Sealab No 28?

[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

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

If your tank has tons of corals, I would say it is good. But it is tricky to get the correct dose for your tank, takes a lot of patience and testing, and eventually still need to retest for changes in consumption.

 

[kevinyee]

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

I use SeaLab 28 in a 25 gallon tank with about 8 LPS corals which are all doing fine. I use IO Reef Crystals that have a DKH of 13. I do 10% weekly water changes and my DKH still measures 7 after a water change. I was reading that high calcium lowers the alkalinity so I will start dosing Alk moving forward. Does anybody else have low Alk when using SeaLab 28?

 

[gjj1056]

I use SeaLab 28 in a 25 gallon tank with about 8 LPS corals which are all doing fine. I use IO Reef Crystals that have a DKH of 13. I do 10% weekly water changes and my DKH still measures 7 after a water change. I was reading that high calcium lowers the alkalinity so I will start dosing Alk moving forward. Does anybody else have low Alk when using SeaLab 28?

I do because Sealab doesn't have alk. I dose Reef Buffer by Seachem 2x a week and it seems to maintain my alk and at the same time increases my pH to 8.3 which is what I needed too. Reef Builder is good if you don't have pH issues and just alk.

 

[Reefahholic]

What a ridiculous product. I’m sorry, but people will sale you anything. It’s comical.

 

[polyppal]

^ The only Sealab I'm interested in

 

[NinjaSushi]

Sorry to necro a five year old thread but these blocks seem to do something for my tank. I am no expert but I put them in my fresh and salt water tanks and everyone looks happy. I breed mystery snails and cherry shrimp and inverts LOVE to snack on the blocks. My theory is that the calcium and stuff in the blocks are good for their carapaces, shells, etc. so they nibble on the blocks from time to time. I've also noticed my plants in my planted tank are doing better.

Q. What's in it?
A. Not sure.

Q. Does it work?
A. Arguably yes but to what effect I do not know.

Q. Is it worth your time and money?
A. That's on you.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry to necro a five year old thread but these blocks seem to do something for my tank. I am no expert but I put them in my fresh and salt water tanks and everyone looks happy. I breed mystery snails and cherry shrimp and inverts LOVE to snack on the blocks. My theory is that the calcium and stuff in the blocks are good for their carapaces, shells, etc. so they nibble on the blocks from time to time. I've also noticed my plants in my planted tank are doing better.

Q. What's in it?
A. Not sure.

Q. Does it work?
A. Arguably yes but to what effect I do not know.

Q. Is it worth your time and money?
A. That's on you.

If course it’s adds what it contains as it slowly dissolves, whether you need it or not.

Like adding 5 gallons of gas to your car without knowing if it needs it. lol

 

[NinjaSushi]

Haha true. I bought the box, might as well use it up. Sooooo glad Google pulls up old threads with the answers ready to go.

What BRSTV doesn't have, R2R does.

 

[Lenett]

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.

Have you used with inverts? I used 1x and my urchin of 6 years died and now my red banded shrimp of 2 years.I have found no other reason for the deaths.

 

[JCOLE]

I'd like to try these blocks. Why? Well, to be honest, I have a large setup that requires me to be involved for at least two hours per day, and anything that can help me cut some time would be fantastic. Throughout the week, I dose trace elements and vitamins, and sometimes I forget, etc.

I'm currently running a large calcium reactor and dosing Kalk. My alkalinty and calcium levels have remained really stable as a result of this. I'm just intrigued by the idea of dropping their large block in the middle of my 300-gallon Rubbermaid sump and letting it do its thing.

The fact that it is buffered to avoid overdosing your system piques my interest.

From their product info - Since Formula 28 is fully buffered, there is a constant supply of essential trace elements and no possibility of toxic overload, so dosage and application are extremely uncritical. The blocks can be placed in any location where there is a moderate current. When the blocks are mostly dissolved, add a similar number.

SeaLab Concentrations (ppm)
Aluminum 0.01
Boron 4.6
Calcium 400.0
Chromium 0.00005
Cobalt 0.0005
Copper 0.003
Fluorine 0.3
Iodine 0.06
Iron 0.01
Manganese 0.002
Molybdenum 0.01
Nickel 0.002
Selenium 0.004
Strontium 8.0
Tin 0.002
Vanadium 0.002
Zinc 0.014

@Randy Holmes-Farley What do you think of that claim?

 

[Ellery]

My buddy was using it for a year so i figured I'd try this out with a Before/After ICP test to see if it does anything. But if it does what it claims for Trace elements then that would be kool if it maintains those levels.
Just received my 1 Kg block and 2lb box. Will start with 10 blocks for 500g system. I sent my ICP test last week so will do this again in a month.

I mean it's been around like forever and I never heard of it till recently. But then again seems like tons of people are still using it else it would not be still on the market right?

 

[JCOLE]

My buddy was using it for a year so i figured I'd try this out with a Before/After ICP test to see if it does anything. But if it does what it claims for Trace elements then that would be kool if it maintains those levels.
Just received my 1 Kg block and 2lb box. Will start with 10 blocks for 500g system. I sent my ICP test last week so will do this again in a month.

I mean it's been around like forever and I never heard of it till recently. But then again seems like tons of people are still using it else it would not be still on the market right?

Have you received your ICP back yet? I am about to send one out as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I mean it's been around like forever and I never heard of it till recently. But then again seems like tons of people are still using it else it would not be still on the market right?

lol

That's exactly what such bogus product sellers hope you will think.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley What do you think of that claim?

That it contains a bunch of stuff listed and adds it whether you need it or not? I believe that, certainly.

One could say the exact same thing about foods. The relative numbers on that list will move around, but its the same principle.

it is lunacy to claim to adds those things to those levels, then stops adding them.

FWIW, those concentrations listed are seawater concentrations, NOT what is in the product.

Even the marketers cannot do a good job of lying.

 

[Ellery]

Have you received your ICP back yet? I am about to send one out as well.

No I haven't sent another ICP out yet but then again I know I was short on Sr, Mn, and Iodine, Cobalt, Chromium, & Nickel on the ICP test I got back prior to throwing these in. I also only added 10 of the small blocks as instructed first.

 

[Hopper123]

No I haven't sent another ICP out yet but then again I know I was short on Sr, Mn, and Iodine, Cobalt, Chromium, & Nickel on the ICP test I got back prior to throwing these in. I also only added 10 of the small blocks as instructed first.

Can u just add these to your auto top up water