Are there root feeders that can thrive without root tabs?

[Socqua]

Basically, the title: are there root feeders that can thrive without root tabs?

Say I have fluorite seachem and plenty of light. Are there any root feeders that will thrive, or at least survive, given the right conditions (nitrates, easy green liquid fert, enough fish poop, etc), without the use of root tabs?

Thanks!

[Andy's Fish Den]

I am sure that some of the crypts and sword plants that stay smaller would be fine without root tabs if you are using an enriched soil and there is enough fish poop etc in the substrate. Back in the early-mid 90s I had a beautiful 180 gallon tank that was planted, this was before LED lights, enriched substrate, root tabs. It was all regular aquarium gravel, sand and fertilized with fish poop. I grew sword plants that were huge, tons of jungle val, and crypts like crazy. 

[Socqua]

Thanks! I have some Amazon Sword that aren't doing too well without them, but I know they're heavy root feeders. Interesting that you had no issue growing them, so I'll have to think about my other conditions as well. I was thinking crypts, and I'll consider jungle val. I might be better off with something like java fern though.

What about Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus? Would it grow okay without root tabs?

Would love to hear others' experiences!

[Wes L.]

Alternanthera Reineckii grows extraordinarily well without root tabs. I had bought a few plants for a re-scaping and then didn't have room for them, so I just stuck them in my goldfish tank, which has an inert substrate...just tiny river rocks, never dosed anything and never used root tabs. These plants grew crazy quick. It got to the point that literally every week when I did a water change I had to trim them back. The goldfish must have supplied everything the plants needed because the plants literally grew like weeds. I actually got fed up with them growing so quickly so I yanked them all out.

[Andy's Fish Den]

19 hours ago, Socqua said:

What about Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus? Would it grow okay without root tabs?

 

Yes the octopus plant would grow fine without root tabs. It is a stem plant, so it will also take up nutrients from the water column and since you said you are dosing easy green, it would get what it needs from that. 

[Socqua]

Good info, thank you both!

@Wes L. I don't think I had seen that plant before, it's a red variant yes? And no CO2 needed? Very cool!

Edited January 27, 2021 by Socqua

[Wes L.]

@SocquaYes, there are a couple of red variants, however the red is actually more of a fuchsia pink. Here's a picture which is the most accurate I found. The top of the leaves are green and the under side a fuchsia pink. I have never used CO2 in any of my tanks. This plant is easy to find. I actually bought it at a chain pet store and the plant was in a little plastic bag and not in water. It wasn't too expensive so I decided to give it a shot. I figured it would melt since it's clearly not used to growing submerged, but no melting at all, just explosive growth.