Sea Lab #28, thoughts?

The LFS had these at the checkout and the employees swear by it.
It's a white block that slowly dissolves in your tank to replenish trace elements.

Anyone ever used these?

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4166

http://www.hdltd.com/products/p_blox.html

DarkHorseMBA
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In some tanks they will work awesome. In other tanks they will be horrible. Their claim that only the element lacking in your water dissolves is a scientific impossibility. (I've experienced both situations. Worked great in my first tank. In my next tank with more flow....UMMMM....WOW!!!) This wasn't a bad thing though....it motivated me to learn chemistry better.

 

I use the larger blocks in the overflow in my 55 gal. They work fantastic. I replace every 7-10 days and the cal wil range from 500-540(fresh) to 460 (after 7-10 days). I also, per their directions, use #14 3 times a week.

 

Loved them when I used them. dont really know why I stopped.

 

I wanna try to bring this thread back to life. I was just at my LFS to get a calcium test kit and some calcium since ive been adding more stony corals. I was asking the guy that works there what he suggested and he said hes used all the supplements they had and he likes and uses the 28 blocks by sea lab. has anybody used these?

 

bump

 

This seems like an easy way to overdose something into your system...

like the above poster stated (if I'm reading that correctly) they ended up with 540 Calcium, which is HIGH and will likely cause abiotic precipitation (calcification on heaters, pumps, etc).

Most "trace elements" will be replenished with water changes, which is what I would recommend to anyone serious about reefing... The only other trace elements I would dose would be ones that you plan to test and measure for, so no overdose is possible.

 

Ya I have never missed a weekly 5 gallon water change on my 40 gallon but now that I have added Quite a few stoney corals and plan on adding alot more, I figure it will eventually need some sort of calcium dosing. But for now the water changes seem to be working.

 

you'll want to test and dose (accurately) for calcium and alk regularly, as well as magnesium... water changes alone won't likely keep up with demand.

 

I thought my calcium was going to be very low when I tested it but it was at 430 ppm using a salifert test kit. I thought I tested wrong the first time so I did it again and it was the same. and that was right before doing my weekly water change. Is that a pretty good place too keep it?