Randy your thoughts on a product?

[BOTR]

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SL-BL&Category_Code=Sealab

I dont use it, probably wont, but was just wodering what you might have to say about them? Sea Lab #28. Heres a quote from the site.


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. Calcium and strontium are well recognized nutrients, but trace elements are not as well understood. They are, however, vitally necessary to marine life in the aquarium. Paradoxically, these same elements, so essential to life, are also highly toxic. The trick is to tread the fine line between trace element starvation and trace element toxicity. Formula 28 is the first formula available to hobbyist and professionals that creates and maintains this fine balance. As elements are depleted from solution, Formula 28 delivers exactly equivalent amounts to replace them.

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]

I do not believe that it is an appropriate product for a reef aquarium.

It is simply a ball of chemicals that slowly dissolves. It does not know whether your aquarium already has too much, just right, or two litttle of anything that it contains. Most likely, your aquarium is too high in some and too low in others. Still, it dissolves and adds more.

I do not want more copper or strontium in my aquarium, as mine is already elevated without any additions. Consequently, it would not be a good product for me, and I do not recommend it for others.

FWIW, their concentration information is ridiculous. They've listed what they believe to be NSW concentrations. Not what is in the block (which cannot be the same, it is a solid :lol: ).
So where is the other 999,586.9805 ppm? :D

[jfinch]

So where is the other 999,586.9805 ppm?

Ivory Soap? :D

[Boomer]

Yup Randy it is a joke :lol:

Years ago a guy use to sell one that claimed the same. I actually new him and he didn't know how to respond when asked I asked; "Ok, the Ca is 390 ppm and needs to go to say 410 NSW, all other ions are perfect, so you are saying only the Ca will go into the water " ? Yes, Bill(Boomer) that is correct. "So, how does the block know that only my Vanadium is low ? My Ascidians suck it up like a sponge." It has to due with solution kinetics William. "Go for it Mark, I'm quite familiar with it................you can't explalin it can you Mark "........I then fell out of my chair and RAFLMAO. My buddy, who was going to be a distributor of his products, then got just ****ed at me for making Mark look like an idiot in front of a half-dozen people :D A few days later I was talking to Dr. Frank Millero and threw that at him, the phone went kinda dead......then I heard " So Bill how is the golfing up there this time of year " ......Franky did hear my statement.........Do I need to respond to that Bill.......No Doc not really :LOL:

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:lol:

Thanks, Boomer. :)

[Shoestring Reefer]

Someone in my reef club uses it in his 29. He claims it keeps his Ca stable, and I think that's the only reason he uses it. I didn't realize it was suppose to be "balanced" for everything-I wonder if he does.

He claimed the first dissolved in about 3 days, then one in a week, then once per month (which it still does). If I remember correctly, that is. :)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Does he add alkalinity?

[Shoestring Reefer]

I'm not sure, which is why I didn't say. :) I'll ask him.

[yoh]

LOL HHAAAHAHAH that is rediculus(i cant spell that word)

looks like candy to me

[Shoestring Reefer]

Apparently he doesn't add anything for Alk, hasn't tested his tank for about 6 months, and has this to say about them:

"Coraline Growth out of control
my 1 year old derasa Clam, has grown a total of 1.5"
incrased populatioin of microanimals, clearer water, accelerated coral growth."

It seems to be working for him; no test numbers to validate the product, and I don't know anything else about his tank, but it seems the inverts are fine. So, I imagine his experience won't sway anyone in the chemistry forum, but at least it's one person who has used it. :)

I sent him a link to this thread; maby he'll chime in.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks, Mike. :)