Sea lab No.,28...any good?

[anthonygf]

Another thing I would like to mention. ICP test results still show some trace elements very low and I also dose trace at small amounts.

 

[coralsandcorrals]

I use them. I have a mixed reef. Softies, LPS, SPS, Acro's. I have a ton of coraline algae, in fact mine was turning brown and flaking off and then I started tossing these in there and my coraline is now more colorful and covers more than it ever has been. Deep deep colors too. All corals are responding well to it. I light with MH/T5 as well, so I'm old school and the old school still works

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well, I'll just reiterate that no product can do what these claim.

You may succeed in spite of them, but I strongly recommend taking a different approach where you actually have some control over the final alkalinity and calcium values attained.

 

[anthonygf]

Well, I'll just reiterate that no product can do what these claim.

You may succeed in spite of them, but I strongly recommend taking a different approach where you actually have some control over the final alkalinity and calcium values attained.

Hi Randy. I understand what you are saying. I have been using them myself in my 75 and never have to dose calcium or magnesium. I have an ICP test of my water about every month and trace elements are still low, but magnesium and calcium are a little higher than normal but all my animals are doing great. I test alk almost daily, mag, cal every week. Potassium gets low and I dose that a little to maintain close to 400. You are right though, if you do not check parameters frequently mag and calcium can get too high if you use too many blocks. I will continue to use this product, almost 5 years now and rarely need to dose anything but alk, and potassium.

 

[anthonygf]

The claims are ludicrous. Even if it did something useful, I would never support this company due to this sort of false advertising.

"Sea-Lab #28 restores and maintains the concentration of calcium, strontium and all trace elements at the same levels found in the sea, automatically. Formula #28 always works, and cannot be overdosed. This is not a slow-dissolve or time-release product. It dissolves only to replace depleted elements."

Sea Lab NO 28 - Buy From MarineAndReef.com

Sea Lab NO 28 restores and maintains the concentration of calcium, strontium and all trace elements at the same levels found in the sea, automatically.

www.marineandreef.com

You are correct in that, I find it does not always add trace elements according to ICP tests of my water. But it does maintain major elements fairly well.

 

[coralsandcorrals]

Well, I'll just reiterate that no product can do what these claim.

You may succeed in spite of them, but I strongly recommend taking a different approach where you actually have some control over the final alkalinity and calcium values attained.

You all should do an "investigates" on it. That would be interesting and helpful in order to see what it DOES do. And I emphasize DOES not to prove a point but because it does do something. Would like to know what that is. Know what I mean Vern'

 

[anthonygf]

Like I said, I have been using these blocks for close to 6 years and mag and cal remain stable. When I stop using I have to dose mag and cal. I am convinced they work, still have containers of calcium and magnesium powder that I rarely touch. My clam grows well without dosing mag and cal, I just dose alk. Try it and prove it yourself. In my opinion and experience using them there are no negative effects from what I have seen. I also dose trace elements because ICP shows them to be low.

Here is a pic of my 46 bowfront I had for about 4 years, then upgraded to 75 just last year. Even my monti grew well.

I understand how some people are skeptical but the proof is in the pudding. Rarely dose mag have yet to dose cal. Don't get upset with me having a YT in a 46 but he was small, skinny and ripped fins at petco 5 years ago, had words with management and got him for $10 and look at him now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You all should do an "investigates" on it. That would be interesting and helpful in order to see what it DOES do. And I emphasize DOES not to prove a point but because it does do something. Would like to know what that is. Know what I mean Vern'

It dissolves, releasing everything in it, at some rate.

It certainly does not do this:

"Sea-Lab Formula 28 is a mixture of naturally occurring buffer compounds that maintains natural ocean concentrations of calcium, strontium, and all 15 essential trace elements. "

"As elements are depleted from solution, Formula 28 delivers exactly equivalent amounts to replace them."

Curiously, it makes no mention of magnesium at all. Their "product analysis" is just a list of concentration of SOME ions in seawater. If you believe their list of ingredients, it releases those over the time it takes to dissolve. . By the time it has dissolved, it has released all of these:

Sea Lab #28 Replenisher Kilo Block / Sea Lab / Additives / Saltwater / Dry Goods - Quality Marine

 

[anthonygf]

It dissolves, releasing everything in it, at some rate.

It certainly does not do this:

"Sea-Lab Formula 28 is a mixture of naturally occurring buffer compounds that maintains natural ocean concentrations of calcium, strontium, and all 15 essential trace elements. "

"As elements are depleted from solution, Formula 28 delivers exactly equivalent amounts to replace them."

