Osmocote plus disaster

[Happi]

I was currently testing the osmocote plus for over the month or so, I added handful of osmocote deep into the aqua soil just to see what will happen. I already knew what was likely to happen because I have done a similar experiment before. But this one was more intense compare to the last one.

First week or two nothing happened because TDS was still reading low 30s then it started to go up, it was 150 over night and algae startred to appear eventually, NH4 and NO3 reading were quite off the chart.

As you can see the tank was taken over by algae and cyanobacteria. The tank was still reading high TDS after multiple water changes, only recently the TDS shows less Increase and there appear to be less algae.

I did not add any fertilizer to the water and only used 100% RO water for this experiment. Several plant melted away during this experiment.

In conclusion, I would recommend not to use root tabs, maybe one pellet here and there is fine but I don't recommend adding hand full. This experiment was mainly just to show you guys what to expect.

Now I have two choices, either wait for osmocote to complete its realese or redo the entire tank. The aqua soil must be completely charged with nutrients though 😄

 

[erwin123]

In conclusion, I would recommend not to use root tabs, maybe one pellet here and there is fine but I don't recommend adding hand full. This experiment was mainly just to show you guys what to expect.

yes there have been 2 recent threads about Tropica root tabs causing ammonia spikes...

I agree that one hand full of osmocote into a tank of that size, all at once, is a bit too much... though Rotala Kill Tank used 1 pound of osmocote i believe
2hr aquarist recommends 1 pellet per square inch.
Even then, you don't need to add it all at once.
You can add a little bit every week for 4 weeks, till you hit your target amount.
Then repeat every 3 months.

I am using 2 different brands of osmocote clones for a few months without any issue.
Plantacote Triple (NPK only, no trace)
Starxcote (NPK+trace)

 

[MirandaB]

Is that the one that has a 6 month release period under normal terrestrial conditions........16-18 month might have been better to try?
I think I'd stick with it now readings are starting to drop.

 

[erwin123]

Here's the release curve that I've posted elsewhere.

 

[Happi]

@erwin123
I did this experiment mainly targeting the downside of using the osmocote especially in excessive amounts. Far as NH4 goes it doesn't scare me, I normally add urea and NH4 to my liquid dosing. But this experiment is mainly to help those to make them aware potential risk of osmocote Overdosing.

If you are adding urea or NH4 in your liquid fertilizer there is no need to add root tabs of any kinds at all. I actually have always strongly advice against using root tabs from very beginning.

These roots tabs are not only releasing Nh4 and NO3 but all the other nutrients as well. I did this experiment for demonstration for public or people of this forum and I was fully aware of the outcome from beginning. Am not here to debate on weather 1 pellet is safe or beneficial but I was here to make people aware of potential outcome of overdosing it.

 

[Happi]

Here's the release curve that I've posted elsewhere.

Yes I think some one else also posted a link about this. I think I was more encouraged to do this experiment afterwards. In the past it took about two weeks or so for the TDS to go up and NH4 NO3 reading to go up rapidly. It's fairly accurate with those graphs you posted.

 

[erwin123]

Am not here to debate on weather 1 pellet is safe or beneficial but I was here to make people aware of potential outcome of overdosing it.

To help with the awareness, here are some recent threads on overdosing of root tabs:

Bubbles forming foam

So I'm setting up a new aquarium. I've filled it up till around 1/3 of its height and left it overnight. This morning I noticed that bubbles coming from my plenum are forming the foam in the pictures I've attached. The foam doesn't feel soapy to the touch and dissolved as soon as I pick it up in...

www.ukaps.org

Tropica root tabs and surface film

Hi all, I added root tabs yesterday evening during my weekly routine. Tropica type. After I got home today I noted a hazy hue in my tank, drop checker more yellow than normal and I’ll my Oto catfish were stationary. When I angled my spray bar up to create more gas exchange I noted bubbles...

www.ukaps.org

Here's the guide I followed:

How to use osmocote for substrate in planted aquarium

Fresh aquasoil such as ADA aquasoil contain high amounts of ammonia. This is very effective for plant growth, however, it does deplete over time. Spiking the substrate with root fertilizers such as osmocote is an easy way to enrich aquasoil with nutrients.

www.2hraquarist.com

 

[Hanuman]

I used osmocote in the past in small quantities in glass cups to grow individual plants but I stopped using it not because it's not effective but because then you end up with some empty yellow shells of osmotoce in the tank which are very unsightly. And because I like to recycle my soil, I had to hand pick those shells which was annoying.

 

[Garuf]

It’s all very interesting but tell me about that filter outlet/set up. It looks exactly what I’m trying to find for the nano reef project I’m hoarding for.

 

[plantnoobdude]

I"ve had same experience, added a small amount of capsules to my tank, maybe 2 root tabs worth. after that lots of hair algae, greyish filamentous algae, and no3 readings through the roof.

