Root Tabs and Undergravel Filters Yes or no?

[Tanked]

Bentley, Cory, and others have discussed the benefits of UGFs in the planted aquarium.  The most common answer for struggling plants is to use root tabs.  So, the basic questions are:

1. Am I wasting money by using root tabs and Easy Green with a UGF 
2. Does the dosing change 

 My thoughts are that while the air driven UGF will allow the nutrients to remain in place for a shorter period, Powerheads will put them back in the column rather quickly.

 

[lefty o]

you arent wasting money, as the fertilizer in the root tab is still going into the water column. i would say dosing remains the same, as it all still goes into the water.

[Cory]

I personally have only ever done easy green with undergravel, not the root tabs. So I can't say if it would be beneficial or detrimental. My initial reaction is detrimental so I avoided it, but not based on proof.

[Pepere]

I have bags of aquasoil capped with coarse sand or gravel over ugf.  I will occasionally place root tabs on top of some of the bags with the thought of helping to replenish them…. I dont know that it hurts or helps..  

I also use Easy Green holding my nitrates around 20 ppm with weekly 50% water changes and pressurized co2.

regardless things seem to be growing well…

 

[Tanked]

On 12/14/2023 at 4:05 PM, Pepere said:

 

 

Other than extra light, do the plants on the gravel hill  do any better/worse than the others? 

[Pepere]

On 12/16/2023 at 11:15 AM, Tanked said:

Other than extra light, do the plants on the gravel hill  do any better/worse than the others? 

Well, I only have the aquasoil on that side of the tank.  It is not the reason for the hill, but it worked out that way…

 

on the lower level it is a sand substrate… The only thing growing on that low side is Elodia…

 

the Pink Flamingo crypt certainly appears to appreciate the aquasoil…. I have retrenched that back several times…. It keeps coming back thick…

[Tanked]

On 12/16/2023 at 11:41 AM, Pepere said:

Well, I only have the aquasoil on that side of the tank.  It is not the reason for the hill, but it worked out that way…

 

on the lower level it is a sand substrate… The only thing growing on that low side is Elodia…

 

the Pink Flamingo crypt certainly appears to appreciate the aquasoil…. I have retrenched that back several times…. It keeps coming back thick…

I am considering building a terrace for the 29 in the misguided belief that 2" of gravel just isn't enough for some plants.  For now at least, my crypts, and the Tiger Lotus, seem to be happy in less.  My Elodea is never happy when I try to keep it planted.

[Pepere]

 

On 12/17/2023 at 10:27 AM, Tanked said:

My Elodea is never happy when I try to keep it planted.

Well my Elodia is planted in maybe an inch of sand with no root tabs and I pull gobs of it out every week…
 

Based on my experience I would not be suspecting the substrate is the limiting factor yours is experiencing…

 

I built up the terrace on this tank as it was originally on top of a stand next to my recliner and it allowed me to look up the slope at it…  but now it is on lower level of a 2 tier stand.