The Wild Fishing Forum

Back in my Alpine Nursery days we mixed our own potting compost which was up to 50% grit. I mixed in instant and controlled release fertilizers to grow on and sustain the plants for their stay in the garden centres. I wondered if the root tabs would release more rapidly if broken up and therefore had a greater surface area.

Putting them in whole will feed say a highlight heavy feeder plant, like an Amazon Sword and some near it, crushing and spreading would feed plants that require less nutrients like fast growing stem plants over a bigger area. Don't put them in though until you have the hard landscaping done then they wont be covered by rocks and wood.

There are 10 root tabs in the packet. Should I break them up and spread them under the substrate or keep them whole? I've seen the MD Fish Tanks guy on YT do both.

Quote from: Jon on Today at 04:43:41 PMI much prefer fish.....

Me too. Just keep me away from spiders, they seem to stir up a deep rooted primeval  dread in me.. I don't harm them, I just relocate them outside. 

Quote from: Wildfisher on Today at 04:27:04 PMLooks great will be  interesting to see how it goes.

It's not mine. I have a weird kid who loves praying mantis.

He has an orchid mantis which will eventually look like this.



And when visiting an aquatic shop recently he convinced me to get him a spiny flower mantis. Who's final 'home' I've just knocked together. Eventually it will look like this.




I much prefer fish.....

Marsh Harrier pair at RSPB Kinnordy this morning. The blue-grey one is the male. Quite far away, so a bit small. The male appears to have 2 females nesting. Busy lad! 

Looks great will be  interesting to see how it goes.

Superb Jon, many thanks! Quality stuff. 

Already got the root tabs and the liquid fertiliser as well as the quick start bacteria and de-chlorinater. Got the test kit too- not used it to do a baseline test on the tap water yet.

Posting today.

Amazon Swords. Plant these in the sand. Consider adding root tabs for maximum growth.

Java Fern. Tie these to wood using dark coloured cotton or fishing line. The 'roots' are not actually roots but a rhizome. Don't bury in the substrate as this will kill them. In time the rhizome will form a natural attachment to the wood and you'll see good growth. Use a high quality liquid fertilizer as per instructions for these.

Aponogeton natans. Crappy looking little bulbs. Bury these in the sand. You might be surprised with their growth rate. They'll soon hit the water surface in a couple of weeks, look 20 times better and should then produce small white flowers at the water surface.

Red lily bulb. Bury just two thirds in the substrate with the shoots face up and roots face down. These produce red foliage and can grow large.

Java Moss. Looks a mess.... Again, tie this to wood using cotton or a low breaking strain tippet. In time it will also attach naturally to hardscape and will look great. Some bits may float away if not tied securely.

Egeria densa. A super easy species to grow. It's naturally a floating plant but you can root if you like.


I really wood spend a few quid on root tabs and a liquid fertiliser. Initially start with less than half the stated dose of the liquid. If you have too many nutrients in the water you'll end up with algae. As the plants grow and as you add more you can build up the dose etc.

If you end up with algae you're overdoing it.

Add four airplants and a random succulent. The Tillandsia bulbosa have been siliconed upside down deliberately as the future inhabitant needs to hang so it can moult at a later date.

Feed the plants, affix the door and wait for the silicone to cure. And hope laddo is pleased with his new  pet and home?