Instead of root tabs - injecting dry ferts.

I like using root tabs but noticed it can be difficult to place them right where I want them. Pushing them into the substrate can be violent and disrupt roots.
Injecting ferts with a little straw disrupts substrate/roots very little. I am able to get right in between plants and even angle right underneath roots. Also root tabs seem timed released slowly dissolving its nutrients into the substrate in one little spot. I have no idea at what rate this happens. I've started injecting about 2 months ago. I like the idea and seems to work well.  


Iron rich red clay
Potassium nitrate
CSM+B


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Sorry, my attention became rooted on the tootsies in the 2nd pic...LOL. But hey, no really, this is a good idea. Have you noticed a big change in the plant growth or health since doing this?

Nice idea!

cichlid-gal wrote:Sorry, my attention became rooted on the tootsies in the 2nd pic...LOL.  But hey, no really, this is a good idea.  Have you noticed a big change in the plant growth or health since doing this?

Well I normally use root tabs. In comparison to root tabs yes, it's easier to get ferts in the substrate under my Rotalla Indica. The Rotala is growing faster and the tips are a heavy pink. The other stem plants are growing quickly but they are new to me and don't have much reference to growth rate. The small plant in the front is staurogyne repens. This would be a hard plant to maintain root tabs under without disrupting the plant. So this application is perfect.

Nice! Even better and looks easier than what I have been doing. Right now I am adding crushed root tabs, dry ferts and osmocote plus and mixing it all into red clay and rolling them out into 1/2" balls.

Nick_87 wrote:Nice! Even better and looks easier than what I have been doing. Right now I am adding crushed root tabs, dry ferts and osmocote plus and mixing it all into red clay and rolling them out into 1/2" balls.

Had to drill out the hole in the syringe a bit but yeah, mix, fill, and inject. Piece of cake.

How often do you inject the fertilizers? How much(ppm) do you inject each time?

Flo, the mixture is premixed and the amount is by eye. No real measurement to report sorry.

The powder mixture is coming out of tablets. When I am through with them I will search for the ingredients separately. At that time I will be better off to report exact measurements.

The instructions state to put this stuff in the substrate once every couple months. So I've only dosed once so far about a month ago.

I thought that you prepare your own fertilizer. I was wondering if you do something to obtain a slow release mixture or you dose small quantities more frequently.
If you use root tabs and you crush them I am curious to know if what you inject is still slow release or will dissolve quickly.

In this link is the product i have been using. You can tell the tabs used are the type you can buy over the counter and fill yourself. I break them open, pour out the premixed contents. In the future i would like to pick up my own dry ingredients and mix everything myself.

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I assume they are timed released. The instructions state to add every few weeks, however I am not that diligent with fertilizers. However, I like giving things a boOst from time to time.

Looks like a good job for a meat injector That's what I use to suck up freshly hatched brine shrimp to feed to my angel babies. Works perfect. I imagine the firmer "needle" would would well for making its way through the substrate. Love this idea.

Thank you for the link. It looks like the rock dust is a slow release micronutrient.

WOW! Did some research online for rock dust. Looks like a very cheap source of iron, calcium and magnesium. Also has some potassium and phosphorus.
Now the next step is to buy some and do some tests for the release time.
Thanks again for the link.

Flo77, if you find more info, do experiments, and or find good places to find these powders please share I have already purchased a few small $5 bags so I won't be needing to jump on finding bulk outlets right away.

Chad.  Is this where you got most of your new plants from?

SiRWesDragon wrote:Chad.  Is this where you got most of your new plants from?

No, I will PM you with a link.

Sorry for the late reply.
I was doing some research for the rock dust fertilizer and I found this website:
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They say that the rock dust contains 6% iron, 4%Ca, 1.5%Mg and other 57 trace elements. I e-mailed them, maybe they will send me the complete list of all this elements. If the iron concentration is true this is a very cheap source of iron(10lbs will cost only 18.35$ shipped). I might try the rock dust first in a dry start tank.

Thank you for sharing Flo77. A $5 pound bag would last me forever. A person could add other amendments as well but sounds like just the rock dust itself would be very beneficial to plant roots.