Aquarium Root Tab Experiment - Putting Root Tabs to the Test to Find the Best One

Рет қаралды 72,076

Күн бұрын

Hey all,
Today I put each root tab on the common market to the test, this experiment involved testing root tabs from Liverpool creek aquarium, seachem, osmocote, API, Dymax and more.
Find out which one had the best results!
Hope you enjoyed.
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#Roottabs #AquariumFertiliser #BlakesAquatics

Пікірлер: 251

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Hey everyone! Loved putting together this video for you all. Soon I am going to redo this experiment, let me know which root tabs you'd like to see put to the test 👍

@sq33qs 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe try doing your own root tabs in this test as well to compare with brand tabs? I'm trying this currently. The benefit being that i could choose exactly which fertilizer i want to use. Also just an experiment. New sub, love your content.

@elephant0kingsueperb546 2 жыл бұрын

Give seachem another test. Rotate the plants. It could be lighting

@jasminemartinez2855 2 жыл бұрын

root tabs from the brand “thrive.” i haven’t heard much about them but i would like to see if they’re worth it

@zakger 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasminemartinez2855 I use them and love em! They're from NilocG actually. Their moniker for the product is Thrive. Kinda like how Seachem makes Excel. The only issue with those tabs is keeping them under the soil haha. They like to float. But my Ludwigia LOVES them and gets tons of roots growing from the stems.

@belliqueu 2 жыл бұрын

Thrive Root Tabs by Niloc G

@curtis1905 7 ай бұрын

13:27 - #1 Seachem 13:32 - #2 API 13:34 - #3 LCA

@dureiii9101 3 жыл бұрын

This video is such a lifesaver, I can’t express how happy I am that I found this video. Thank you so much dude! You deserve the best!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it 👍

@onlyedits693 2 жыл бұрын

Dude i respect the time and money you used to do this experiment, i really thank you alot, and you also got a new subscriber😁

@thomasbardenwerper9365 2 жыл бұрын

Outstanding!! Thank you for taking the time to do and share this experiment with us.

@Z4U3398 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, man! Appreciate your taking the trouble on this kind of objective experiments. Imma go get me some Seachem root tabs! You're The Man!

@bonwrentaylor2743 3 жыл бұрын

Great little experiment - thank you for doing this - can save hours on researching this sort of thing. I found this video as part of doing my research on root tabs and luckily, I'd just put an order in for some Seachem root tabs a day earlier ..... Keep up the good work ..!

@lvengineerable 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for putting the effort in! Subscribed!

@anieb153 Жыл бұрын

Just set out to research root tabs for my very first planted tank, and so glad I found this! I know this video is "old," but thank you for taking the time and effort to do this for our benefit. 😊

@petosjr 2 жыл бұрын

Every time I have a specific question, you have a video for it. You're the best 💜

@edstar81 3 жыл бұрын

Great video mate. Thanks for taking the time and uploading

@marypaigeflynn4512 3 жыл бұрын

This was a great experiment Blake!! I really appreciated you doing this... it was very interesting and so were the results!! The way you set it up with the different plants with each supplement was very well thought out! Thanks for sharing your experience with us and it does help me in the future when considering what products are worth trying!! I hope you had a very blessed weekend and always much love from my family to yours 🙏🌿🐟🌿💚

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Mary, happy to help :) have a great day!

@MYTHDUBSTEPP Жыл бұрын

Blake! This video is greatly appreciated!

@zigg4045 7 ай бұрын

I love this kind of experiments. Such a life saver. Thank you brother.

@BlakesAquatics 7 ай бұрын

Glad to help

@anoobis_ Жыл бұрын

Great video. Very straightforward.

@DanielKeepingFish 3 жыл бұрын

Great experiment. Nice idea for a video and nicely executed bud.

@BobMossNanoTanks 3 жыл бұрын

This is my type of content! Love it!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoy it!

@BobMossNanoTanks 3 жыл бұрын

well these comments look like spam lol

@underdog1117 Жыл бұрын

Great video thank you. I just started putting plants in my tank after 30 years of keeping fish. This video is a great help. Thank you.

@undr_life Ай бұрын

Thanks for the awesome video! This was super helpful. I was about to add root tabs and was debating which would be best.