 

[Wookii]

Another me too post here. I’ve been almost completely algae free in my low tech tank for over a year. I’ve never had any algae on the glass.

I decided a month or so ago to add a couple of Tropica root tabs beneath a couple of crypts to try and give them a boost. A week later and I’ve got algae on the glass and most of the epiphytes.

I won’t be using the Tropica tabs again.

 

[Garuf]

Another me too post here. I’ve been almost completely algae free in my low tech tank for over a year. I’ve never had any algae on the glass.

I decided a month or so ago to add a couple of Tropica root tabs beneath a couple of crypts to try and give them a boost. A week later and I’ve got algae on the glass and most of the epiphytes.

I won’t be using the Tropica tabs again.

Do you think that it’s a quantity or a quality issue?
I’ve got a pack I was planning on using as a diy powersand.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I"ve had same experience, added a small amount of capsules to my tank, maybe 2 root tabs worth

I'm really <"wary now">. I was going to experiment with some more <"DIY clay fertiliser balls">, but I've never managed to re-find the "Fritted trace elements" <"from this thread"> and I eventually decided that for my tanks (I don't rescape them or disturb the substrate ) feeding the water column was fine.

cheers Darrel

 

[Karmicnull]

Given that Vin swore by his Osmocote Kill Tank, is the main difference that he capped his super-rich substrate with 2 inches of inert gravel, minimising the amount of nutrient leaching into the water column?

 

[Hanuman]

Do you think that it’s a quantity or a quality issue?

Question is not directed to me but I can tell you with confidence the issue is the osmocote/root tabs releasing large amounts of ammonia and whatever is in it in the water column. The more you add the worse it is. Hence why it's always recommended to add minimal amounts and put them deep in the substrate to prevent excessive leeching in the water colum. For example for my erios I used to add maybe 1 or 2 balls max under each of them. That's more than enough.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

is the main difference that he capped his super-rich substrate with 2 inches of inert gravel, minimising the amount of nutrient leaching into the water column?

I'm sure that this will have slowed release, but I'm not sure how much. This is because the <"TAN, ammonia (NH3) / ammonium (NH4+)"> is a gas / monovalent ion and it won't be bound by <"any CEC in the substrate">, so potentially you could just end up with a dump into the tank water that @erwin123 references.

That would be my worry, you are back into Donald Rumsfeld territory with a lot of <"unknown unknowns">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Wookii]

Do you think that it’s a quantity or a quality issue?
I’ve got a pack I was planning on using as a diy powersand.

I think the main issue is:

the osmocote/root tabs releasing large amounts of ammonia and whatever is in it in the water column.

Combined with a lack of:

inert gravel, minimising the amount of nutrient leaching into the water column?

So I just don’t think they work well in a normal soil substrate tank unless they are VERY deep.

Capped with plenty of fine gravel or sand and they might be fine, but I just think they aren’t designed for use in an aquatic substrate and dissolve too quickly ending up in the water column.

I have used other solid root tabs such as the Seachem ones (though I appreciate they don’t contain many of the same salts), without the same issues because I think they are made to break down slower once submerged.

 

[erwin123]

To manage the risk. I started with small amounts... then I monitored my shrimp and TDS as I continued to add osmocote to my substrate.

Apart from Osmocote, I have also tried freezing ice cubes of EDDHA-Fe and adding them to the substrate. I've added equivalent of 0.2ppm to my substrate without any visible water staining (I've read that EDDHA-Fe stains water at concentrations as low as 0.1ppm). This suggests that enough of the EDDHA-Fe is kept in the substrate to prevent it from staining the water?

 

[Happi]

I already covered this Root feeding vs water column approach in one of the other thread. the root feeding ultimately ends up becoming a water Colum dosing, depending on how much root tabs you add the end results is always the same, it mostly ends up in the water. if the end results is adding NH4/Urea in the water why add root tabs then? just add some Urea/NH4 to your liquid fertilizer where you have much better control and that is exactly how I been feeding my plants. Honestly, I have always had more issues while using root tabs vs not adding them at all, I am still going on hold my ground on that aquatic plant mainly benefit from water Colum dosing, very little from root feeding.

 

[erwin123]

I already covered this Root feeding vs water column approach in one of the other thread. the root feeding ultimately ends up becoming a water Colum dosing, depending on how much root tabs you add the end results is always the same, it mostly ends up in the water. if the end results is adding NH4/Urea in the water why add root tabs then? just add some Urea/NH4 to your liquid fertilizer where you have much better control and that is exactly how I been feeding my plants. Honestly, I have always had more issues while using root tabs vs not adding them at all, I am still going on hold my ground on that aquatic plant mainly benefit from water Colum dosing, very little from root feeding.

Sure, there's always room for different ways to approach how to feed plants

Vin in his presentation said that for his Rotala Kill Tank, he had his water column nitrate level tested by some university friend with expensive equipment and it was 0 nitrates?... and he had like 1 pound of osmocote in his substrate or something like that?