API root tabs and leaking into water colomn???

[aquaman1]

hi folks

i am new on this forum. i belong to a canadian one but not enough feedback.

i have a 46 gallon bow front with 2x39w aquatic life with 6500k and 650nm bulbs. plants are amazon swords, spade-leaf swords java fern and java moss.

my question is this:

will API root tabs leak and pollute the tank? i bought some today but worrried as i read one guy had issues.

i have a fairly large gravel substrate and worried it may be too much circulation and leak in the tank. changing the gravel is not an option and i also heard that amazons can do well in gravel. im just wondering if root tabs would be the right choice or should i use flourish? swords apparently feed heavily through the roots and im worried about malnutrition. i have a fairly decent stock in the tank and im sure the fish poop will suffice for the most part however i just planted the tank and want to provife them with a headstart.

any help would be great

[mizzoutank]

all tabs will leak into the water column, so it isn't an issue because you can't stop that from happening. the tabs are dissolving in the substrate-the plants tank up the nutrients via their roots and in the water column. so it isn't in issue.

it isn't polluting the tank because the plants use them-both in the water and in the water column.

people use flourish tabs, or api tabs or a mix of both. just make sure your substrate is deep enough for the plants. place the tabs accordingly and you'll be set.

[aquaman1]

sorry.

should have specified. by polluting i mean the guy was complaining of water going really cloudy and brown.

also, is there a risk of algae bloom? my nitrates are 5ppm. i did a water change yesterday and my ammonia is 0.25ppm!!!! i used to have 0ppm.

im not too worried about the ammonia because i have planted fairly large plants and lots. 3 spade leaf 2 amazon 3 java ferns and a softball size amount of java moss.

[bethyMT]

+1 to mizzoutank. Leaking is inevitable, and is really fine. Just make sure you don't OD when dosing them, and bury them well.

I use flourish tabs, going to add some APIs when I'm due for a change. I have fairly deep gravel as well. No algae problems, nothing untoward has happened so far.

It's very surprising to me all the things you can grow in gravel...I am having terrific luck.

[aquaman1]

thanks guys!

the reason im worried about my gravel is becuase its huge. its not normal size. almost like stones.

some the size of thumb nail. some the size of pinky nail and a few smaller and few bigger. i bought the tank with this gravel but im thinking it might be to porous for tabs. i'd say in spots around plants its 3" deep of gravel.

[Goes to 11!]

A bigger issue with gravel like that is that food the fish miss can get down there and then rot and destroy your water quality. LOTS of nooks and crannies for it to get into.

Keep a close on on both your feeding and water parameters.

[bethyMT]

Hmmm...that's big gravel, and, as previously mentioned, may be hard to clean.

Would you be open to adding some substrate below the big pebbles? Sounds like a PITA I know, but it's gonna be hard to grow stuff in there aside from things that take most nutrients from the water column such as bunch plants or things like anubias or java fern (both can be mounted on driftwood and take nutrients from the water).

If you are going to keep it as it is, maybe water dosing would work for you. As long as you aren't trying to grow substrate-rooted plants.

[mizzoutank]

sorry.

should have specified. by polluting i mean the guy was complaining of water going really cloudy and brown.

also, is there a risk of algae bloom? my nitrates are 5ppm. i did a water change yesterday and my ammonia is 0.25ppm!!!! i used to have 0ppm.

im not too worried about the ammonia because i have planted fairly large plants and lots. 3 spade leaf 2 amazon 3 java ferns and a softball size amount of java moss.

+1 to the above posts.
but nothing against the guy friend you speak of, but that's another issue of his to deal with.lol

algae grows because of an incorrect set up with lights, ferts, co2, etc.
the more you feed the plants, the more co2 and lights they need etc. you have to play with the balance to find the way it works.

[Lady Hobbs]

The gravel might not be too conducive for plant growth, as well. Plants just are not made to grow in stones.

[Goes to 11!]

Yep, If your tabs [Like your buddys] are getting blown about into the water column that is a pretty good sign that your roots are not really situated in any sort of rooting environment.