# question about osmocote



## Extrame

what osmocote can be used in planted tanks? 
TIA


----------



## bratyboy2

As far as I know any


----------



## Extrame

thanks for the rep! 
ill just put some under my soil subs and im all set?


----------



## Aquaticz

osmocote PLUS

good NPK ratio


----------



## ray-the-pilot

bratyboy2 said:


> As far as I know any


Do you use Osmocote in your tank? How much, how often and what kind? I'm a little confused by this since the Osmocote that I use on my house plants is 50% ammonia based N. I always thought that ammonia based N is bad in an aquarium environment. Also my understanding of how Osmocote works would indicate that almost all of the nutrients in Osmocote would be in the water column within a few days.

You need to fill us in on the details of how you use Osmocote since this could be a breakthrough!


----------



## lipadj46

You've been around a while surpised you don't know this as it is accepted as a best practice. There is even a proprietary product by rootmedic that are essentially osmocote plus in gel tabs. You stick them in your substrate and by the nature of the time release material they dissolve slow. Some people put them in gel cap, geleton balls, some people freeze them in ice cubes, some put them in clay balls, some put them in the mineralized topsoil layer under a sand cap, etc. People like the osmocote plus because it has micro nutrients in it but you can use either of the other 2 kinds you find in the stores. As far as the ammonium getting into the water column, sure it does leach but the plants use it quickly. Some people even dose ammonium in the water column.


----------



## OTPT

lipadj46 said:


> People like the osmocote plus because it has micro nutrients in it but you can use either of the other 2 kinds you find in the stores.


Apart from micros, the Plus has good ratio of NPK (less P). 
I had tried both the "Non Plus" and the "Plus", I like the Plus better.


----------



## ray-the-pilot

OTPT said:


> Apart from micros, the Plus has good ratio of NPK (less P).
> I had tried both the "Non Plus" and the "Plus", I like the Plus better.


I'm confused? The KPN ratio for both Osmocote and Osmocote plus are way out of proportion for aquarium plants? My experience after 3 years and this is verified by the fertilator and other data bases suggest that NO3/PO4/K should be about 10/1/10. 
The NO3/PO4/K ratio of Osmocote is about 10/0.4/0.4. I know that the Osmocote "label claim" is like 19/6/12 but this is in the crazy N/P2O4/K2O required by the US dept of Ag.

I guess I am interested in exactly how you use Osmocote. Can you give as much details as possible about how you use it? How much you use and what are your results after 1, 3, 6 months?

I would really like to do what you are doing exactly.


----------



## mrakhnyansky

*Re: Question To Osmocote Users.*

Do Osmocoat granules completely dissolve after a while? Are they biodegradable or not? I found that granules with a fertilizers that are in ADA Power Sand do not degrade for years.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.


----------



## Extrame

yes, how do i use osmocote granules?
in a NPT tank, do i put it under the soil layer 
or 
in the middle of soil layer and gravel cap?

how many to use in a 55gal tank?

thanks for all the help


----------



## OTPT

ray-the-pilot said:


> I'm confused? The KPN ratio for both Osmocote and Osmocote plus are way out of proportion for aquarium plants? My experience after 3 years and this is verified by the fertilator and other data bases suggest that NO3/PO4/K should be about 10/1/10.
> The NO3/PO4/K ratio of Osmocote is about 10/0.4/0.4. I know that the Osmocote "label claim" is like 19/6/12 but this is in the crazy N/P2O4/K2O required by the US dept of Ag.
> 
> I guess I am interested in exactly how you use Osmocote. Can you give as much details as possible about how you use it? How much you use and what are your results after 1, 3, 6 months?
> 
> I would really like to do what you are doing exactly.


Yep, those are N/P2O4/K2O equivalent. But the regular Osmocote available in my area is 14-14-14, 
which makes PO4 higher than K+. So the Plus has better ratio, just better. (Just noticed I said 
"good" ratio in the previous post, it should be edited).

I put them in gelatin capsules and pushed them into substrate (using 5 grams/SQF), result 
could be seen after 2 weeks, and lasted about 6 months (took some pellet out and chopped open 
to examine). GDA showed up in the first week before disappearing. Plants growth seemed accelerated (especially Blyxa), more PO4 was detected in water column, no NH3/4 detected, 
algae started to subside.

I don't use them anymore because when I rescaped, many of them escaped to substrate surface 
(pool filter sand substrate), not a real problem (still no NH3/4 detected), just cosmetic issue, 
all fish and shrimp were fine. Another reason is now with new tank, I'm trying to prove that I can 
grow HG carpet on inert substrate (without any root tab).


