Beginners Guide on Root Tabs for Aquarium Plants

Aquarists planning to add live plants to their tank often think about the care and maintenance of aquatic plants. As we all know, when plants are grown in the soil, they require manure and fertilizers to stay healthy. But what about the plants grown in water? How do they stay healthy, and what type of fertilizers do they require?

Aquarium plants can be grown in different types of substrates, such as soil, gravel, sand, or attached directly to driftwood, etc. Plants that are grown in gravel or sand particularly require supplements or fertilizers to stay healthy under water.

There are different types of fertilizers to keep these plants strong and vigorous, such as liquid fertilizers and root tabs. This article will give detailed information about the root tabs, and by the end of the article, you will understand what root tabs are, how many of them you have to use per plant, how long they last, and if they are safe for fish and shrimp.

Keep reading!

What are root tabs?

Aquatic plants can absorb nutrients through their leaves as well as roots. When you are growing aquarium plants in the substrate, they will take up most of their nutrients from it. It is when the role of root tabs comes in.

Root tabs are a special type of fertilizer that is designed for aquarium plants. They are small, compressed tablets that need to be placed in the substrate, close to the base of the plant. They contain macro and micronutrients in a good amount that are absorbed by the roots of the plants and help them grow healthily.

Qualities Of a Good Root Tab

Since there are plenty of options when you search for root tabs, here are some features or qualities that you must look for

1. It should be effective

Root tab will be called effective only when it can deliver all the essential nutrients to the plant, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, etc. Among these, the role of phosphorus is vital as it is needed to accomplish photosynthesis. Also, it helps in cellular respiration.

Besides nutrients, you also need to check if the root tab is able to maintain the right pH level. Root tabs that can maintain the right balance in pH as well as nutrients are considered the best and most effective.

The best part is that you can find several brands and types of root tabs that are designed to meet the nutrient requirements and maintain the water pH. All you need is to figure out which brand works for your plants the most.

2. It should be affordable

As already mentioned, there are several brands selling root tabs; you need to consider the affordability of the product. It is especially true for beginners, as breaking the bank while starting a hobby is not a good idea.

So, beginners must also check the price tag after reading the labels. A little research about the plants in your tank and knowing what their nutritional requirements are will help you buy the best root tab within your price range.

3. It should last long

Like every other thing, root tabs also have a lifespan. They are effective only for a certain period, and then you might need to replace them with the new stock. Usually, root tabs need to be replaced every 2 to 3 months, depending upon the needs of the plants and conditions of the tank.

However, if you think that your root tabs are not showing any effective results after a month of placement, it is not good.

When should you replace root tabs?

As per most of the expert aquarists, if the root tabs are from a good and reliable brand, they need to be replaced only after 3 months of use. After 80 to 90 days, the effect of root tabs ends, and all of their nutrients are drained.

Replacing root tabs doesn’t mean you need to remove the older ones. All you need is to take a fresh root tab and insert it inside the substrate, close to the plant’s base.

Another thing that you need to keep in mind is the amount of energy the plant needs. For instance, large plants like Amazon sword would require 2 or 3 root tabs at a time. Likewise, only one root tab will be sufficient for small and slow-growing plants.

If a person is having a big tank of 10 gallons with a very few or almost no plants, there will be no need to replace the root tabs more often compared to a small tank of 5 gallons with heavy plant growth.

How to know that the plant needs another root tab?

The best way to understand a plant’s nutritional requirements is by seeing its appearance. If the plant seems to be growing more slowly and fading in color, maybe it’s time to add another root tab around its base. In the absence of nutrients, the plant will look weak, fragile, and stressed. The leaves may wilt and look flimsy.

If you observe anything like this, take a root tab and insert it into the substrate.

Number of root tabs to use

In general, the number of root tabs your plant requires depends on plant type and its nutritional requirements. Also, the size of the tank, number and type of root-feeding plants, and spacing of the plants matter, while knowing how many root tabs you would require.

The standard dosage is 1 root tab per 10 to 15 cm of substrate. It will ensure that all the plants get the required nutrients. Besides this, how many root tabs will be required also depends upon the capacity and maintenance level of your tank.

If you are still not able to decide how many root tabs to use, just go through the guidelines of the manufacturer and use as per the instructions on it.

How safe are root tabs for fish and shrimp?

When used in the right dose, root tabs don’t harm fish or other living creatures in the tank. There are nutrients in the root tabs in a specified amount, which are not harmful to anyone in the tank. In fact, they do not alter the water chemistry. All they do is help in the plant’s growth.

Here, it is important to mention that overdosing the substrate with root tab may pose harm to the water and its creatures. However, it again depends upon the type of root tabs you are using, the exposure time, and the temperature. If the root tabs have an excess of certain chemicals like nitrates, phosphates, or potassium chloride, they can pose a danger to fish due to their toxicity.

Conclusion

You can give an extra dose of nutrients to your aquarium plants through different means– liquid fertilizers and root tabs. While the aquatic plants that can absorb nutrients through leaves get benefits from liquid fertilizers, the rest are the root feeders, and they can be supplemented with root tabs.

Promoting healthy root development, vibrant foliage, and plant growth, root tabs are effective and useful. Aquarists who are trying to create a lush-green aquascape must try root tabs for their plants and enjoy the greenery.