Good background plant -- Suggestions

[geowashlaw]

I'm tiring of my camboba forest. It grows fine and I'm trimming it (and mailing it to AC members all over the place) constantly. I have two problems with it ... 1) I'm bored with it and 2) it grows so fast and so large that it is starving my other plants of nutrients and shading them to the point that they don't get enough light ... I've seen a huge decrease in the vitality of my swords and such since introducing it to the tank about 3 months ago. It has definitely reminded me of why I swore to never keep stem plants again a couple of year back ...

I want something that will fill in nicely across the back, hide the back of my tank from view, be tall and full, but narrow (I know, camboba fits this description perfectly) and not be a stem plant!

[DylanisHawttt]

Why not some Jungle val? It's narrow leafed, a root plant, and sends runners that'll grow and repeat the cycle.

[Lady Hobbs]

I have spiral crypts and love them. They spread and grow a massive root system. But fish can swim thru them. This plants grows so fast! And Excel does not kill it altho I have to say I do not overdose with Excel like some do.

I started with probably 6 plants and have sold some, tossed some and given piles of it away.

[geowashlaw]

Dylanis ... every val i've ever put in my tank has died :-( ... but I've definitely thought of it

LH -- I have some spiralis in the tank now and I like it. That may be a good idea. I have CO2, so the Excel thing is not a problem for me. Mine doesn't seem to spread that fast though. It grows lots of new leaves, but rarely new plants. What's your secret to getting to to spread? I have 10 - 15 in a bunch. Should I spread them out so that they have room to spread?

[Lady Hobbs]

I have separated mine numerous times. The root system is nuts on them. You try to pull up one and get 20. I have to cut the roots back in order to replant them. Perhaps thinning them out helps them because I know mine sure has been moved around........a lot!

The first time I attempted to pull out one.......I got a clump of roots and plants as large as a dinner plate!