----------



## Extrame

hey OTPT,
is Osmocote extended time release fertilizer 18-6-12 any good for planted tanks?

http://ramgoseeds.com/products.do?item_id=435
is this kind of fertilizer a good substitute for osmocote?

thanks


----------



## Left C

Did you notice the price of the 14-14-14 Osmocote in your link? Price: 124.75 !!!!!!

This is a good Osmocote Plus to use.


----------



## Extrame

i think we only have the Osmocote 19-6-12

http://www.scotts.com/smg/products/osmocote/PDF/Osmocote - O _ I Product Page.pdf

can i use this in aquarium?

oh i think thats in our currency (pesos) that would be $2.80

thanks for the reps


----------



## mudboots

I've got it in 3 tanks, a picotope, a 55 g that's set up as mostly emmersed, and a 34 bow front.

The two that worked the best is where I mixed it with the substrate and did what would be similar to a "mineralization", letting the substrate soak and drain for a week. This knocked out the heavy release from the initial inputs. Then I added it to the tank like normal, capped it and planted, and I've not had any problems.

The tank where I added it and planted immediately after (no mineralization) had some plant casualties that I am pretty certain were related to too much all at once release of ammonia from the substrate itself and the added fertz.

For amount, I started with about twice the recommended using the coverage equivalents.

FWIW - the pico that I oopsed in healed quickly, and a few months ago I tossed in a tblspn to see what would happen. The water was cloudy for a couple of days but cleared back up.


----------



## Michael

Mudboots, what method would you recommend for using Osmocote in an established tank to boost fertility in old substrate?


----------



## Extrame

thanks mudboots! 
i have been reading your journals and it was very inspiring!
so for a 55gal, that would be 45grams of osmocote x2? then i mix it in the mud and let it sit for a couple of days then


----------



## mudboots

Michael - I have no idea really on a reasonable level. You could theoretically use tweezers to plant each granule, but that'd be crazy beyond picotope size tanks. Maybe clumps frozen in small ice chunks???

Extrame - sounds good, but to be honest on the amounts I guessed rather than actually measured.


----------



## Aquaticz

This is what I did .....
I made capsules by filling gel caps with osomocote. Then I placed them as far down in the substrate as possible with my handy dandy 12" tweezers. I spaced them around 4 inches on center when I initially set up the tank. After 6 months or so - I added gel caps under the plants I wanted fertilized. I also do the EI "thang". Eventually I do see the little balls on the substrate but I just siphon them out when & if the bug me 

There is a tread "somewhere" either here of the PT where Tom B talks about doing ice cubes with osomocote. I think quite a few people use osomocote. A poll would be interesting

HTH


----------



## Se7eN

Just shove them in the sub. Thats what I have done for a couple years now and see good results after about a week.


----------



## Extrame

thank for all the suggestion guys!

Mudboots - did you put in fish right after you filled up the tank or did you wait for a few days before adding fish?

aquaticz - how much osmocote does a capsule hold?

se7en - thats what i did for my 5 gal tank.. plants are doing ok and fish are still alive hahaha

i will be re-doing my 55 gal soon, cause the plants are slowly dieing. im just preparing the soil subs just like Mudboots suggested. hope everything would turn out ok 

here's a pic of my 55g.. hope the after photo would be better








this pic was taken after i planted the tank... after a few weeks. it started to look bad so i decided to re-do it 
and go el natural


----------



## mudboots

One tank I added fish within a couple of days, but they seemed stressed out.

The other tanks I've had I have always waited a week to let things settle down.


----------



## Extrame

thanks mudboots! 
one question, do you have shrimps in your tank? 
would they live? because osmocote plus has a bit of copper in it

oh yeah, would i get pea soup with this method?


----------



## Michael

Everyone, I've started another thread about Osmocote at http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilizing/79468-osmocote-thread.html#post598449


----------



## mudboots

No shrimp, but I used to. They died after my move, which would have been when I put a lump-o-cote in the substrate. That may explain what happened...


----------



## Extrame

i guess that the down side of using osmocote plus.. ill just use the reg osmocote on my tanks that have shrimp in them 

Thanks for all the advise mudboots and michael
hope my 55gal turns out ok


----------



## FBG

Where do you guys buy your Osmocote plus? I've been all around Tucson looking for it and no one has the Plus version...


----------



## Aquaticz

I am in So Cal & got it at the home depot


----------

