What's wrong with this idea? DIY Osmocoat root tabs...

[TinkerTanker]

Hello all!

A few members on this site have helped me get my first planted tank back on track.
I wanted to take a minute and share an idea I have in the hope of helping others...

I recently decided to make my own "root tabs".
I read a number of ways to do this but was uncomfortable with having Osmocoat loose in my substrate (I'll be rescaping in a few weeks), I just didn't like the idea of trying to net it off the surface after disturbing the substrate...

I came up with a couple ideas that might help others who find themselves where I am.

Disclaimer- I don't know for a fact this is a good idea, also I don't believe it's really any better than anyone else's idea, it's just an idea that may work as well.

Please feel free to tear it apart and point out any problems, I'm not easily offended...

The first idea I had was quite simply to cut up a filter bag and sew small baguettes up with about 1/4 teaspoon of Osmocoat, I made 3 and placed them under the amazon swords in my tank. It took me an hour to sew 3 of them up (sewing w/ 2lb test fishing line is a PITA!). I guess they're working just as good as any other method and are retrievable which was the point but a PITA...

I then had a light bulb moment, I was sipping on a drink from Micky D's and thought of using the straw as a root tab...
I pulled the straw out of my drink and cut it into 4 pieces, I had a upholster needle sitting on the table and used that to poke some holes in the piece of straw, grabbed a pair of needle nose and pinched the straw about 1/16" from the end and used a lighter to melt the end closed, I put 1/8 of a teaspoon of Osmocoat in by folding a piece of junk mail and the Osmocoat pellets rolled down the crease in single file filling the piece of straw, needle nose and lighter to close the end and Violia... Easy peasy, took about a minute and a half to make one...

That would solve my "loose Osmocoat" problem unless there is some reason that a straw is detrimental in the substrate...

Set me straight if I'm wrong, I can't think of any reason it wouldn't work for my needs but maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks,
David

 

[Biollante]

Nothing Wrong At All

Hi David,

Nothing wrong at all with Osmocote, lots of people use it lots of ways.:gw

Quite a bit of discussion around here I recall.

Many including me used the straw technique, the major problem is just loose Osmocote floating around.

Biollante

 

[TinkerTanker]

Thanks Biollante!

I guess I didn't dig deep enough to find the straw method. I'm very happy to hear it will work cause I sure didn't want to sew up another 15 little net bags.

Whoo Hooo! (as my daughter says)

Thanks for the advice you gave me in my other post, I'm gaining the upper hand in my battle with the BBA!
the wife read some posts on here and gave me the go ahead to stuff the 75 full of plants.
I am hoping I made wise decisions in my selections of: 1 onion, 3 more bunches of wisteria, 1 packet telanthera, 1 packet of bacopa, 1 packet of crypto wendtii, 1 packet of micro sword. With the wisteria, apongonton and amazon swords I had already the tank is much fuller than before.

I would like your opinion on where I am as far as plant mass goes. Am I sparse, moderate or heavily planted? Obviously everything I have is small and has some growing to do but does it sound like a good start? I can't post pics but I can email them.
I also added a couple dozen ghost shrimp and 5 neons but rehomed the rubberlips and firemouth, lost a shrimp from the curiosity of the gourimis. He jumped and I found him on the carpet a couple hours after adding... At .33 cents apiece I can afford a couple suicidal shrimp, they are doing a # on the brown algae that settled on the wisteria! Not as pretty as cherrys but one of the females came with a clutch of eggs I expect will hatch any day as I can see movement inside the eggs...

Also I was wondering if you might be able to help me select the dry ferts that I need. I don't know what I need and hate ordering the wrong stuff... I have my local water report if it makes any difference, I'm pretty sure I won't need to buffer with anything but some help here would be GREATLY appreciated!

One last thing, what method of perforation do you do for the straw method root tabs? I'm only concerned that if I make them too small that the bacteria will plug the holes cutting off the nutrition for the plants...

I know that's a lot, but any advice is well received.

Thanks in advance!
David

 

[AquaticJim]

The ice cube method worked very well for me in delivering Osmocote to my crypts and swords. Only thing is that it's made the swords a little to huge!

 

[TinkerTanker]

AquaticJim,

I did read about that method but was trying to avoid it being "loose" in my substrate. I hope to get an actual plant substrate soon as I only have black sand right now and jumped into planted tanks without knowing anything like a dummy. If I had done it right in the beginning I would definitely use the fertcicle method, it seems to be the easiest by far!

I'm learning though and hope someday to be able to share a success story...

David

 

[Biollante]

Osmocote


Hi David,

I am with Jim; I think the easiest method to put Osmocote into the substrate is freezing.


I know some use filter bags, a variation on your method. Others use gel caps, there really is no “wrong way.”


Some use ice cube trays, it really doesn’t matter what you use, just put the Osmocote in water and freeze it solid then slide the ice into the substrate. Obviously you do not want too much ice, I like freezing mine on a cookie sheet.


You really want just enough ice mass to hold the Osmocote in place while getting it into the substrate.



Yes shrimp are escape artists!



Biollante

 

[Biollante]

Fertz And Wel,l Fertz


Hi David,

I do not know what your water is like, but generally I do not think you can go wrong if you go to your local Wal-Mart , what have you and get
a carton of Epsom salt, store brand (cheapest) is just fine.
A Fleet Enemas, the store brand is just fine.


Go to The Planted Aquarium Fertilizer[SUP]1[/SUP], http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=cats&Edit=2&EditU=1&Regit=2, and order
1 lb. of Calcium chloride, CaCl2 I am pretty sure it is the hexahydrate (no need to worry about that)
1 lb. of 13% Iron Chelate
1 lb. of Plantex CSM+Boron
1 lb. of Potassium nitrate, KNO3
the ever patient (after all she has dealt with me lo these many years) and lovely Julia will take good care of you.


Given the deal they have, were I you, I would consider getting a second Plantex CSM+B and another Potassium nitrate.

Biollante
[SUP]1[/SUP]There are many fine purveyors of fertz out there, I like The Planted Aquarium Fertilizer.

 

[scottward]

Some use ice cube trays, it really doesn’t matter what you use, just put the Osmocote in water and freeze it solid then slide the ice into the substrate. Obviously you do not want too much ice, I like freezing mine on a cookie sheet.

Yup, I did this recently and it worked well.

From memory it's 5 grams of Osmocote Plus per square foot of tank floor.

Only thing I found with the icecubes is that the osmocote sank, such that the osmocote was at one end of the ice cube. This meant that whilst I was handling the ice cubes some of the osmocote fell off.

I think a good tip would be to half fill the ice cube tray, let that freeze, then put the osmocote in, top off, and finish the freeze such that the osmocote is in the middle.

Scott.

 

[TinkerTanker]

Thank you all for the help!

This forum rocks!

David