Experience with DIY clay root tabs
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I made some clay plug's with osmocote prill's inside, and then let em dry in the sun for a day or two.
I was quite pleased until,,, I tore down the tank about six month's later only to discover that the clay plug's I had made were still very much intact and I had doubt's at that time that they were very effective at all.
In fact ,that was why I tore down the tank to create better substrate due to lackluster growth.
I resorted to filling ice tray with water and sprinkling osmocote in the tray's and then freezing them.
Worked much better!(push em down deep and quick)
Believe there are a couple member's here that make em from gel cap's filled with osmocote.
I was quite pleased until,,, I tore down the tank about six month's later only to discover that the clay plug's I had made were still very much intact and I had doubt's at that time that they were very effective at all.
In fact ,that was why I tore down the tank to create better substrate due to lackluster growth.
I resorted to filling ice tray with water and sprinkling osmocote in the tray's and then freezing them.
Worked much better!(push em down deep and quick)
Believe there are a couple member's here that make em from gel cap's filled with osmocote.
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1,653 Posts
I actually got this idea from another member. Go to a drug store and get a syringe big enough around to hold a gel cap, they will give them to you free. Cut the end off. Place an O+ filled gel cap into the syringe. Push down into the substrate and then push the plunger and slowly pull the syringe out. Gel cap filled with O+ is now down in the substrate with no mess.
I used this technique an a dirted tank with bdbs cap. Look at the last page of the 10G link in my sig to see the results.
I used this technique an a dirted tank with bdbs cap. Look at the last page of the 10G link in my sig to see the results.
Pure red clay from pottery store
I stopped using pure clay since it contains silicates. I always get a bad diatom bloom about 30 days after DIY clay root tabs. It seems to be more problematic than useful. Although I did see some plants grow well but some stems had strange looking growth, like really thick stems and more distance between leaf nodes? But the diatom growth was bad in my case. There are many different types of clay but most contain silicates. Hope this helps.
I stopped using pure clay since it contains silicates. I always get a bad diatom bloom about 30 days after DIY clay root tabs. It seems to be more problematic than useful. Although I did see some plants grow well but some stems had strange looking growth, like really thick stems and more distance between leaf nodes? But the diatom growth was bad in my case. There are many different types of clay but most contain silicates. Hope this helps.
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19 Posts
I am currently about to use dynamite plus to make root tabs. Will let you know how it goes
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