How do you make your own Root Tabs???

[TheSwissAquarist]

I live on the other side of the Atlantic and root tabs either do not exist or are prohibitively expensive. @JJenna mentioned that you can make your own…sounds interesting! 

P.S. I’ve had really bad luck with Crypts so these may help 🤷‍♂️

[Scapexghost]

There are a lot of ways. The most common is putting ozmocote into gel capsules. You can also freese mud in an ice try. You can also go all out like in option three in this Article.

[JoeQ]

I would not attempt the ozmocote method,  it has too many risks for inhabitants and from what I've read a different fertilizer "profile" than what is needed in an aquatic system. I have heard of mixing clay with potting soil, but non of these ideas come from reputable sources. That and at some point I would imagine you would get potting soil floating in the water column. 

Edited January 7 by JoeQ

[JJenna]

On 1/7/2023 at 11:48 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

that you can make your own

Who me? Not I...the only thing I make is Snello...there is another member Jenna, perhaps it is them. Now what would be neat to see would be plant spikes for aquariums. 

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 1/7/2023 at 1:10 PM, JoeQ said:

I have heard of mixing clay with potting soil...

Easy Root Tabs have clay soil in the capsules, right?

[Flumpweesel]

I use the JBL ones - well I say use I occasionally remember I have them and about twice a year they might get added. I just them more for new set ups. 

I can't say if they improve growth cause I'm so rubbish but they don't seem to do anything bad

[JoeQ]

On 1/9/2023 at 5:45 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Easy Root Tabs have clay soil in the capsules, right?

I'm not sure what they have, in full disclosure I do use Mexican potting clay in my substrate as a root available iron source (which I have a love/hate relationship with) and like I said above it gets released into the water column at times.. I would imagine soil mixed in would make a bigger mess than clay alone .

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 1/10/2023 at 5:26 AM, JoeQ said:

I'm not sure what they have, in full disclosure I do use Mexican potting clay in my substrate as a root available iron source (which I have a love/hate relationship with) and like I said above it gets released into the water column at times.. I would imagine soil mixed in would make a bigger mess than clay alone .

I don't know why I didn't just look it up myself: "We've designed them with actual soil containing clay and many other essential minerals plants need to thrive." and

Easy Root Tabs Contain:

• Mineralized Top Soil
• Red Clay
• Magnesium
• Nitrate
• Phosphate
• Potassium
• Manganese
• Zinc
• Molybdenum
• Iron

NPK 2.49 - 1.59  - 9.98

From the Easy Root Tabs page