EZ Root Tabs leaking in water column produce ammonia?

[Whisk]

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. 

[TheChosenOne]

I've had a few root tabs come uncovered. I wasn't concerned enough to do a water test as it was something i put in the tank on purpose.  I've even witnessed my fish attempting to eat the tabs. No adverse reaction or behavior witnessed. 

What I do now is poke holes or cut small slits into the tabs so that they take in water and stay buried.  Can't help with your actual issue as I've never noticed a spike myself. 

[CalmedByFish]

I get an increase in nitrates a couple days after adding root tabs, if the amount of new tabs was at least 1 per 5 gallons of water. That's the only parameter change I've noticed. 

[Whisk]

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

[gardenman]

The Easy Root Tabs aren't a traditional gel-cap fertilizer containing ammonia. They're primarily topsoil and clay with some trace elements added. The contents are: mineralized top soil, red clay, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate, potassium, manganese, zinc, molybdenum, and iron. Generic root tabs bought through other sellers tend to have only time-release fertilizers like Osmocote inside the gelatin shell which will elevate ammonia levels. They typically contain ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphate, both of which can cause a bump in ammonia levels in an aquarium. Is the "nitrate" in Easy Root Tabs ammonium nitrate? They don't say it is, so I'm assuming no. Even if it is, it's the fourth ingredient listed so there's not a whole lot of it. With generic root tabs using Osmocote or a similar time-release fertilizer, ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphate are typically the first ingredients listed, so there's a lot of it in those. 

If you have a dirted tank, I'm not sure the Easy Root tabs would help any. You're just mostly adding more dirt. If you have an inert substrate, then yeah, they'd help. I'm not sure I'd recommend them if you were using a UG filter as the topsoil and clay would likely get pulled through the substrate and away from the plants' roots. 

[Minanora]

I recommend testing your water frequently if you use them. I had some pop out and it spiked my nitrates way up and caused me several weeks of grief. Still dealing with the last of the fallout.

[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.

 

 

 

[Mmiller2001]

Root tabs are not necessary and cause too many problems, in my opinion. I stopped using them a while ago. Water column fertilizing is all that's needed.

[isaly]

On 12/15/2021 at 6:24 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Root tabs are not necessary and cause too many problems, in my opinion. I stopped using them a while ago. Water column fertilizing is all that's needed.

I was counseled to use an inert substrate and add root tabs as needed for the root feeders—more flexibility. It made sense to me, I mean it's chemicals in a medium to support root growth, right? and if it's true that root tabs aren't necessary there'll be none.

I used varigated pea gravel, mid tone natural brown 50% value if I squint.

[Mmiller2001]

On 12/18/2021 at 6:51 AM, isaly said:

I was counseled to use an inert substrate and add root tabs as needed for the root feeders—more flexibility. It made sense to me, I mean it's chemicals in a medium to support root growth, right? and if it's true that root tabs aren't necessary there'll be none.

I used varigated pea gravel, mid tone natural brown 50% value if I squint.

It also made sense to me as well. However, it turned out to cause more problems as the root tabs leached from the substrate. How much ppm are those things adding to the water? No one really knows as too many variables are in play. It's much easier and simpler to just control water column dosing. There are plants that prefer nutrient uptake from soil/ substrate, but root tabs rarely fill that void with inert substrates. That said, they can fill the gap for the less vigilant dosers. 

The truth is, the term "heavy root feeders" is misleading. It implies failure without root tabs, and this just isn't the case. A good balance of water column nutrition, coupled with weekly maintenance goes a long way in improving plant health. More so than root tabs, in my opinion.

 

 

[isaly]

I used seachem flourish tabs, there are five total supporting those that aren't stem plants. I'm guessing that the more I'd use the more might leach into the water. I buried 'em deep.

My substrates from 3.5 to 5" deep depending on where in the tank.

[Mmiller2001]

I would monitor Nitrates for any spikes. 

[isaly]

On 12/18/2021 at 10:15 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

I would monitor Nitrates for any spikes. 

Something just occurred to me.

People say that activated carbon in the filter will take out trace minerals in the water that plants use.

If one wanted to use carbon to reduce tank smell, would root tabs be advantageous (for the plants with roots like val and swords) because it wouldn't be able to take out those minerals from the substrate? whereas it would just suck the stuff out of the water column as wall as any root tabby stuff that made it into the water?

just a thought.

Merry Christmas, by the way.

[Mmiller2001]

I would not use carbon and the tank should not have a smell. If you are smelling something foul, something is wrong. If you use carbon, just run it for a few days and then remove it. 

 

Merry Christmas!

Edited December 25, 2021 by Mmiller2001