Root Tabs and Fertilizer

[LiluDallas]

What have you had success with? I will have low tech , mostly water column feeders, some root feeders. I will be using black sand for substrate.u

 

[Zepp914]

I use osmocote root tabs (bought off Ebay) and the DIY EI liquid fertilizer from NilocG. I haven't had the liquid fertilizer long enough to say whether or not it has helped my plants, but other people swear by it. For low-tech, you are only dosing macro and micro once a week (on different days), so one order should last you a year or more. If you do root tabs, and stick to root feeders, you can probably skip the liquid fertilizer. I should have done that, but I really like variety.

My Water Wisteria, chain swords, and Creeping Jenny took off after adding the osmocote tabs. You have to add them right near the root and you don't want to use too many if you have shrimp. If you have any fish or snails that dig through the soil, you can believe that they will turn up some of the osmocote. It doesn't hurt anything other than appearances.

Before you do anything though, you should probably find out as much as you can about your water (especially if you are on well water). You can take a sample to a Petco and they will tell you the PH, Ammonia, Calcium, and Nitrate level for free.

 

[b considine]

I'm lazy and use the Seachem line per label instructions. I don't use root tabs, as I use a mineralized topsoil substrate. That said, root tabs probably couldn't hurt.

Blaise

 

[LiluDallas]

I use osmocote root tabs (bought off Ebay) and the DIY EI liquid fertilizer from NilocG. I haven't had the liquid fertilizer long enough to say whether or not it has helped my plants, but other people swear by it. For low-tech, you are only dosing macro and micro once a week (on different days), so one order should last you a year or more. If you do root tabs, and stick to root feeders, you can probably skip the liquid fertilizer. I should have done that, but I really like variety.

My Water Wisteria, chain swords, and Creeping Jenny took off after adding the osmocote tabs. You have to add them right near the root and you don't want to use too many if you have shrimp. If you have any fish or snails that dig through the soil, you can believe that they will turn up some of the osmocote. It doesn't hurt anything other than appearances.

Before you do anything though, you should probably find out as much as you can about your water (especially if you are on well water). You can take a sample to a Petco and they will tell you the PH, Ammonia, Calcium, and Nitrate level for free.

Do you mean my tap water or tank water?

 

[Zepp914]

Do you mean my tap water or tank water?

I assumed your tap water becomes your tank water. Regardless your tank water is the better choice as you will also get the current ammonia reading.

 

[LiluDallas]

I assumed your tap water becomes your tank water. Regardless your tank water is the better choice as you will also get the current ammonia reading.

Yes it is. But if I add things to the water(in aquarium) it'll read different, that's why I asked. Thank you for your advice.

 

[zendog]

I just bought some 00 size empty gel caps from Amazon to try filling with Ozmocote Plus, since I have a lot around for the garden. I'm hoping it will jump start some of my rooted plants that are very slow growing, probably since they are just growing in pool filter sand.