get sucked towards or into the filter intake and the powerhead that runs my CO2 reacter.

I'm looking for plants that are somewhat more "firm" and wont get sucked towards the filter and powerhead intakes. Something with a stem that won't get too tall, or that I can trim without ruining the look of the plant (which one cannot do with vals). I was thinking of moneywort, pennywort, giant hygro, asian ambulia or elodea. Would these work out? Any experiences with them?

I have 2.4 WPG and I'm running pressurized CO2. I dose ferts etc. as well. Thanks.

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Back in the saddle!

Pennywort will not help with your problems because it gets sucked up very easily. Moneywort would probably do better. Elodea IME has ended up dying and rotting on me. Giant hygro also has leaves like sails that will let it get carried away easily. Ambulia is a pretty good one, just remember to trim from the bottom, not the top.

HTH

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A big sword willalso work, or Bacopa, it grows quite tall and you can trimm and replant the cuttings make in it look more filling, for me giant Hygro has worked just fine, it's true the leaves are bigh but preatty hardy too.

Falstaf, by Bacopa I assume you're referring to moneywort, right? And thanks for the other suggestions, though I'm not sure about the swords since I have just regular gravel as a substrate. In any case I'm going to start planning... and saving

Anything else?

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Back in the saddle!

Crypt Balansae will grow to 2o to 22 inches with interesting crinkled bronze leaves. It should be tall enough to wave in a discharge without clogging an intake. C. undulata will grow to 14 inches and a mother plant will be dense and great for a background.

Hygrophila diformis will grow as tall as your tank and then out of the top without trimming. Bright green palmate leaves on this stem plant brighten up the tank interior. A side benefit is that it feasts on ammonia, nitrates and phosphates.

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