do i need root tabs if i dry dose?

[Bravofleet4]

Hi,

I've been dosing dry ferts and I've noticed most of my stem plants are growing just fine. However, my crypts and swords seem virtually stunted. They were growing for a while but they've just stopped lately. I've read that these plants are heavy root feeders but I always assumed that all the talk about substrates meant that the soil could replenish missing nutrients from the water column (I have fluorite). Do I need to buy root tabs if I want my crypts and swords to continue growing or is it probably something else?

 

[Dr. Awkward]

I use root tabs with dry ferts for my crypts. It helps quite a bit. The crypts survive but they don't grow without the root tabs. It's impossible for me to grow swords without root tabs, even with Fluorite and IE dosing. They turn all yellow and get holes without root tabs.

 

[Hurley]

I use root tabs in addition to dry fertilizers for my root heavy plants. I have found they are unable to get nutrients from the water column and really benefit from the root tabs.

 

[echoofformless]

Pretty much what everyone else has said - some plants are very heavy root feeders as they come from native regions where there is extremely rich sediment substrate. Naturally it's way too messy for most of us to consider using a peaty, soil type of substrate to replicate this - so root tabs do the job for us.

 

[James0816]

I only use the dry ferts. My crypts seem to be doing very well in every tank with sand, Flourite and SMS. My Blyxa Aubertii has split twice in a few months. I've always contimplated adding the tabs just to see how much more of a difference it would make.

 

[coach_z]

if your plants are not growing, or they are growing very slowly, or your leaves are yellowing/developing pinholes then, yes...you need root tabs.

 

[tackful]

The fellow who runs Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco uses only root tabs in his 100+ algae free tanks. He says that nutrients in the water column can cause algae. I know that this runs counter to the accepted practice of most of us, but it certainly works for him. I mention this mainly as a point of interest, however. Don't plan to attempt it in my tank as I don't have his 20 years of experience.

 

[echoofformless]

I have tanks that are algae free with both root tabs and column ferts. And tanks that have algae with just root tabs. And tanks that have algae with no ferts at all...there never seems to be any rhyme or reason.

 

[tackful]

But surely you must be treating each tank differently? Perhaps differences in photoperiod, dosing, etc.? And are all these tanks of the same age?
I had a difficult time finding the balance in my tank after the substrate was depleted. Wisteria stopped growing completely, and there was a long struggle with green water.

 

[jpappy789]

I've yet to use root tabs on a regular basis, including a few years of successfully growing crpyts. I wont deny that they could help, but I wouldn't say that its a necessity.