# DIY Root Tab Recipe



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Off the bat urea = ammonia at pH above 6.5 or 7 (bad for fishes/invert's)
Have you considered Osmocote + which contain's macro and micro nutrient's minus the urea (walmart).?


----------



## dalfan039 (Aug 4, 2016)

Yeah looked into Osmocyte + the issue is that the micros are way short of Seachem. I was a little hesitant at first about the Urea also, however, if you look at something like Osmocoyte 8% of the nitrogen comes from an ammonia base where as this mixture its closer 1.5%. Does anyone know what compound Osmocoyte uses for its nitrate?


----------



## nilocg (Jul 12, 2010)

roadmaster said:


> Off the bat urea = ammonia at pH above 6.5 or 7 (bad for fishes/invert's)
> Have you considered Osmocote + which contain's macro and micro nutrient's minus the urea (walmart).?



While its true that at a ph over 7 most of that would turn into ammonia, most store bought liquid fertilizers designed for aquariums contain urea or nh3. Look at Seachem nitrogen. Seachem claims that even at a ph over 8 it should not cause any issues. Not sure I believe it not but its what they say.

Also I believe that O+ also contains urea.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

nilocg said:


> While its true that at a ph over 7 most of that would turn into ammonia, most store bought liquid fertilizers designed for aquariums contain urea or nh3. Look at Seachem nitrogen. Seachem claims that even at a ph over 8 it should not cause any issues. Not sure I believe it not but its what they say.
> 
> Also I believe that O+ also contains urea.


 Yes,it is the slow release of the osmocote and the burying of it deep in the substrate that also prevent's it from becoming toxic for fishes too quickly or to any large degree except for those who maybe use too much(common) or do not bury it deep enough.
The OP's content % listed for Urea seem's a bit much for my taste.
opinion's vary. 
Been using the osmocote for a few year's now with moderately hard water and pH around 7.6 .
Lot's of plant's also readily take up ammonia which they are said to prefer over nitrogen but ammonia and urea in excess is not tolerated well by fishes/invert's.
Lot's of stuff I would be willing to try in plant only tank that I might be apprehensive about with fauna.


----------



## dalfan039 (Aug 4, 2016)

Is nitrogen in the soil a limiting factor to the growth of root feeders?


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

dalfan039 said:


> Is nitrogen in the soil a limiting factor to the growth of root feeders?


 No,I do not think so.
Not sure how you could keep it out of soil's considering what soil is and bacterial processes therein .
But then I also add it (nitrogen) to the water column once a week or two in my low tech affair's.


----------



## thedood (May 30, 2015)

roadmaster said:


> Yes,it is the slow release of the osmocote and the burying of it deep in the substrate that also prevent's it from becoming toxic for fishes too quickly or to any large degree except for those who maybe use too much(common) or do not bury it deep enough.


I made the mistake of adding to much the first time I used O+. Since then I add only a small amount on the glass when first setting up the tank, I usually wait 3 to 4 weeks before adding fish. Every three months or so I add one capsule at the base of heavy root feeders and I place it as close to the bottom glass as I can get it. I also place a few in the midst of my dwarf sag carpet. I have had excellent luck using O+. From experience I can say too much is a bad thing.


----------



## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

I've tried using O+ in PFS substrate and I find that over time, the little balls come to the top, seemingly regardless of how deep I push the ice cubes...I haven't noticed any adverse affects from the fish, but i'm sure my root feeders don't appreciate it.


----------



## nilocg (Jul 12, 2010)

SwissCheeseHead said:


> I've tried using O+ in PFS substrate and I find that over time, the little balls come to the top, seemingly regardless of how deep I push the ice cubes...I haven't noticed any adverse affects from the fish, but i'm sure my root feeders don't appreciate it.



The balls will stick around almost indefinitely, but after a month or two the nutrients inside them are exhausted. Other than being a little unsightly they should be harmless.


----------



## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

nilocg said:


> The balls will stick around almost indefinitely, but after a month or two the nutrients inside them are exhausted. Other than being a little unsightly they should be harmless.


I've seen half empty to fully empty shells of O+ balls. It's something that I try to siphon out with a water change. There are so many of them! They tend to stay under better with eco-complete or similar gravelly type substrate. But with PFS or simiilar, I would try something else. Too late to turn back now!


----------



## dalfan039 (Aug 4, 2016)

OK, so if the consensus is that appropriate levels of nitrogen are already found in the soil for heavy root feeders then I will remove the majority of it from formula. No sense in adding something that's no needed for. I'm assuming though that P - K levels should be elevated correct since the nitrogen cycle doesn't produce any?


----------



## nilocg (Jul 12, 2010)

dalfan039 said:


> OK, so if the consensus is that appropriate levels of nitrogen are already found in the soil for heavy root feeders then I will remove the majority of it from formula. No sense in addingeneral something that's no needed. I'mean assuming though that phosphorus and potassium are needed I'm spades correct?



Im not sure removing all the nitrogen is necessary, maybe just remove most of the urea to be safe.


----------



## dalfan039 (Aug 4, 2016)

So attempted this earlier today. Was a massive failure the amount of powder is way to much to fit in the clay. Maybe if you cud turn the clay to paste, but when I tried that I got clay water. If anyone knows a better way of making a block of clay into paste like mixture I'd try again.


----------



## irresistible (Jun 19, 2020)

did anyone mix clay + nutrients with cement or plaster of paris(Gypsum) to make diy root tabs?


----------



## Deanna (Feb 15, 2017)

irresistible said:


> did anyone mix clay + nutrients with cement or plaster of paris(Gypsum) to make diy root tabs?


You've posted on many old threads and are unlikely to get a response from any of those participants. Rather than asking your question in this way, it would be better to start a new thread with your question.


----------

