is anything wrong?

[Guppendler]

Why not just use a pincette and push the osmocote fertiliser balls into the substrate, it's supposed to be buried inside the substrate anyways, not placed on top.

If it's buried the substrate, it wouldn't be releasing ammonia into the water column anymore, only directly to the plant roots (which is what it's originally designed to do).

Good idea UA! Alternatively control the siphon pressure so that not so much sand is sucked out along. Sand can always be replaced or replenished

[Jren]

arnd 2 weeks already

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[Urban Aquaria]

actually my ammonia levels are 0 as of now eh lol

Still a good idea to bury the osmocote ferts under the substrate where its meant to be put, that will ensure they supply nutrients to the plant roots instead.

Leaving them sitting above the substrate allows it to release excessive nutrients into the water column, which based on your photos, probably contribute to all the algae growing in your tank.

[Urban Aquaria]

Somewhat off tangent, but how much less does osmocote affect water column chemistry when well buried under, say, sand?

I'm in a bind with providing nutrients for plants while keeping water super soft. Currently I'm trialing plants to see which can grow in soft, acidic, low nutrient conditions. But it'd be really nice to have nutrients trapped under the substrate while keeping soft water in the tank.

If the osmocote fertilizer (or most other root fertilizer tablets/sticks) are buried deep into the substrate, its effects on water parameters should be very minimal.

I have used it before in my tanks and the parameters didn't change significantly. Just have to be careful if you have to uproot and shift plants around during maintenance or re-scapes, if the fertilizers happened to be also pulled up at the same time, it can cause ammonia spikes and parameter imbalances.

[BFG]

One way to remove the osmocote thingy is to gather them in a spot and scoop them out , rather than going at them individually will make you tired fast .

[AQMS]

I used osmocote tab regularly dont worry about the loose pallet around the tank if it is not too much it will not effect the water parameters.