Root tabs?

[Alex1]

Are these just as good as the API root tabs?
And are they safe for the fish?
Is all nutrients is this brand + iron
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441775294.083329.jpg


~ I love my fish

[Crush]

I don't have a clue, Iv stuck with seachem flourish root tabs.

[troy tucker]

I use APIroot tabs. I've never used anything else.

[TattedUpFishGuy]

I use seachem flourish also

[ptran]

Are these just as good as the API root tabs?
And are they safe for the fish?
Is all nutrients is this brand + iron
[ATTACH]29772[/ATTACH]


~ I love my fish

That looks like for regular plants and flower. It might not be designed for water plants.

[Alex1]

Well I looked it up and I put down for aquarium, and aquarium plants, and this is what popped up.
I use the API root tabs as well. But they are expensive. 1$ a tab. I will research more. Maybe call the company.


~ I love my fish

[Alex1]

I did some research on osmocote +, and jobes spikes-palms and ferns. Ok the problem other people having is keeping them out of the water and make sure they stay in the substrate. If it comes out of the water you may experience a algae out break and some ammonia spikes. There is a aquarium site where the owner makes there own special fertilizer for aquariums safely.
It called pea body's paradise. Still researching. I will see what I can find.


~ I love my fish

[EpikMuffin]

I've been using it and couple different types for over a year now. It's alot cheaper than root tab, $10 last forever. used them in my cherry shrimps tank also. They are for normal plants, supposed to be slow dissolved over 4 -6 months or so. I don't see much different with the root tabs as far as plants grow. They have some copper in there but I tested it on my shrimp tank and didn't see any issue. You don't need to put the fertilizer to the jelly tube as show in the picture.

[Alex1]

Which fertilizer do you use? How do you use it?
Where do you get it from?
I agree the root tabs we buy now are expensive. I'm looking for a more cheaper tab.
What brand?
10$ for 10 root tabs is crazy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EpikMuffin]

I use osmocote the pink like the picture you have and the green one (faster dissolve). I got them at walmart, but home depot sells them also. ~$5 - $10 depends on the size I don't remember exactly, check the plant section. Even the small bottle can last you a long time. You can order the jelly tube on ebay or amazon, but I'm lazy and it's extra work.

[Alex1]

Do you make sure it under the substrate? I use to use the jobes sticks many years ago, but talk about it being dangerous start to surface.
So that means you buy the osmocote +. The pink bag. You do have fish in there right? And you have never had a death of a fish or an algae out break?


~ I love my fish

[EpikMuffin]

yeah I used the osmocote + and another similar product from them but in a green packet instead of pink. I just poured it in an pushed it down around my plants with a chopstick. Over time some of them will find their way on top of the substrate. I haven't had an algae break for a long time. You can always change the water and cut down the light time if you have an algae break.

I've used them on my fish tanks (cories, neons, guppies, blue rams, rasboras, barbs, gourami, betta, pea puffer, etc...) and even on my cherry shrimps tank just to see if the copper in there would kill them or not. The Cherry shrimps still breed like guppies lol.

The only thing that ever killed my plants and shrimps was excel :/

[Alex1]

Wow! I didn't know excel could do that. I don't use the excel because I have co2 injection there fore don't need to.
I'm going to try the osmocote +. To see if it will work for me. I might get more info on it, I did hear that they would put it in a freezer ice tray and fill it with water, and when they freeze they stick it down in the substrate. I might try that way first just to be sure. Thanks


~ I love my fish

[EpikMuffin]

yeah just try it out. start with a small dose.

I think I overdosed the excel haha but I don't use it any more

[mredman]

I will be using Osmocote Plus, using size 00 gelatin capsules. The osmocote contains a sustained release non-toxic polymer consisting of vegetable oil. In their Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), it states: AQUATIC TOXICITY: May be beneficial to plant life

The key is not to overdose. At 21 C, the granules dissolve over three months but will be accelerated under higher temperatures. The gelatin capsules are also soluble in water.

Why pay $1 per tab when you can substitute an equivalent product. You can order 00 gelatin capsules on the Internet.

I used to work in agricultural research so I am very comfortable with this substitution.