Uh...oh....

[RobberyinCSharp]

Hi everyone

Quick question -
I added API Root Tabs into my tank today to help some amazon swords that were sick. I have a 10 gallon tank. On the back of the box it says a typical ten-gallon tank needs about 6 tabs. Because mine is not heavily planted, I only added four. I left the tabs under the gravel by the roots of my plants and waited an hour or so. When I came back to my tank, I noticed that I could BARELY see in it!! It's a giant white cloud!!!

What did I do!? My fish are fine - swimming happily and still perfectly active. But did I use the tablets wrong? Is this supposed to happen???

 

[minnnt]

How long has your tank been setup up for? If you have disturbed alot of waste in/on the substrate then you could have caused a bacterial bloom. What substrate do you have? If it's sand and you didn't rinse it correctly then it may be this also.

Try and test your water incase it has caused a spike after being disturbed. If it has then you will need to be doing a water change.

 

[KISSfn]

+ minnnt's advice.

I did a google search and it sounds like the API Root Tabs do that if they are not buried at least 2 inches deep into sand. Since you have gravel they may have dissolved too quickly? I use Flourish Root Tabs and they did not discolor my water at all. If it were me I would check all my water parameters just to be sure.

 

[RobberyinCSharp]

How long has your tank been setup up for? If you have disturbed alot of waste in/on the substrate then you could have caused a bacterial bloom. What substrate do you have? If it's sand and you didn't rinse it correctly then it may be this also.

Try and test your water incase it has caused a spike after being disturbed. If it has then you will need to be doing a water change.

The tank has been set up since June of this year. I normally would say that there was not a lot of waste in the substrate since I do consistently vacuum my gravel and such but you're certainly right - a bacterial bloom sounds the most accurate - I did stir up some dirt in the process.

+ minnnt's advice.

I did a google search and it sounds like the API Root Tabs do that if they are not buried at least 2 inches deep into sand. Since you have gravel they may have dissolved too quickly?

Yeah I'm certain that they weren't buried more than two inches in the sand - probably not even AT two inches. This is probably where issues come into hand....