Mebbid's DIY root tabs

[Tacit Blues]

Okay, another question--I just started a 2 gallon hex shrimp tank, well, bowl, really, since it's currently without filter or light (with anacharis, lemon bacopa, java fern, and one Italian val rootling... and two tiny frogbits, and simple Black Diamond sand instead of the ecocomplete in the big tank) and I just ordered some Osmocote+ and gel caps, but I was wondering how many root tabs I should/could put in there, since it's probably only 10" across at the widest.

And wow, that was quite the run on sentence.

 

[Mebbid]

I would probably use two of them.

 

[Delapool]

A small footnote. I have gelatine capsules I believe. Made up about 2 dozen and noticed my hands were a little sticky. Thought nothing of it but turns out there must of been more moisture than I thought in air or on hands as all of the capsules had kind of melted together or had holes when I came to use them. Will go back to making them up the night before.

 

[RadMax8]

Delapool,

I made a whole package of gel capsules (~100) and put them in a Tupperware container. I also added one of those "DO NOT EAT CONTENTS" silica packets to the container. I've had zero problems. Might want to try this next time you want to make a batch.


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[Fresh2o]

Ditto. I rec'd a shipment of these and one or two silica gel pack were included for moisture control. Was not sure why they were in there at first but now it makes sense.


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[Delapool]

Thanks all, excellent idea.

I did end using them although they were pretty messy and probably shouldn't have. Probably lucky I put mostly clay in these ones to try.

 

[Snuffy Smith]

If don't have the silica packs rice will do well for moisture control also


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[Delapool]

If don't have the silica packs rice will do well for moisture control also


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Thanks that should keep me going as I expect the kids will get some with their presents.

It's been interesting on phosphate. It was 5 to 10ppm, then I ran lights for 16hrs per day for a few weeks and it dropped to 0.5ppm. After using the root tabs it jumped to 2ppm the next night. I suspect my ferts dissolve pretty quickly.

 

[Delapool]

I just realised as well that I need to start counting these as I put them in. Nitrates and phosphates bounce all over the place month by month for me depending on if I'm restocking plants or the fish are eating the last one. I carefully measure out the dry ferts dose but the substrate tabs is just however many I felt like making that night.

 

[Fresh2o]

I just realised as well that I need to start counting these as I put them in. Nitrates and phosphates bounce all over the place month by month for me depending on if I'm restocking plants or the fish are eating the last one. I carefully measure out the dry ferts dose but the substrate tabs is just however many I felt like making that night.

Good point. I record this in a log. Same log I use for recording water parameters and changes in hardware, dry fert mix and dosing, etc.
I just added 5 tabs to each tank last night. The root tab injector worked perfectly.


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[Tacit Blues]

Hey, in that vein I have another question--I bought the O size caps, which I think are half as big as the OO size, so should I dose them twice as densely? (If I remember the suggestion was about 1 tab every 6" for the OO size)

 

[Mebbid]

Hey, in that vein I have another question--I bought the O size caps, which I think are half as big as the OO size, so should I dose them twice as densely? (If I remember the suggestion was about 1 tab every 6" for the OO size)

You could, I doubt it would hurt anything.

 

[trennamw]

Ditto. I rec'd a shipment of these and one or two silica gel pack were included for moisture control. Was not sure why they were in there at first but now it makes sense.


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Yeah ... I swiped two from vitamin bottles when I shipped those to be safe.

I made the mistake of reaching in the baggie with wet hands and like Delapool several stuck together and got holes within minutes.

To another question ... The 0 hold 40-50% as much dried herb as a 00. My guess with the large grains of Osmocote it's more on the 40% end. I may have that backward, at any rate the smaller are less than half.

I stuck smaller size under each cluster of plants in a low to medium light tank, in which I add a quarter dose of API co2 boost and some leaf zone. The plants grew a sudden inch in the week after adding the tabs but haven't continued growing at that rate. Obviously something else became the limiting nutrient, could be that nitrates in th tank have dropped. Still faster than the seachem tabs.




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[fish wrangler]

I just got a container of the Osmocote Plus Indoor and outdoor. I don't have gel caps, but was planning on adding the grains to an ice cub tray and adding a little bit of water.

Would this work, and how many grains should I put in each tray?

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[Mebbid]

I just got a container of the Osmocote Plus Indoor and outdoor. I don't have gel caps, but was planning on adding the grains to an ice cub tray and adding a little bit of water.

Would this work, and how many grains should I put in each tray?

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I would say maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon would be a good amount. Should give you an amount comparable to a size 00 gel capsule or just a hair more.

 

[fish wrangler]

I would say maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon would be a good amount. Should give you an amount comparable to a size 00 gel capsule or just a hair more.

Thanks! Now I have to find the ice cube trays...hope my dad didn't toss them out when we got a refrigerator with a built in ice maker.

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[Mebbid]

Thanks! Now I have to find the ice cube trays...hope my dad didn't toss them out when we got a refrigerator with a built in ice maker.

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Use a bowl or shot glasses and break it into pieces.

 

[fish wrangler]

And then add the pieces to the ice tray with water??

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[Mebbid]

And then add the pieces to the ice tray with water??

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If you don't have icecube trays. Just freeze it in a bowl or shot glasses with water and break it into pieces the size you want.

 

[Delapool]

Do ice cubes work?

Well I know they will work but wouldn't the ferts then spread through the water column as the ice melts?

Or do the ferts kind of get bound up in the mulch in the gravel or something?