Sea Lab No. 28

[palileo]

Has anyone used this stuff called Sea Lab No. 28? Supposedly you just add these cubes to your system in a low flow area and it pulls the trace elements as needed. claims to maintains calcium, strontium, magnesium, iodine, zinc and about a dozen other trace elements as needed.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MrMikeB]

Not this specifically, but I heard of other like 'time release' items (mostly food) for when you go on vacation. I have always been reluctant to add these things as you do not have direct control on exactly what is added when. I would also be curious if anybody else has had success with this.

 

[boviac]

They dissolve at the rate of flow in the area they are deposited. I've had them last less than one day to several days. Though I haven't used them in over two years. Now, I simply dose Part A&B Ionic which should add most needed elemets as well as alk, Ca, etc... However, testing of Ca and Alk levels should be tested to determine rates of addition.

I agree... they're not exactly a great panacea's for reef chemistry without knowing what you're starting with.

 

[palileo]

supposedly they are not time release but they released or pulled out of the cube as needed by the system... i've found a few links on the web where there has been some debate on whether this stuff is good or not. anyone here have any first hand experience with it?

 

[boviac]

yeah I bought thought they would release as needed but it's clear to me they dissolve based more upon flow then need.

 

[MrMikeB]

Wow, did you read how many blocks it needs: "add 2-3 blocks per 10 gallons of water" for the normal blocks. I cannot see them dissolving as needed either because it is providing a lot of different elements in one block. I do not think it feasible that every tank requires elements is the exact same ratios for something like these blocks to work well. (E.g. some will require more Ca than others depending on load, etc.)

 

[palileo]

2-3 blocks must be for the smaller blocks... the ones i have say 2-3 per 50 gallon. says to start with 1 block for the fist week if first time.

 

[palileo]

Mike,

That's exactly what I was thinking... How would it only dissolve calcium if the system was only lacking calcium? How would the rest of the elements actually stay behind? Seems kinda strange that they claim the blocks only dissolve elements as needed...

 

[boviac]

You gotta love american marketing!