# Osmocote Plus issues. Warning: short novel inside.



## beginragnarok (Dec 19, 2011)

I am new to the forum, so I wanted to say hello to everyone. Also, thank you. I have gathered so much information here from past posts. I do have one problem that I cannot find a post on anywhere here or elsewhere. 

I just redid my 10 gallon RCS/Otto tank three days ago. I separated the smooth light colored pebbles and the flourite and kept just the flourite. I realize I likely removed some bacteria from the substrate while seperating.

I added what I think is a sparse layer of Osmocote Plus directly on top of the glass bottom. Then added the flourite aound 1" - 2 1/2" deep (front to back slope) over the Osmocote Plus. Where my stems were being planted I added 00 size capsules full up with the OsmoPlus, probably 16 total. I placed these as deeply as I could then planted my various plants - a few different Hygrofilas, hydrocotyle, micro swords, Vals and Watersprite. (This was all done moist but not submerged no way for anything to dislodge and float). 

I slowly filled the tank to keep the water from clouding with a silicone airline. Then adjusted temp, put the filter back in from my 26 gallon where it was kept running to preserve the bacteria and added my Frogbit and Salvinia Minima back - 2/3 of total surface area covered. 

So now the water is reading (API master freshwater test kit). 
NH3/NH4 Off the chart >8PPM - Reading DARK green 
NO2 .5PPM 
These values have remained high without adding any food or anything else to add ammonia while at the same time adding 2-3 ML of Seachem bacteria in a bottle every 12 hours or so (I didn't expect a miracle). I will be doing a waterchange of 50% later after work.

Does everyone have an ammonia spike with OsmoPlus initially?

Thank you for your time folks! 
-Zach


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

You added way too much. WAY too much. 16 capsules in a 10 gal was too much all on its own. The "sparse" layer pushed it over the edge. 

Do a 90% water change. 50 percent isn't going to touch it. And another 90% tomorrow.... 

If you don't have fish or inverts in there, you don't need to rush. A water change here. A water change here. Some time and it will work out. But be prepared as that is a LOT of osmocote..... The warning should be to use less, if there is a warning here.


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## beginragnarok (Dec 19, 2011)

Thank you for your reply. I did a big water change and will be patient for now. If it doesn't start normalizing in another week I may just tear it down again and pull most of the Osmocote out.

It only has plants right now which are all growing like crazy. <-- Bright side?


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## VeeSe (Apr 16, 2011)

WAY too much, as overstocked said. You will be leeching ammonia like crazy for at least a week!


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## excuzzzeme (Mar 2, 2009)

Osmocote will take a month and possibly longer to break down. I use 3-5 beads about every 6" of plants.


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## farrenator (May 11, 2011)

FYI I have had Osmocote last more than 2 months in my tank.



excuzzzeme said:


> Osmocote will take a month and possibly longer to break down. I use 3-5 beads about every 6" of plants.


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/f...meters/122085-warning-osmocote-peoples-4.html

read the entire thread


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Ill be adding Osmocote + in my planted tank (with shrimp) once the plants are more established. I should have put it in while planting them but i didnt come across this thread until today.


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## Psionic (Dec 22, 2011)

acitydweller said:


> Ill be adding Osmocote + in my planted tank (with shrimp) once the plants are more established. I should have put it in while planting them but i didnt come across this thread until today.


You should be ok putting a few in while your shrimp are in there. I did that in a CRS tank and it was ok. It was a 25 gallon and I only put in like 6 though. You can push them all the way down into the substrate with tweezer, if the Osmo+ is in gel caps.


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## Green Thumb Aquatics (Jan 1, 2012)

I put in a ridiculous amount in my 20 gallon, way too much... I just added ammoniazorb or whatever its called, the little ammonia absorbing stuff for in your filter... no problems with high ammonia, tested it every day for the first week and no problems, did water changes twice a week.... 50% also added some activated carbon...

try that and see if it helps....


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

its called zeolite


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## Green Thumb Aquatics (Jan 1, 2012)

the stuff I used is Marineland, white diamond ammonia neutralizing crystals...


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Green Thumb Aquatics said:


> the stuff I used is Marineland, white diamond ammonia neutralizing crystals...


That would be zeolite, regardless of the commercial name of the product. 

They call it "white diamond". 


Sent from my iPhone 4S


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

And it removes ammonia, not neutralizes. Products like seachem prime "neutralize" ammonia but do not remove them. 


Sent from my iPhone 4S


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## Green Thumb Aquatics (Jan 1, 2012)

whatever you want to call it, it resolved the issue for me.... : )


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## Green Thumb Aquatics (Jan 1, 2012)

I should however mention I have a eheim 2075, filtering it, and I filled up most of one of the containers with the zeolite etc.. and another one about halfway with carbon..

this filter is ment to be used on up to 160 gallons according to eheim... in relationship to the smaller ecco eheim I have(which most people would consider the appropriate size), it would be filled most of the way with zeolite and carbon in the media capacity it has, if I was to take it out of this one and use that sized filter on it...

the tank I am referring to is a 20 long...

here are some pics of the amount of O+ I used... this was capped with worm castings, then capped with a mixture of 3 different types of flourish pulled from another tank, then UP aquasoil pretty deep overtop...


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