Sealab No 28?

[Reefer Obsessed]

Sealab No 28; sounds like Chanel No 5. <g>. I had an experienced reefer tell me to use Sealab No 28 blocks instead of dosing? What are the pros and cons? What is your experience and opinion? I have 100g with live rock and fish only but want to start adding corals. Thanks

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Old school.
Its a slow dissolving block. What I dont know, is does it evenly dose alkalinity. Its not a measured dose is the difficulty. If you were to use one and supplement with water changes it would likely be fine assuming is takes care of alkalinity as well.

following along.

 

[Reefer Obsessed]

Thanks for your reply. I did additional research but couldn't find any evidence based practices. I was almost like snake oil in that it fixed everything. I had an older reefer tell me it was what he used but he only has softies in his tank so it may work well for him. I will keep my eyes out for additional info before I use in my tank. Thanks again.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks for your reply. I did additional research but couldn't find any evidence based practices. I was almost like snake oil in that it fixed everything. I had an older reefer tell me it was what he used but he only has softies in his tank so it may work well for him. I will keep my eyes out for additional info before I use in my tank. Thanks again.

You bet. Let me know

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is nothing like it claims. All it does is slowly dissolve and release stuff, whether your tank needs it or not.

 

[pickupman66]

OLD school product. I used them WAY back in the day. just as randy said, they dissolve whether your tank needed it or not. In their hay day, they were great because we didn't have good testing, and didn't have good dosing products. I still have a box of the blocks in my closet just waiting to be dropped in.

 

[Reefer Obsessed]

Thanks guys for the info. I wondered why if they were so wonderful everyone wasn't using them. It is now confirmed by the experts and the experienced. It's a no go for me. I'll not be risking overdosing and/or under dosing. Another Newbie saved by the experts and experienced. Ya'll are just great with the quick and easily understood answers. Glad I asked.

 

[mcarroll]

Always wondered about these....just stumbled on this thread. Never seen them for sale, so never tried them myself.

Sounds like these things should work (seems comparable to Tropic Marin's "all in one" called Bio Calcium) as long as you don't throw your test kits in the trash for no apparent reason when you buy the blocks. (You have to test intensively when starting any dosing regime, so that would not be unique to these things.)

I seem to recall from a magazine article or something that you'd situate them closer to or further from a flow source to modulate the rate of dissolution. And unlike a liquid suplement, you can take it out if testing indicates that it's going too fast.

Interesting!

 

[madweazl]

Holy cow, didnt realize they were still around! I used these from about '97 to '07 or or so. They worked great for me but the tank was softies, clams (derasa and crocea), along with a few LPS. As stated above, we'd move them in and out of the flow until we found a sweet spot which was pretty easy in a time where many of us watched our inhabitants more than our test kits.

 

[smcdonald]

I've been running my 90 gallon reef tank with lots of softies for about 15 years. The Sea Lab #28 have been the only product that has been able to keep my calcium right at 430. It doesn't move. I put one block in my refugium in an area of medium to low flow and when it dissolves - then replace it with another one. My alk is right where I want it 8 - 9. When I was using the liquid chemicals and trying to dose manually - I've never purchased an auto-doser, I was always chasing my calcium levels.....too low, then back up, then too low, etc.
It may be old school, but I'm very happy that I found it because it works for me. I've never seen spikes with either Alk or Calcium. They stay right where I want them. When the block is almost gone I replace it with a new one. I'm just about to order another box. I found this stuff about 2 years ago and it has really made my life much easier for keeping my ALK and CA right where I want them. You're mileage may vary, but I'm ordering my 5th or 6th box and will continue to order.

 

[chicago]

smcdonald.. question... what is your alk and other measurements.. when using these blocks.. used them in the 90's myself.. and have to say.. they did the job.

 

[chicago]

smcdonald.. what is your mag at with these blocks.. i too used them back decades ago..

 

[Chops Nc]

I have been using them in my two new reef tanks, and I used to use them over twenty years ago, and was glad they were still available
My Calcium, Mag, and Alk are all fine.
I place mine under the sand bed and check them weekly with water changes.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I have, and still do, used them for years. They are definitely NOT a replacement for dosing and water changes. They do not really maintain Alk, and Calcium goes through the roof. I will drop a small block in my tank if I can't do a waterchange for a few weeks just to keep things up. I don't dose, and have VERY few SPS, though I do have nems and a clam.

 

[gjj1056]

I have been using them in my two new reef tanks, and I used to use them over twenty years ago, and was glad they were still available
My Calcium, Mag, and Alk are all fine.
I place mine under the sand bed and check them weekly with water changes.

I know it's more than 2 years, but I'm really interested in this product. How do you keep your alk in check when using this? I heard it doesn't do anything to alk. I am dosing ATI Essentials Pro and having problems with stability for my 1 year old tank, looking into this if this will make it stable.

 

[gjj1056]

I've been running my 90 gallon reef tank with lots of softies for about 15 years. The Sea Lab #28 have been the only product that has been able to keep my calcium right at 430. It doesn't move. I put one block in my refugium in an area of medium to low flow and when it dissolves - then replace it with another one. My alk is right where I want it 8 - 9. When I was using the liquid chemicals and trying to dose manually - I've never purchased an auto-doser, I was always chasing my calcium levels.....too low, then back up, then too low, etc.
It may be old school, but I'm very happy that I found it because it works for me. I've never seen spikes with either Alk or Calcium. They stay right where I want them. When the block is almost gone I replace it with a new one. I'm just about to order another box. I found this stuff about 2 years ago and it has really made my life much easier for keeping my ALK and CA right where I want them. You're mileage may vary, but I'm ordering my 5th or 6th box and will continue to order.

How's it working for you now? Does no. 28 maintain your alk? Or do you dose something else for alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Theis product is not any sort of good solution for maintaining alk in a reef tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am dosing ATI Essentials Pro and having problems with stability for my 1 year old tank,

What sort of stability issues?

As to the Sea Lab, asking whether it works is nearly the same as asking if 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added every day is a good way to maintain alkalinity.

 

[reef-newbie-11305]

is ATI Essentials Pro any good? sorry for getting off topic, was just curious about it

 

[gjj1056]

What sort of stability issues?

As to the Sea Lab, asking whether it works is nearly the same as asking if 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added every day is a good way to maintain alkalinity.

Sorry for the late response.

Problems with stability of alk and magnesium.