# DIY Root tablets with Osmocote advice needed.



## Katfish (6 Dec 2012)

It is time for me to to redose my root tablets and have been looking at Osmocote on other sites about making them myself with gel Capsules.

Has anybody got experiencing with osmocote ?

If so did it have any bad effects ?

Which band did you use ?

How much osmoncote do you recommend per capsule?

Any other info that would be of help.


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## Iain Sutherland (6 Dec 2012)

hey, im pretty sure you can get osmocote in stick/pellet form already, i used the standard variety in my tank and seems to do the job...


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## Katfish (6 Dec 2012)

Which brand is the best one to get though as there is so many out there.

Also was just going to buy the little balls and do it it myself with gel caps as it works out cheaper.

This is the one I am looking at but not knowing if its safe or not 
Can someone let me know if it is safe etc ?
http://www.scotts.com/smg/products/osmo ... tShots.pdf


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## Katfish (6 Dec 2012)

I have also found this one (Osmocote Pro) this is the break down of what is in it. 
16% 	Nitrogen Total (N)

    6.5% Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N)
    8.5% Ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4-N)
    1.0% Urea nitrogen (Ur-N)

11% 	Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)

    8.3% Water soluble

10% 	Potassium oxide (K2O)

    10.0% Water soluble

2.0% 	Magnesium oxide (MgO)
0.30% 	Iron (Fe)

    0.06% Water soluble
    0.06% Chelated by EDTA

0.04% 	Manganese (Mn)

    0.02% Water soluble

0.01% 	Boron (B)

    0.01% Water soluble

0.040% 	Copper (Cu)

    0.030% Water soluble
    0.040% Chelated by EDTA

0.015% 	Molybdenum (Mo)

    0.015% Water soluble

0.010% 	Zinc (Zn)

    0.007% Water soluble


Is it safe to use?


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## Palm Tree (7 Dec 2012)

I have heard about people freezing osmocote into sticks then placing them under the substrate, must be cheaper than gel caps ...


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## Katfish (7 Dec 2012)

yes is cheaper to freeze but very quick to melt and being a 30" deep tank etc I am worried that some might come loose b 4 I get them in the substrate etc.

Also gel caps would cost me £2 for 100 of them which would keep me going for years.

All I need to know is what to fill them with


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## dw1305 (7 Dec 2012)

Hi all,
Just roll the Osmocote pellets in some clay, marble sized balls/sausages are fine, leave it to dry over 48 hours, you can then push these into the substrate without any problem, and you have quite a long "window of opportunity", before the pellets disintergrate.

You can use any controlled release (or slow release) fertiliser, I've used "Growmore" or "VitaxQ4" successfully and they are cheaper options than Osmocote. 

"Growmore" is really cheap, has 7:7:7 N2O5:K2O, but doesn't contain any micro-nutrients, and works really well, details here:  <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/posting.php?mode=reply&f=11&t=24565>.

cheers Darrel


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