@MrGrombie 3 жыл бұрын

Oh fck yeah bud. I like this already without watching it. And you had a ton of them... and a control... love it!

@Diosesdepapel 2 жыл бұрын

Great experiment , great comparison of different fertilizers obviously this is going to help people looking for the best fertilizer for their planted tanks. Thanks for Sharing.

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

So nice of you

@Yakjiru 2 жыл бұрын

Well made! I've noticed a difference with Seachem as well. Well worth the extra $! Thanks Blake!

@GoldenChild20k Жыл бұрын

Great video Blake. If you ever repeat it, I wouldn’t mind seeing how Aquagreen’s Dino Dung measures up against the big hitters.

@rajp3667 3 жыл бұрын

Great video!! One if those that take a good skiing of time. The results do help viewers. Much appreciated!!!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Raj 👍

@rabianaturaltanks2212 2 жыл бұрын

I use osmocite for a months now. Great for repens, valinsirai , crypts, hygro and many other plants

@endoglewoh 3 жыл бұрын

Wow thanks for the experiments

@pochbelmonte 3 жыл бұрын

you help a lot of people with these experiments!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Cheers 👍 many more planned

@ragingcalmness7815 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for running this test, was nice for me to watch and I feel like after I have mastered the art of growing algae, I will be more informed towards the most effective products to use for plants! 😅🙌

@BlakesAquatics 8 ай бұрын

Good luck!

@wayne2411 2 ай бұрын

Great video. When I recently started a planted tank I was recommended the Seachem root tabs and it's clearly a winner!!

@jeffbetz8157 6 күн бұрын

Awesome video! Thank you!👍

@sijuvarghese5469 3 жыл бұрын

Hey mate, very helpful video. Thank You

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 😀

@asier2001 3 жыл бұрын

Great experiment! Well done!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

@rogergibson7938 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video!

@THEBISH809 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. Thanks. I put live plants in my 29g for the first time two weeks ago. Glad I used Seachem ! Plants look great so far.

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds great!

@justjosh.r.l8278 3 жыл бұрын

I use the z aquatics root taps they are a long stick that you can break in to smaller pieces I have had really good success with them

@billwitt1713 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your results!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

No problem 😊

@SugarMapleForge 3 жыл бұрын

Great experiment! Awesome video!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🤗

@markkoerner8969 Жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@rastapandaz 3 жыл бұрын

Great content!!!!

@Johnjimo1987 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome video. I just bought seachem root tabs so I'm happy to see those results.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Great to hear!

@ANinjasMom Жыл бұрын

Thank you for doing this

@Colin002 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks this was just what I was looking for. Too bad you couldn’t have any co-op tabs.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah need someone to smuggle some in to australia lol. Thanks

@taryziforde7662 3 жыл бұрын

Cool informative vid as usual.. 👍

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 👍

@stampedfish 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice study

@orchedt 3 жыл бұрын

Another interesting secondary experiment would be rerunning this with fewer plant species and a larger sample of plants in each pot. So like, 3 crypts and 3 vals per pot, same range of tabs. If all three plants in each pot don't thrive you can be more sure the tab isn't suitable, but if you get a mixed result there are more questions

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah theres at least 3 other versions of this experiment i will run

@ADUAquascaping Жыл бұрын

Exactly 💯

@azielmontiel8268 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing content, great experiment, here in Mexico, the seachem tabs are not so expensive, about 33 USD for the 40 tabs bag, definetely will get those. Thanks a lot for doing this. Would love to see a similar experiment using carpeting plants such as HC Cuba in the pots.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a good idea

@RussMcCord 2 жыл бұрын

Your experiment is awesome. Brilliant! Looks like I'll go for the Seachem. =)

@WhiteCloud746 Жыл бұрын

A nice thing about the Seachem Flourish Tabs, in my experience, is that they do not float up through the substrate like some of the gel capsule-based products which trap air.

@GabbyRocio 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure!

@johnmaude5065 3 жыл бұрын

I use seachem flourish tabs and seachem flourish liquid fertiliser, with great results

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Good to know!

