Is it safe to use a ton of aquarium co op root tabs at once?

[2000tetras]

I don't like to re seed root tabs monthly. Would it be plant and fish safe to put 250 root tabs in 250 pounds of flourite to last longer?

[Mmiller2001]

That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. 😆

[Colu]

I wouldn't recommend doing that

[Torrey]

I think if the goal is to grow algae, that would be very effective. 

I don't know if it would be fish safe....

[Odd Duck]

Probably not a good plan, in fact a very bad plan.  You would very likely end up with tons of nitrates, potentially high enough to kill fish and slow plant growth, and might even kill plants at that dose.  They are designed for gradual release, but that many starting to release at once would be way too much.  You don’t have to place them every month, but you can’t place 6 or more months worth all at the same time.

[MarkM]

I seem to recall on one of the live streams Cory saying he does exactly that. (Not 250, but a bunch)

The way I understand it is the ferts get “sealed” in the substrate instead of being added to to water column. This way the plant roots can pull the nutrients in. Otherwise you would just dose into the water column like you do with easy green. 
 

from the How to use root tabs page

Because root tabs are water soluble, the key is to insert them into the substrate as quickly and deeply as possible. It’s okay if Easy Root Tabs accidentally pop out or get unearthed by your fish because they won’t harm the water quality, but ultimately, we want the root feeders to have access to more nutrients in the ground. Therefore, use planting tweezers or your fingers to push the whole root tab to the bottom of the substrate. (Do not remove the fertilizer from the capsule or else it will dissolve in the water column.)

Edited January 16, 2022 by mpm42

[Odd Duck]

I’ve done a bunch at once, but the amount OP mentioned seems very excessive.  I’ve had some minor algae issues if I add more than about 15 or 20 at once in my 100 gallon and I push them deep into my clay layer.  I am now using homemade root tabs, but I have used Easy Green tabs in the past, but at a lower rate.  I didn’t have algae issues with the Easy Green tabs but I didn’t use near as many, either.  It don’t see issues if I do lower numbers more often.  I started out with Osmocote granules layered in my substrate below the sand.

[MarkM]

Don’t think this is the one I was thinking of, but he talks a little bit about the how often you could dose and there being little risk over dosing with the coop root tabs. 
 

 

[Patrick_G]

@2000tetras What size tank is it? 250lbs is a lot of Flourite!