We would like to think that anything in the substrate stays in the substrate. However since plants need the nutrients to be water soluble. If they are not plants cannot absorb them That is why iron chelates are the preferred iron nutrient in fertilizers. Iron just doesn't want to stay soluble in water. I have also seen that without root tabs plants can still get nutrients. More through gravel and less through sand. So growth in sand was slower than growth ingravel with just a liquid fertilizer. In most aquariums there is at least a small amount of water circulation through the substrate. More through gravel and less through can or soil. If you look at the ingredients list of Seachem root tabs and Seachem Flourish comprehensive liquid fertilizer many of the ingreaidients are the same. The only big difference I see is that the root tabs has a lot more calcium in it.
Since we do not have test kits for most nutrients plants need how can we tell if the nutrients in the root tab stay in the substrate? As to excess nutrients how do we know or anyone for that mater know if they are pressent in tank? Only a lab test will tell you what your nutrient levels are. But even how much is too much? The answer to all of these questions is we don't know. but in my experience deficiencies appear to be more common than excesss levels. But I do believe that many sick fish problems are cause by too much of something or not enough of something else in the water. I myself have not seen many of the health issues people post about. The only health issue I have seen is a iodine deficiency in my shrimp. My shrimp were behaving like my dad did when he had a bad day ( he had thyroid problems) so I guessed it was iodine and added a small amount The shrimp quickly returned to normal. I have since been routinely dosing iodine at a target concentration of 0.001ppm and the problem has not reoccured.
there is one difference I see in this hobby verses and engineering firms is that everything in the hobby is what others have seen in there tanks and guesses. in engineering if you see something happen you make detailed measurements and then try to confirm the test result with experiments. At my employer Have seen expirment go extrodinarily bad while others have excel all expectations. And then more testing is often done to fully understand what is happening..After that can in general get very consistent and repeatable results.
Since we do not have test kits for most nutrients plants need how can we tell if the nutrients in the root tab stay in the substrate? As to excess nutrients how do we know or anyone for that mater know if they are pressent in tank? Only a lab test will tell you what your nutrient levels are. But even how much is too much? The answer to all of these questions is we don't know. but in my experience deficiencies appear to be more common than excesss levels. But I do believe that many sick fish problems are cause by too much of something or not enough of something else in the water. I myself have not seen many of the health issues people post about. The only health issue I have seen is a iodine deficiency in my shrimp. My shrimp were behaving like my dad did when he had a bad day ( he had thyroid problems) so I guessed it was iodine and added a small amount The shrimp quickly returned to normal. I have since been routinely dosing iodine at a target concentration of 0.001ppm and the problem has not reoccured.
there is one difference I see in this hobby verses and engineering firms is that everything in the hobby is what others have seen in there tanks and guesses. in engineering if you see something happen you make detailed measurements and then try to confirm the test result with experiments. At my employer Have seen expirment go extrodinarily bad while others have excel all expectations. And then more testing is often done to fully understand what is happening..After that can in general get very consistent and repeatable results.