@nicolero8130 2 жыл бұрын

thank you

@cheveburkinshaw860 3 жыл бұрын

Keen for this one as new plant man . Was asking myself this ??

@cheveburkinshaw860 3 жыл бұрын

Got the member vid thanks

@jimmytheskip Жыл бұрын

gotta redo the test now that aquarium coop send to Australia... Great video as always mate

@BlakesAquatics Жыл бұрын

Absolutely, have their tabs on my desk ready to go as well

@Ishiisan 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Osmocote + Red clay mix does better than the capsule for me.

@voluntaryismistheanswer 2 жыл бұрын

I just postulated that on a Rob's Aquatics video, glad to know someone has been there before me lol

@Mikinct Ай бұрын

Does distance of where actual root tab is placed to actual plants roots? If one plant has roots hitting root tab bit another plant is 4-5" away maybe its not getting equal amount of fertilizers? Or does one root tab stated to feed a 6" circle ⭕ of plants within a certain radius?

@ADUAquascaping Жыл бұрын

Thanks for doing this experiment! Who does the artwork for your merchandise? It looks really nice.

@BlakesAquatics Жыл бұрын

A friend of mine 👍

@lauchlanstill6677 3 жыл бұрын

I use ada and the tabs are awesome

@Sinserg 3 жыл бұрын

Great idea to make something like this. 👍

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it!

@yohanmestre2203 3 жыл бұрын

Hey that is really informative thx‚ What happen with the osmocote one ? First update all plant die ?

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

bit of a mystery, not sure what happened there either.

@erl911 3 жыл бұрын

great video mate

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed

@velidae 3 жыл бұрын

Great experiment, very interesting. Do you know how Tropica capsules compare to any of these? I bought some Seachem ones and also some Tropica ones, wondering if I should just stick to Seachem.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

I dont have any access to tropica ones to know sorry

@mikes6490 3 жыл бұрын

nice experiment!!

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 😃

@kento7899 2 жыл бұрын

Another interesting experiment would be to use the same cost per pot. For instance, it's about $3 per pot for Seachem. What would be the results if you used $3 worth of Osmocote, Dymax or Liverpool, for example.

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

good idea

@ironfae 3 жыл бұрын

I must have won the Seacem lottery. I got a pack of 15 at PetSmart for $6. I used them three weeks ago to help my water lilies and onions. Now there are five beautiful little sprouts in my tank growing like weeds. I also mixed in the API tabs for $10. Either one is a great brand. 👍

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah Aussie prices 🤷‍♂️ happy to hear youre having success 👍

@ironfae 3 жыл бұрын

@@BlakesAquatics Maybe ordering online would be cheaper for you. I usually get pretty good deals on Amazon. 👍

@jonathanpilmore7140 Жыл бұрын

Very good video, thanks very much. Luckily I actually ordered the Seachem ones earlier today, then watched this video hoping Seachem would be the winner and it was !! :)

@ironix1 7 ай бұрын

Well done for an excellent, informative video. I was hoping you were going to empty each pot at the end to see what was left of each tab, as that would give a great insight into when each tablet would need replacing or whether to double up at the beginning. Maybe next time!

@BlakesAquatics 7 ай бұрын

Good idea I will do that next time

@boges11 3 жыл бұрын

Great stuff mate. Maybe the 2 Dymax was too much. I am not familiar with that one, but too much ferts can be worse than not enough. Would be interesting, seeing you have 48 left, to see each pot with different amounts of tabs in.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

that sounds like a good follow up test. have more or less in each

@LogacysAquaticLove Жыл бұрын

Can you do this again except this time add the aquarium co op root tabs to the list? Take out the crappy ones an add the co op ones to test. That would be dope!

@michaelwillett1990 Жыл бұрын

i think you should run again but have the root tabs closer to the midle of the pot, make sure the plants dont have to send roots terably deep to reach them and maybe use something that has a higher cec and see how that changes things, i mean old used uyp aquasoil would be ideal for this test as it will make the root tabs more accesible for the plants

@Lana_Warwick Жыл бұрын

Yes, like any gardening, correct placement, depth, release rate, flow. You could plant 6 seedlings all in the same garden bed, all different results. So many options, however a Father Fish style pot would have been interesting.

