Additive Block in Sump

[Razor]

Thanks for the clarification..must have been a brain fart on my part.

I'm willing to conduct an experiment for the benefit of the hobby. If you guys can find the cheapest place to buy a 1 kilo brick of the SeaLab #28, I'm willing to test my parameters as I use the stuff and post the results.

 

[tangir1]

>... I don't think it is better than dosing nothing at all...

I disagree. If you look at the SeaLab concentration listed above, you will see that there is wrapping 400ppm of Ca in the product. If I read it correctly, a pound of the #28 contains same concentration (and same amount) of calcium as a pound of seawater (about a pint or a bit larger than a can of soda).

 

[Anonymous]

I am not sure how that 400 ppm of Ca in the block helps the tank if it dissolves slowly over time. Would you use 8 pounds of Sea Lab per gallon of tank water?
:mrgreen:

 

[tangir1]

>... I'm willing to conduct an experiment for the benefit of the hobby.

There is no need for the experiment since you can just take the specs of the manufacturer at face value(and they are almost always describe their products in the most unbiased opinion), and go from there.

So add a kilo of NSW to your tank, wait a few hour for the water (water in the NSW just added) to evaporate, and test your parameters...

 

[tangir1]

>... Would you use 8 pounds of Sea Lab per gallon of tank water?

Only if you have RO/DI water in the tank at that point, otherwise, as always, follow the manufacturer's direction.

 

[Razor]

You guys seem so against this product because of how easy they say it is to use, but maybe it works.

if you're happy with the chemistry set we all have to control our tank levels, then enjoy it. Otherwise, maybe a simple solution is the way to go.

if the product does dissolve as needed and can keep your tank at the correct levels without having to constantly measure and dose, then maybe it's worth a try.

 

[tangir1]

>... You guys seem so against this product because of how easy they say it is to use, but maybe it works.

That's not true. I don't speak for others, but what makes me pay attention to a thread like this is to separate someone from his/her money (volantily), and do nothing to the aquarium but give the buyer a sense of fulfilled duty as a reefkeeper.

 

[Anonymous]

You guys seem so against this product because of how easy they say it is to use, but maybe it works.

if you're happy with the chemistry set we all have to control our tank levels, then enjoy it. Otherwise, maybe a simple solution is the way to go.

if the product does dissolve as needed and can keep your tank at the correct levels without having to constantly measure and dose, then maybe it's worth a try.

no disrespect intended, but this post is a prime example of one of the perceptions that helps add to the learning curve being discussed in the general forum presently :wink:


there's a difference between 'simple' and dangerous, and the 3-4 tests that most succesfull aquarists perform weekly are neither time consuming, difficult to perform or understand, nor anywhere near close to a 'chemistry set' :lol:


that's an excuse for plain laziness, not difficulty, imo-and it's one i've seen used for years as an excuse to not perform basic checks for proper care that these animals deserve


you get a dog, you give it shots, vet care, grooming accessories, etc. are these not the same thing as proper equipment and testing for you aquatic charges?

there is no animal whos care doesn't include a mild inconvenience, from time to time :wink:

 

[Razor]

Lets make this easy...WHO HAS ACTUALLY USED SEALAB #28 ?

I can care less about those of you who had a friend who knew some guy that read an article about the block overdosing a tank. Also, money is not a concern at this point, because we all know how much we have spent for equipment etc. and this is peanuts in comparison.

I can see this argument taking place for anything used in the hobby. How about calcium reactors ? Before they were commonly used people probably were concerned about overdosing and wasting money and others called those people lazy for looking into it and crucified them for not taking the time to "properly" maintain a tank.

The truth of the matter is that it's a product that may be useful in the hobby, and so what if it requires less maintenance than you expect, enjoy the time you have saved.

And please don't preach to us about "proper care that these animals deserve", because we all try to keep our livestock healthy but are all in this hobby for our own self gratification and not for the well being of the animals. If that was the case then we should have left them in the ocean.

 

[rayjay]

I would vote for not using the blocks. It's kind of hard to accept the word of the manufacturer/seller of a product when their job is to sell to you. I don't believe they can make something to dissolve only as required.
If my tank only needs calcium (I never dose other elements) the block has to dissolve to supply the calcium, but what happens to all the other elements that get dissolved at the same time. Is the block selective enough to only dissove the elements needed, leaving the unrequired elements still a part of the block? I don't think so.

 

[Razor]

Podman: you seem to be the only one who has actually used them.

I know you said that you stopped because you were concerned with the "cocktail" of elements in the block, but did you have any actual problems while using them?

 

[Len]

I used them years ago when I was starting out. Coincidentally, I had more algae problems and my corals didn't do any better compared to when not using them. I don't think I'd try them again. Techinically speaking, they make little sense. Practically speaking, they didn't have any positive effects on my tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Lets make this easy...WHO HAS ACTUALLY USED SEALAB #28 ?

I can care less about those of you who had a friend who knew some guy that read an article about the block overdosing a tank. Also, money is not a concern at this point, because we all know how much we have spent for equipment etc. and this is peanuts in comparison.

I can see this argument taking place for anything used in the hobby. How about calcium reactors ? Before they were commonly used people probably were concerned about overdosing and wasting money and others called those people lazy for looking into it and crucified them for not taking the time to "properly" maintain a tank.

