Can you get Nitrite from root tabs?

[BF McUmber]

Hello all,  

I got a new plant and root tabs yesterday.  I put them in the tank but did not realize that the root tabs float.  A couple followed my tweezers up to the ecocomplete surface , swelled to be visible and popped. I noted two for sure that popped.  Yesterday I did a 20% water change and rinsed my filter sponge in nonchlorinated water because I had a bit of melted plants in it.  I also planted a monte carlo yesterday too. 

Today my nitrites are at like 2.0 ppm!! I have not had nitrites for like 2.5 weeks. 

I just did a 38% water change and added some more bacteria.  What could have happened? 

[BF McUmber]

Our could planting the monte carlo and disturbing the substrate cause it to spike? The tank is a month old.  10 gallons.  

[Mmiller2001]

With such a new tank; most likely the sponge cleaning caused it. Also, I advise against root tabs with ecocomplete. Eco Complete will draw nutrients from the column and then release it to the plants. Also, it's pretty course and the tabs will leach right back into the water column.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Mmiller2001

[Kalita]

1 hour ago, Mmiller2001 said:

I advise against root tabs with ecocomplete. Eco Complete will draw nutrients from the column and then release it to the plants. Also, it's pretty course and the tabs will leach right back into the water column.

Interesting! So would you just do liquid fert with eco complete? I use both Easy Green and root tabs with my eco-complete, but I place them strategically for dominate root feeders. I know my Crypt seems to appreciate them... 

Also, I agree - likely the filter cleaning. If you have Stability, that may help if you have fish stocked.

[Mmiller2001]

18 minutes ago, Kalita said:

Interesting! So would you just do liquid fert with eco complete? I use both Easy Green and root tabs with my eco-complete, but I place them strategically for dominate root feeders. I know my Crypt seems to appreciate them... 

Also, I agree - likely the filter cleaning. If you have Stability, that may help if you have fish stocked.

I don't use them at all for any substrate, but definitely not for Eco Complete. It's designed to accumulate nutrients from the column and from detritus/mulm. It's also so course that the root tab is leached pretty quickly back into the water column.

Google CEC value for substrates. Eco Complete has a lower CEC value than some other substrates, but it still does a great job.

The left side of this tank is Eco Complete and the right side is pool filter sand. Only water column dosing.

[BF McUmber]

5 hours ago, Mmiller2001 said:

I don't use them at all for any substrate, but definitely not for Eco Complete. It's designed to accumulate nutrients from the column and from detritus/mulm. It's also so course that the root tab is leached pretty quickly back into the water column.

Google CEC value for substrates. Eco Complete has a lower CEC value than some other substrates, but it still does a great job.

The left side of this tank is Eco Complete and the right side is pool filter sand. Only water column dosing.

Is the eco complete supposed to look worse? 

 

Also if my nitrites are still high in my morning, is a 50% water change the highest you really want to go? I have 5 zebra danios and 2 nerite snails in the 10 gallon.  

I am a little worried on getting it under control because I have shrimp coming to me in the mail right now. So,  knowing they are more sensitive I don't want them to immediately die.  But also I am a little lucky that I did not make the spike next week. 

[Mmiller2001]

10 hours ago, bwar said:

Is the eco complete supposed to look worse? 

 

Also if my nitrites are still high in my morning, is a 50% water change the highest you really want to go? I have 5 zebra danios and 2 nerite snails in the 10 gallon.  

I am a little worried on getting it under control because I have shrimp coming to me in the mail right now. So,  knowing they are more sensitive I don't want them to immediately die.  But also I am a little lucky that I did not make the spike next week. 

Look worse how? You can do larger than 50% but you need to make sure GH, KH, temperature and TDS are similar. I do 50 to 60% water changes on my tanks. On my shrimp tank, I do 30 to 40%. But again, my parameters match.

For new shrimp, I would only change 10 percent every 2 weeks; and only more if Nitrates are rising. One they start breeding; then you could change more.