# Added root tabs strange happening



## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I usually use Seachem Excel daily, Flourish and Iron at once a week water changes. I was have some plant die off and others thought it was because of heavy root feeding plants. So I put two API Root tabs (3-1-1) under two of my plants. This was last evening. By mid-day today my tank showed green water or a cloudiness, not sure if it was green. It also smelled really bad. I did a 50% water change and it was a little better. I also noticed that my green spot algae took off over night. It has only been a slight amount on my glass. Should I remove the rest of the two tablets and do another water change? Could this be something else I am not aware of? Water tested 0,0, .6 Ph was up a little to7.2 when it always reads 7.0
When something seems wrong the first thing I do is a water change (sometimes daily if there is a problem) Not sure what to do here. Fish seem fine.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I just did more reading on root tabs and it seems that others have had this cloudiness from the tab dissolving to fast. Should have read more before I posted. I will do another couple of water changes that should help. I hope!


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

I doubt it is actually from the root tabs but more likely from stirring up the substrate putting them in. This is usually the culprit of things when messing with the substrate is involved.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I have messed with the substrate when I am changing the water, It did not look the same. There were not particles of food or leaf waste in the water column. 
It may just be a bout of green water, since I just cleaned the filter 3 days ago (only rinsed sponges in cool water). Not if you call the tons of stuff I get out of the sponges mulm or not but the water runs brown when I rinse the sponges once a month.


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## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

The tabs must be buried deeply enough so that they don't interfere with the water column.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

If you rinsed it in cool TAP water then definately. Rinse in tank water. TAp water kills the bacteria.


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

API root tabs create a nasty cloudy mess for me. I've switched to Flourish tabs. They don't melt nearly as quickly.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I still am having a cloudy mess from the root tabs. I have green water and that fert smell. I am doing a 50% water change today and will wipe down the walls of glass. The seem to have a film on them. Looks like water spots, but not sure. The fish seem fine. Water is O, O, O.4+- The Ph is a little up to 7.5 instead of it's steady 7.0 The plants look fine. Some have even become more red. I thought to double the excel for the slight increase of green spot and green water. I wasn't sure if I should just stick to water changes. I have new plants in QT an will not add them till I clear this up. It has only been 3 days since I added the fert tabs and they are all melted. Should the water changes be everyday for a bit?
I am trying to go from a lightly planted tank to a lightly heavy planted tank. So I know there will be changes from that also.


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

Crystalview said:


> I still am having a cloudy mess from the root tabs. I have green water and that fert smell. I am doing a 50% water change today and will wipe down the walls of glass. The seem to have a film on them. Looks like water spots, but not sure. The fish seem fine. Water is O, O, O.4+- The Ph is a little up to 7.5 instead of it's steady 7.0 The plants look fine. Some have even become more red. I thought to double the excel for the slight increase of green spot and green water. I wasn't sure if I should just stick to water changes. I have new plants in QT an will not add them till I clear this up. It has only been 3 days since I added the fert tabs and they are all melted. Should the water changes be everyday for a bit?
> I am trying to go from a lightly planted tank to a lightly heavy planted tank. So I know there will be changes from that also.


It would seem to me that you might be better off putting the plants into your tank. If you indeed have extra ferts in your tank what better way to "use them up" but by letting your new plants use them and get a good start in your tank. They will out compete your algae for the nutrients as well. I'm not sure why you would wait.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I will try that. My light 96w 6700k is new should I reduce the lighting time for a while. My old light was 42w 10000k on for 12hrs.


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

Is your light a Compac Florescent? How big is your tank? I don't know if you have too much light or not. You said you had a low tech set up so based on that I would say that your plants need light to photosynthesize. 

Sounds like if your having green water you just lost some of your bacteria from your filter. Your UV should take care of that. 12 hrs is a long time to keep your lights on but if you have low light it might be alright. Your "water spots" may be minerals coming from your root tabs. People have reported cloudiness issues when dosing trace minerals in there tank.


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