Aquarium Co-Op root tabs exploded

[Alexoxoandra]

So I planted a bunch of plants over the last week and finally finished the last few this morning. I am using aquarium Co-Op root tabs, and there were 2 that didn't stay down enough and floated up so they were peeking out of the surface. I (stupidly) tried to push them back down causing them to explode everywhere and now the cories are eating the gel cap material?! It's so slippery and finicky I'm having trouble getting it out and the cories are literally tearing up plants to get to it. Are they going to end up getting sick? Should I do a water change or let the plants in the water column absorb the extra nutrients?? Sos pics of full tank to show. Only 2 tabs had this issue and both are on the left side

[Ragnarok12]

You're good, the Co-op created the root tabs so that nothing catastrophic would happen if they did fail, like in your case. The gel caps are harmless. The fertilizer within the caps is also not going to harm anything, it's fish/shrimp/snail safe too. You have a large volume of water in that tank, so the nutrients in those two root tabs shouldn't cause any spikes or anything. You have enough epiphytes in there that they'll suck them right up. 

To avoid this in the future, take a a needle and poke a few holes in the capsules before plopping them in the water and let the air escape before planting them. You shouldn't have the same issue with them floating if you do that. I use them in my tank in this way and never have a problem. 

Gorgeous tank by the way, I love the balance you have in there. What are the stem plants you have in the foreground just to the left of the central driftwood?

Edited April 14, 2021 by Ragnarok1200

[Emika_B]

You’re all good and I second poking holes in the capsules.  I poke a hole on either end before pushing them under the substrate.  Before I learned that trick, they’d pop up and the snails would eat the gel cap.  The whole thing is critter safe (though I wonder what if it would give a goldfish a tummy ache if one ate it whole), so no worries about the fish eating the capsule material.

[Sal]

This is all great information, I have some root tabs I was just about to put in my tank also!!  Thanks for sharing!

[Alexoxoandra]

7 hours ago, Ragnarok1200 said:

You're good, the Co-op created the root tabs so that nothing catastrophic would happen if they did fail, like in your case. The gel caps are harmless. The fertilizer within the caps is also not going to harm anything, it's fish/shrimp/snail safe too. You have a large volume of water in that tank, so the nutrients in those two root tabs shouldn't cause any spikes or anything. You have enough epiphytes in there that they'll suck them right up. 

To avoid this in the future, take a a needle and poke a few holes in the capsules before plopping them in the water and let the air escape before planting them. You shouldn't have the same issue with them floating if you do that. I use them in my tank in this way and never have a problem. 

Gorgeous tank by the way, I love the balance you have in there. What are the stem plants you have in the foreground just to the left of the central driftwood?

Thank you very much! Genius idea,poking holes. At least my cories enjoyed the adventure haha. And the plant is actually Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus from the co-op also! Every single plant in there is co-op except for one single anubis I had before haha. Thanks for the appreciation! Means a lot!!

[Alexoxoandra]

6 hours ago, Emika_B said:

You’re all good and I second poking holes in the capsules.  I poke a hole on either end before pushing them under the substrate.  Before I learned that trick, they’d pop up and the snails would eat the gel cap.  The whole thing is critter safe (though I wonder what if it would give a goldfish a tummy ache if one ate it whole), so no worries about the fish eating the capsule material.

Awesome thank you!! 

[Demobanana]

But none of this solves the mystery of why your cories like it so much! I guess we'll never know.

[Ben_RF]

If you are lazy like me, I just squeeze the root tabs to get the air out.  They look crinkled, but it seems to work.