Curiously, it makes no mention of magnesium at all. Their "product analysis" is just a list of concentration of SOME ions in seawater. If you believe their list of ingredients, it releases those over the time it takes to dissolve. . By the time it has dissolved, it has released all of these:

Sea Lab #28 Replenisher Kilo Block / Sea Lab / Additives / Saltwater / Dry Goods - Quality Marine

You are correct that it doesn't mention magnesium but it does add it. As for trace elements I see know proof of that according to ICP tests. That is why I still do 10% water change weekly, until now my nitrate and phosphate are very low now maybe do to the cleaning of my fuge and new calerpa. I may do 10% every 2 weeks if my nutrients remain low, will see how that goes. Even with adding trace elements there is little change in ICP tests.

 

[Hopper123]

Any updates on this

 

[anthonygf]

Any updates on this

It has been close to a year since I stopped using Sea-Lab #28. All corals look okay now, good color but seems to grow slow. My duncans have been closed up since then and just now starting to come out. I have half a box of the Sea-Lab #28 and starting to use it again (06/16/22). Now my calcium is going up, it is a little over 500. As you can see from my photos my reef was doing very well, now a year later is a little less so. My corals still doing okay with good color but slow growing. I will update this in maybe a month from now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any updates on this

Bad product then, bad product now.

it makes no more sense than to claim adding 2 ml of mystical product A and B to any reef tank every day will

“maintain natural ocean concentrations of calcium, strontium, and all 15 essential trace elements.”

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have half a box of the Sea-Lab #28 and starting to use it again (06/16/22). Now my calcium is going up, it is a little over 500.

Seems to debunk the ridiculous claim to:

“maintains natural ocean concentrations of calcium, strontium, and all 15 essential trace elements.“

 

[anthonygf]

Seems to debunk the ridiculous claim to:

“maintains natural ocean concentrations of calcium, strontium, and all 15 essential trace elements.“

Yes, the calcium runs higher, the mag runs lower than natural ocean concentrations but it seemed to help my reef. Maybe it was something else, but I am going to try this stuff again. It didn't seem to hurt last time, I will know if it has a positive effect. I will see.

 

[polyppal]

Ancient reefing technology - these always reminded me of those toilet bowl cleaning pucks (that also don’t work particularly well)…

if you want something easy go with Kalk

 

[anthonygf]

Ancient reefing technology - these always reminded me of those toilet bowl cleaning pucks (that also don’t work particularly well)…

if you want something easy go with Kalk

I dose what ever I need manually and don't mind one bit. I am retired and test several times a week, 10 gallon water change a week. I love this hobby and I don't want easy, I love getting my hands dirty and love testing the water. The reason I am using this stuff is the positive outcome I had the first few years I was using it. Even though my ICP tests were all good major, minor and trace elements, this stuff seemed to improve my reef a little. Maybe it was a fluke?, so I have some left and will try it again.

 

[anthonygf]

Ancient reefing technology - these always reminded me of those toilet bowl cleaning pucks (that also don’t work particularly well)…

if you want something easy go with Kalk

Oh, and I think dropping one or two cubes in the sump every couple of weeks or until it all dissolves is easier than kalc!. I think. lol

 

[Michael ross1]

Like I said, I have been using these blocks for close to 6 years and mag and cal remain stable. When I stop using I have to dose mag and cal. I am convinced they work, still have containers of calcium and magnesium powder that I rarely touch. My clam grows well without dosing mag and cal, I just dose alk. Try it and prove it yourself. In my opinion and experience using them there are no negative effects from what I have seen. I also dose trace elements because ICP shows them to be low.

Here is a pic of my 46 bowfront I had for about 4 years, then upgraded to 75 just last year. Even my monti grew well.

I understand how some people are skeptical but the proof is in the pudding. Rarely dose mag have yet to dose cal. Don't get upset with me having a YT in a 46 but he was small, skinny and ripped fins at petco 5 years ago, had words with management and got him for $10 and look at him now.

So its worth a try

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So its worth a try

I cannot imagine coming to that conclusion. I also would not ever support a company that misleads customers about what the product does, even if it was useful.

If ATI said to dose 10 mL of its two part every day (which is very analogous), would that be “worth a try”? It might be useful, but it’s hardly something that is a recommended approach.

 

[anthonygf]

I cannot imagine coming to that conclusion. I also would not ever support a company that misleads customers about what the product does, even if it was useful.

If ATI said to dose 10 mL of its two part every day (which is very analogous), would that be “worth a try”? It might be useful, but it’s hardly something that is a recommended approach.

Hi Randy. I respect your opinions, you know a great deal more than I. What exactly are they saying that is misleading? I have had good success with this product and see no problems with my corals. Like you know, all tanks are different and some may get different results.

I agree that it maintains calcium a little high, don't see much of magnesium as I still have to dose that at times. Like I said, I have used it for several years and it does help me out with less manual dosing.

What is wrong with someone experimenting with their tank and giving it a try? I would suggest that if some do try it to stop all dosing and check water parameters daily again. Thanks for all the information you have shared with us all and do look forward to your future comments.