Whisk

I have gravel substrate and I test water all the time. Nitrate/Ammonia spikes only go up when I use the root tabs and when they pop up. As a test, I dropped a root tab into a container of water and checked the results next day. The ammonia test showed high readings, proof these things cause ammonia. The capsules themselves leaked green dye into the water tinting it green.

I will try your technique with the capsules to hopefully prevent them from floating up. I thought about crushing them too.

EZ Root tabs say they are safe for the aquarium, even if they leak into the water column because they werent buried deep enough. Sometimes this happens to me, i will see the capsule peaking to the substrate surface and every single time my tests strips show high levels of nitrates and nitrites and Water tests show high ammonia because of the tabs. Are these test strips showing false readings or are the tabs really producing ammonia. Water changes and purigen will help correct these test results. So far no fish or shrimp deaths when these spikes happen. Not sure what to believe here. Says root tabs are safe even when dissolved into water column. But causes massive ammonia spike which is not safe to me.