@LovelyDeviant Жыл бұрын

You have to poke holes in the DIY and the Liverpool ones to help release more of the nutrients (other than to keep the root tab from floating)

@BlakesAquatics Жыл бұрын

No you dont the gel capsules dissolve instantly, put one in water and see.

@lucasmelo9545 2 жыл бұрын

Seachem, give this dude some money I'm definitely buying some Flourish Tabs Great video

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

hahahah thanks for the support mate, maybe one day :D

@vetter2769 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Blake what lights are you using on this Tank? And can you maybe do a video going through all your lights on each tank, rough cost and where you got them. Thanks

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Its a chihiros wrgb2. Sure i can do that in an upcoming video

@vetter2769 3 жыл бұрын

@@BlakesAquatics thanks man look forward to it.

@fadilramzi7665 2 жыл бұрын

thank you buddy

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

No problem 👍

@chocolatefreak121 2 жыл бұрын

I know it would be hard to say but I'm going to be doing a crypt only tank soon(if I can get ahold of the crypts I want😏) seems like osmocote did the best for crypt, would you say that more down to luck/particular health of that crypt or osmocote would be the way to go?

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

Id personally back in the seachem. Im going to be redoing this soon 👍

@Socalshortybulls 2 жыл бұрын

I bought and opened the aquarium co-op root tabs and noticed it is a powder form. Would it be okay to grind the osmocote plus into powder form for it to dissolve faster because i did an experiment putting osmocote in a cup of water and noticed it took many days for it to dissolve.

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

Great idea. Ive never tried it myself to know for sure but it would help with the unsightly blue and yellow balls. My suspicion is that it might dissolve a lot faster and release too many nutrients though

@aaronnash1776 4 ай бұрын

Loved it! What was the name of the song that started playing at 3:40?

@BlakesAquatics 4 ай бұрын

Hi its called this is what we're waiting for I think. Was just in some copyright free music library.

@samantharodriguez9586 8 ай бұрын

thankyouuu omggg i needed this !!!🎉🎉🎉

@ayantikpal3684 3 жыл бұрын

good experiment!!! but you see companies design their root tabs in such a way that it supports the company's own substrate system...seachem flourite has less nutrients than ada amazonia..this is why the root tabs complement their own substrate systems

@voluntaryismistheanswer 2 жыл бұрын

Well, hopefully red clay Osmocote balls will complement my red clay (under gravel) substrate, lol. I have not enjoyed my experiences with packaged aquatic soil, messy and expensive (and my plants grow better in deep layered substrate/with plenum than any of the commercial products).

@JeffNielson 3 жыл бұрын

The seachem tabs are mostly micronutrients. The NPK could have been high in the water from overfertilizing the tank(and in each container for that matter) , then the micronutrients in the seachem tabs helped the plants that were the closest to them. I don't recall him mentioning whether he added micronutrients to the tank in addition. Anyway, it is just something to consider as a source of error. I could be wrong. Maybe next time you can measure NPK in the water. Thanks for doing this.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that insight, i dont recall dosing any liquid fertilisers during the experiement but if i did it wouldve been an all in one style fertiliser containing micros and macros

@trevormurphy3457 7 ай бұрын

@@BlakesAquatics You used a gravel substrate in the pots so the nutrients from the root tabs wouldve seeped straight into the water column. Basically every plant was being exposed to nutrients from every root tab.

@cparch1758 2 жыл бұрын

Should do an ADA vs Seachem vs Thrive!

@herpdiversity9152 3 жыл бұрын

Definitely i would love a breakdown of what root tabs have more or less of certain nutrients. Also what nutrients your water already has. That way I can get root tabs best for my water

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Noted!

@Pray4Mojo1 28 күн бұрын

I feel like you did anamazing job here. Problem is, the ludwigia is mostly a water column feeder. So I'd say the osmocote did the best, the val and crypt look much healthier than any of the other pots. However, any root tab is better than none.

@squidlyminimalisim 2 жыл бұрын

Next time could you try aquario neo root tabs ?

@VinylUnboxings 3 жыл бұрын

Do you happen to know what your nitrates were typically at during the experiment?

