# Root tab placement



## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

The directions say to place every 5 to 6 inches or at the base of each plant.









Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

psalm18.2 said:


> The directions say to place every 5 to 6 inches or at the base of each plant.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Or space out 5-6" around the tank that's state I got confused as no way could I put one under each plant, these tabs are huuuuge so I did 4 total 2 about 5" apart in front of my stems and 2 mid Way about 4" in on each side. Here's a rough area


----------



## MCFC (Feb 12, 2017)

The "root feeder" thing is a myth. All plants will do fine with just water column dosing.

And by adding a ball of ferts into the substrate to release an unknown amount of ferts at an unknown time, aren't you actually adding to the guess work? Because now your weekly fert doses are X amount from Thrive + ?? amount from root tabs...


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

MCFC said:


> The "root feeder" thing is a myth. All plants will do fine with just water column dosing.
> 
> And by adding a ball of ferts into the substrate to release an unknown amount of ferts at an unknown time, aren't you actually adding to the guess work? Because now your weekly fert doses are X amount from Thrive + ?? amount from root tabs...


Not really if buried deep they really don't leech much into the water column

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

Plants can uptake phosphorus better through their roots where no plant will have an issues uptaking potassium through their leaves, also plants uptake iron at 400x better through their roots, plants have different pathways so for beginners like me feeding both pathways is the best way as i have inert fine gravel substrate not a nutrient rich soil. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

p0tluck said:


> Plants can uptake phosphorus better through their roots where no plant will have an issues uptaking potassium through their leaves, also plants uptake iron at 400x better through their roots, plants have different pathways so for beginners like me feeding both pathways is the best way as i have inert fine gravel substrate not a nutrient rich soil.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


Quote your sources please. And are we referring strictly to aquatic/semi aquatic plants vs terrestrial?


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

mgeorges said:


> Quote your sources please. And are we referring strictly to aquatic/semi aquatic plants vs terrestrial?


https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/fertilisers-root-or-water.html

Full aquatic, my spiralis is a bit terrestrial 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## MCFC (Feb 12, 2017)

p0tluck said:


> plants uptake iron at 400x better through their roots


Which plants? And does that mean you can dose the roots at 400x less than water column dosing levels?

Even if all of your statements are correct, you have still increased your guess work. You didn't follow the instructions that came with the tabs because... And then you tossed a random number into random areas. If, as you say, the only way the plants can access those nutrients is if their roots actually make contact with the tab, then how do you know which plants make contact and when? Guess work?


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

MCFC said:


> Which plants? And does that mean you can dose the roots at 400x less than water column dosing levels?
> 
> Even if all of your statements are correct, you have still increased your guess work. You didn't follow the instructions that came with the tabs because... And then you tossed a random number into random areas. If, as you say, the only way the plants can access those nutrients is if their roots actually make contact with the tab, then how do you know which plants make contact and when? Guess work?


No the tabs are at the base of very established rooted plants, they are all crypts with huge root systems and my Amazons roots stretch across half of my tank, I didn't guess where to put them, if you've never seen nilcog tabs they are huge, Fe uptake phosphorous uptake and other nutrients plants can better take in through their roots better than their leaves hense why nutrient rich soil is highly recommended. 

if I had soil rich dirt substrate I wouldn't need tabs, each tab is in reach of several plants roots, the tabs by my stems are directly in front of them about 2"away I'm not feeding roots I'm feeding zones. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

I'll reword that I'm feeding roots but in a zone not one plant directly 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

Here's how I laid it out, I didn't just drop them in random areas like you assumed, each tab covers a maximum of 6 square areas. With each plant in that 6"









Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

That looks good, I would add another one on the left most side if there are many plants.

They are only root tabs anyway, a lot of the content will leach into the water column anyway... So I would listen to what MCFC says, feed the water column and you will be able to grow aquatic plants even in inert sand. If you like, push some root tabs but they are not a necessity when the water column is well supplied. 

