Do I Need Root Tabs?

Root tabs suit many planted aquarium systems and can provide an excellent boost to plant growth over a long period of time, creating lush, healthy stems, vibrant colouration and strong leaves.

For particularly nutrient-hungry plants, root tabs are an ideal solution to supply targeted nutrition directly at the root feeding zone.

Root tabs are also an excellent choice if you are looking to limit nitrates in your aquarium. When used in combination with less concentrated LCA fertilisers such as Advanced Red, Low Tech Complete, or NP Free, nitrate limitation can be easily achieved without having to worry about your plants becoming deficient.

Nitrate limitation can help strengthen the red colouration in species such as Rotala, Ludwigia and Bacopa, when used in conjunction with intense lighting and pressurised CO2 injection.

Otherwise, if you have a heavy bio-load in your aquarium, using root tabs without water column fertilisation can be a great solution to limiting nitrates, providing optimal conditions for your livestock while still growing healthy plants.

In a planted aquarium with a balanced mix of fish and plants, or in more heavily planted aquariums, LCA Root Tabs should always be used in conjunction with water column fertilisation to ensure all plants (including newly planted ones) are being fed.

If you’re using an inert substrate like sand or gravel, LCA Root Tabs are great for quickly enriching your entire substrate. They can be a cheap alternative option to using aquasoil or DIY soil mixes, and they only need to be replaced every 2 months.

Placing or replenishing LCA Root Tabs is easy – simply bury one root tab at a depth of 5+ centimetres for every 10-15 square centimetres of substrate, in a grid pattern. If you want to target specific plants, bury one root tab near the root zone and observe for lush new growth.

Unlike some DIY root tab or soil solutions that use fertilisers and potting mixes formulated for terrestrial plants, LCA Root Tabs are tailored specifically for aquatic use. Unlike DIY solutions, LCA Root Tabs don’t contain harmful amounts of trace nutrients or ammonia, and won’t leech out into your water column when used correctly.

LCA Root Tab Analysis

Each root tab contains:

Nitrogen.............................1.05%

Phosphorus (P)....................1.05%

Potassium (K)........................4.2%

Iron (Fe).............................1.26%

Magnesium (Mg).................0.63%

Calcium (Ca)...................... 1.575%

Plus trace elements