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

I try to keep them at 20ppm 👍

@yohanmestre2203 3 жыл бұрын

I was wondering too thx

@Marcos28nk 10 ай бұрын

I want to know what do you think of the aquarium co op root tabs? I have used them for a while now and want to know what you think about them? Edit: I have realized that aquarium co op doesn’t ship to Australia, so I just want to know could I use multiple root tabs for my plants? Will too much have a negative effect on my tank?

@WastedTalent- 9 ай бұрын

You may have an algae bloom.

@KettmanAquatic Жыл бұрын

What happened to all the plants? A lot are missing I wish you explained

@suman5492 3 жыл бұрын

I have only Cryptocorynes in sand. Which tab will you suggest?

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Seachem 👍

@erickbucio1976 3 жыл бұрын

May i ask why aquarium co ops root tabs didnt make it in?

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Sure. I am in Australia so we cant get them. 👍

@gr3123 2 жыл бұрын

Osmocote have premade ones at Bunnings now.

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah used them heaps before. 👍

@gr3123 2 жыл бұрын

@@BlakesAquatics are they any good?

@BlakesAquatics 2 жыл бұрын

@@gr3123 better than nothing but the seachem ones are the bees knees

@D1sc1p1e 3 жыл бұрын

The only one I wish you'd added is ThriveCaps. Other than that good video.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Never heard of those, ill have to research them

@TheStormRogue 2 ай бұрын

Are any of these safe for invertibrae? I see horror stories of ones with 0.0001% copper killing their colonies.

@BlakesAquatics 2 ай бұрын

If you want to be really safe some people freeze some shrimp safe fertiliser in an ice cube tray and then push that into the substrate. Havent tried it myself but thats what id try

@youngmango4508 3 жыл бұрын

Is there a benefit to filter floss on bottom

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Just so the gravel didnt fall out the hole

@captainkrusty2379 3 жыл бұрын

Woot woot I got the seachem

@jalisacorporal9352 Жыл бұрын

I just purchased some crypts and osmocote I hope it works for me

@BlakesAquatics Жыл бұрын

Good luck!

@vanschermerhorn7167 3 жыл бұрын

When starting out what size pots/

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

11cm diameter from memory mate

@aigomorla 9 ай бұрын

Nice experiment however you have a critical flaw when it comes to the application, which is called osmosis. So the ferts could be leaching out of the system and the current carrying it out with the flow. The last pot you have being the seachem shows roots in expanding like crazy which means it could be where the ferts are mostly concentrated. A proper but tedious way to do the test would of been in its own each system, but i think that would be too time consuming. Regardless thank you for your contribution, I personally always use base amazonia aquasoil in my planted tanks, so had very little need for root tabs unless i wanted to supercharge the growth with massive injection of CO2 otherwise you will get a algae explosion on a exponential category.

@BlakesAquatics 9 ай бұрын

Agree, i have long thought about having individual tanks or something to avoid that but am yet to get around to if

@FreakyT333 3 ай бұрын

I’m a big time novice here just soaking up all the info I can. However, in an experiment like this to give each contender a fair shot I think you’ll need to rotate each pot’s position in the tank every week or two. Might make no difference but seems logical to me. Great experiment though, thanks!

@BlakesAquatics 3 ай бұрын

Yeah good call, not the perfect experiment by any means

@FreakyT333 3 ай бұрын

@@BlakesAquatics I’m definitely not meaning to criticize your efforts in a negative way, I think what you did here was awesome and greatly appreciated by thousands of us. A perfect experiment doesn’t exist 😉 You provided a really great example of base expectations people should have with these products. If you choose to do another one using other popular products maybe you can implement some rotation. Personally I’m curious how the aquarium co-op stuff does as well as a couple other frequently recommended brands on the tube these days. Again I’m a noob, thanks again for your killer content and info!

@NateK-MN 3 жыл бұрын

Are they all getting the same amount of light? It looks like the ones on the edges are shaded but we can't see the light so maybe it's just a feeling.

@BlakesAquatics 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Nate, yeah its just 1 90cm light across the whole tank, theres a slight chance the two edge ones get slightly less from not having a crossover of light, but given the seachem was on the edge it doesn't seem to have affected too much.