There are many in the hobby that say many things, most things based of pipe dreams and studies on terrestrial plants rather that well obtained data from aquatic plants. I did not see any data about the 100000000x root uptake rate in the link you provided. I think that is what MCFC was referring to.

Aquarium plants grow when they have enough of everything they in need in the form they need. We like to complicate things.


----------



## Quagulator (May 4, 2015)

I'm all for measuring out specific ferts, tracking and documenting everything. Root tabs WILL release an unknown amount of various nutrients... 
I do believe what many respected members on various forums are saying, that dosing the water column will suffice all of our plants needs. I do that in my high tech tank and all the crypts are growing just fine. 

I love talking end experimenting with the science behind all of us trying to grow plants. However..... real world outcomes are often of more interest to me. Can we meet all needs via water column dosing? yes.... should we point people away from root tabs? no.... they work, they just cannot be "measured" and "documented" like how we do things dosing the water column. 

My low tech tank gets a daily water column dose, my stems plants are growing very well, so are my "heavy root feeders"... But, whenever I fancy a growth spurt I'll toss a whole bunch of tabs under the swords / crypts / apongetons / crinum and I will see an instant response. 

Maybe I'm not dosing the water column enough?? Maybe these plants prefer to uptake through the roots... who knows, all I know is the stem plants are growing very well and the other plants appreciate some tabs from time to time... Everything is happy and growing well, so why steer away from tabs? They are just another tool in our plant-growing tool box.... 

Potluck... just place a half dozen tabs near the crypts and they should give you a pop in growth  Keep dosing the Thrive and enjoy the tank


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

Quagulator said:


> I'm all for measuring out specific ferts, tracking and documenting everything. Root tabs WILL release an unknown amount of various nutrients...
> I do believe what many respected members on various forums are saying, that dosing the water column will suffice all of our plants needs. I do that in my high tech tank and all the crypts are growing just fine.
> 
> I love talking end experimenting with the science behind all of us trying to grow plants. However..... real world outcomes are often of more interest to me. Can we meet all needs via water column dosing? yes.... should we point people away from root tabs? no.... they work, they just cannot be "measured" and "documented" like how we do things dosing the water column.
> ...


Lol a half a dozen [emoji15], these tabs are fricken huuuuuuge man lol, reason I added them by the crypts is the fact that crypts and amazons are insane root feeders so I wanted to give them an extra boost, I went with 4 just for that reason, I over crowded the spiralis, I bought 4 when I should of bought 2 max, do they look great yes are they sending out runners yes are they healthy yes, could they use a root tab maybe /maybe not but I'm thinking that maybe because I have 4 huge spiralis in one area by other crypts they are uptaking the nutrients faster than the Wendtii reds which is causing the Wendtii reds to melt leaves, with thrive I could only dose 5 ml until i started to get algae so with tabs they are constant source for a longer period of time so I might not have to dose the water column so much, maybe only 2 ml or 3 ml, I'm just experimenting, if I get better growth, no algae no spikes in ammonia or high nitrates what am I hurting ? The answer is nothing.

I am still new to this hobby as most people know, every since i changed out my light im Not getting the growth I did with my other light as the plants were stretching so I'm still trying to dial This light in but not trying to do multiple things at one time. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------



## p0tluck (Feb 17, 2017)

dukydaf said:


> That looks good, I would add another one on the left most side if there are many plants.
> 
> They are only root tabs anyway, a lot of the content will leach into the water column anyway... So I would listen to what MCFC says, feed the water column and you will be able to grow aquatic plants even in inert sand. If you like, push some root tabs but they are not a necessity when the water column is well supplied.
> 
> ...


Left side there's 4 spiralis 3 Wendtii reds, I'm not trying to just feed roots and not sure how to phrase it, I'm just trying to give them an extra kick as the Wendtii red that's closest to the spiralis is melting leaves, I'm Not sure if this is a plant war or if the spiralis is just taking all The nutrients from the Wendtii.

The Wendtii never had an issue before I added the spiralis. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


----------