The truth of the matter is that it's a product that may be useful in the hobby, and so what if it requires less maintenance than you expect, enjoy the time you have saved.

And please don't preach to us about "proper care that these animals deserve", because we all try to keep our livestock healthy but are all in this hobby for our own self gratification and not for the well being of the animals. If that was the case then we should have left them in the ocean.

i don't think the two are as mutually exclusive a philosophy as many seem to think :wink:


but that isn't really the point of my argument-

i'm more concerned with what i deem to be a fault in the products method, and delivery, given what is known and pretty much proven to be prudent-not absolutely correct, but prudent :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Lets make this easy...WHO HAS ACTUALLY USED SEALAB #28 ?

Me. It did nothing.

I can care less about those of you who had a friend who knew some guy that read an article about the block overdosing a tank. Also, money is not a concern at this point, because we all know how much we have spent for equipment etc. and this is peanuts in comparison.

I just cant get myself to think that way. The hobby is expensive, so why spend money on anything that isn't needed?

I can see this argument taking place for anything used in the hobby. How about calcium reactors ? Before they were commonly used people probably were concerned about overdosing and wasting money and others called those people lazy for looking into it and crucified them for not taking the time to "properly" maintain a tank.

Well, there are always worries about a Ca reactor overdosing. But you can control the effluent of a Ca reactor in both rate and composistion.
Sea Lab blocks allow you to do neither.
You gotta question something that has been around for so long that no one really seems to use.
And I don't think anyone has crucified anyone in this thread for anything.

The truth of the matter is that it's a product that may be useful in the hobby, and so what if it requires less maintenance than you expect, enjoy the time you have saved.

Until some evidence is presented that supports that idea, I can only see negitives to using the product.

And please don't preach to us about "proper care that these animals deserve", because we all try to keep our livestock healthy but are all in this hobby for our own self gratification and not for the well being of the animals. If that was the case then we should have left them in the ocean.

I almost agree.

 

[tangir1]

>... .you can control the effluent of a Ca reactor in both rate and composistion.
Sea Lab blocks allow you to do neither. ...

Yes you can. You can control how quickly the block dissolves by adjusting the water flow around it.

Ca rxtor people usually monitor the Ca and pH level at least during the initial usage of the reactor, but since the block add almost nothing significant to the water, it makes it very easy to use, because it is almost impossible to over-dose the chemicals they listed on the ppm chart.

 

[DOGMAI]

Tell you what I was going to try it and still might. As far as I’m concerned, if pharmaceutical companies can make a drug for impotent people to get a hard on when ever they wanted as often as they wanted in 36 hour window than somebody can make a salt lick that will release what is needed for your fish tank. It would make more sense if they had different size blocks for different size tanks. I would consider using it on my 120 but would never want to try it on my 5G nano. It is a great idea and I just wish that it was proven to work effectively. Until it is we are all just farting in the wind here.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[Anonymous]

i did note an increased calcium level from the block.

let's see... at the time i was adding two part solutions and could not keep up with the calcium demands. i had a small 46g with rapid growing sps. i had run out of two part solutions and the LFS's were out as well. while waiting on a shipment of solution i started using this Sealab stuff that a local guy had been pushing on me

i am gonna go against the grain here and say that the product is useful but again, i don't trust it. the LFS that uses it in all of his tanks has some pretty barren tanks... no worms, coralline, or the like.... maybe a bit toxic? i don't know but i don't want to mimic his action.
i did use it not too long ago to maintain my present tank when my reactor was down... it was cheap.

here are some more of my ramblings on it...

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... +revisited

 

[Anonymous]

Lets make this easy...WHO HAS ACTUALLY USED SEALAB #28 ?

Me. It did nothing.

you gotta put it in the water, Righty... it will then dissolve and do something. you just don't know what all that 'something' entails. :mrgreen:

 

[Anonymous]

First of all, some of the ions are missing, and many of the ratios are incorrect. Second of all, are these supposed to be the concentrations they maintain in system water?

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

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW, from:

Open University Course Team. 2002. Seawater: Its Composition, Properties and Behavior. Open University Press. Oxford.

Average concentrations of the major cations and anions in seawater, in ppt by weight (g L^-1) at an overall salinity of 34.483[Average of the world oceans]

Ion: o/oo:
Chloride 18.980
Sulphate 2.649
Bicarbonate 0.140
Bromide 0.065
Borate 0.026
Fluoride 0.001
Sodium 10.556
Magnesium 1.272
Calcium 0.400
Potassium 0.380
Strontium 0.013

Concentrations for the other elements listed by the Seachem block (ppm by weight, mg L^-1):

Element o/ooo
Aluminum 4 x 10^-4
Chromium 3 x 10^-4
Cobalt 3 x 10^-6
Copper 1 x 10^-4
Iodine 6 x 10^-2
Iron 5.5 x 10^-5
Manganese 3 x 10^-5
Molybdenum 1 x 10^-2
Nickel 4.8 x 10^-4
Selenium 2 x 10^-4
Tin 6 x 10^-7
Vanadium 2 x 10^-3
Zinc 5 x 10^-4