Sea-Lab no 28 blocks seem to be making a comeback, what's your experience with them?

[pygo1]

In my "early" days of reefing, a mere 4 years ago, I was doing a TON of research, as new reefers do, due to their paranoia about tank stability. I came across the sealab no 28 blocks, and even bought a few for the tank. But, I just had little frags at the time, hardly any need for dosing, and the ugly stage was yet to come, so it's hard to say what effect, if any, it had on my tank. Here we are today and I'm now absurdly lazy with my tank. I've been giving it some love lately and hope to keep it that way, but it has me wondering about these blocks again. I don't test my water much/ever, don't dose(I've gotten rid of most of my stony corals at this point to avoid the need). So, something as simple as tossing a little block into the tank every few weeks sounds like a huge win for the tank if they really work as intended.

I've read a lot of old anecdotal stories about the stuff. Before two part dosing and other more advanced systems were in place, people seemed to love these things. I know they don't dissolve "as needed" and will just continue to break down depending on the flow in the tank and whatnot. But, do they really have any positive effect on the tank? Supposedly they replenish and maintain pretty consistent Ca levels as well as a number of trace minerals.

For those of you that have used them(or still use them):

a) What is your general sentiment on them?

b)Do you happen to have any sort of data, anecdotal or otherwise, to back up their effects?

c)Can you point me to any "studies" on this product(ideally more recent)? It seems they're too old for BRS or anyone to be doing a deep dive on them. A lot of the talks are from circa 2003 lol

My curiosity on them comes and goes. I know they aren't THE BEST option out there. But are they worth it for even a slight boost? Both of my LFS' have started stocking them again pretty recently, so obviously there must still be a market for them. As mentioned, I'm converting my tank to a softy tank in hopes to minimize alk consumption and make the need for maintenance less critical. I dream of attaining Sanjay Joshi levels of tank laziness, so I wonder if something like this is worth tossing in every so often to keep up on trace minerals.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I'm always interested in this topic. I think they're likely to be a bit clumsier at maintaining stability than more precise methods involving regular testing and dosing, but for someone who isn't likely to do that adequately, they could be a solution that keeps things kind of in ballpark (but likely less stable than dosers or a CalRX). I'd say anyone using them will still need to test regularly to see how they do at keeping levels in the desired range. My perspective is purely based on what research I've done on them. I have not used them or seen specific studies done.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OMG, this again. It cannot possibly do what it claims. I cannot recommend any scenario where it is desirable relative to lots and lots of other methods, and since they outright lie in their advertising, I would not use it even if it were a great/decent/OK/mediocre product. It's a trash product that lies to users.

Sealab 28 would be like adding a concoction of stuff at some random dose regardless of whether your tank needs it or not. Same as, say, add 10 mL of All For reef. Everything will be perfect. I would strongly recommend All for Reef at a random dose if you want this sort of ultra simplicity at the cost of control. AFR does not lie about what it can do, and I have a lot more confidence about what is actually in it.

 

[pygo1]

OMG, this again. It cannot possibly do what it claims. I cannot recommend any scenario where it is desirable relative to lots and lots of other methods, and since they outright lie in their advertising, I would not use it even if it were a great/decent/OK/mediocre product. It's a trash product that lies to users.

Sealab 28 would be like adding a concoction of stuff at some random dose regardless of whether your tank needs it or not. Same as, say, add 10 mL of All For reef. Everything will be perfect. I would strongly recommend All for Reef at a random dose if you want this sort of ultra simplicity at the cost of control. AFR does lie about what it can do, and I have a lot more confidence about what is actually in it.

Heh sorry for the fury inducing question. I’m well aware it won’t do exactly what it claims. Maybe I could’ve worded the question better, but I’m more curious if anyone has documented the effects over time and if *something*, is better than nothing at all.

But that being said, I’ve also been curious about AFR, so I might go that route if need be

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Heh sorry for the fury inducing question. I’m well aware it won’t do exactly what it claims. Maybe I could’ve worded the question better, but I’m more curious if anyone has documented the effects over time and if *something*, is better than nothing at all.

But that being said, I’ve also been curious about AFR, so I might go that route if need be

Yes, I can certainly imagine a scenario where Sealab 28 is better than doing nothing.

I’ve never seen anyone post long term numbers from a tank getting only sealab 28.

 

[Pod_01]

AFR does lie about what it can do,

Randy out of curiosity what does TM mislead on with respect to what AFR can do?

I personally like to know the positive and negative of all products I use or plan to use so I can make better decisions.

But that is sometimes impossible since some products like AFR have strong following and the negative outcomes or misleading claims get lost or overlooked.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

All I will say is that I have absolutely no idea what are in these things but I have had 2 experiences that have convinced me they are not garbage.

When I was still working at the LFS we had a nano display tank filled with zoas and a few other corals. All of the zoas were closed up and didn't open for over a week. I wasn't sure what was wrong. I tested the water and Ca, Alk, Mg, NO3, and PO4 all tested within normal ranges. I decided to take the approach that works well for store systems. I changed half the water every day for 3 days thinking this would reset everything. Still, no zoas opened. The shop owner who had been keeping fish for 40 years and owned the shop for over 20 years asked about the tank and I told him what I had been doing and he suggested I throw in 2 SeaLab blocks. The next morning all of the zoas were open and looked beautiful. I don't know what the sealab block did but it certainly did something.

The other experience was about 10 years ago from an old-school service guy in my area. I knew he had been keeping tanks for over 40 years and professionally doing service for over 30 years. I got asked to see his quarantine facility and grow-out tanks. I saw the largest thickest SPS colonies I have ever seen. Not Acropora but Porites that were massive boulders and huge Montipora colonies the size of beachballs. All he supplemented with was bulk Alk buffer and sealab blocks.

In short. I still have no idea what are in these things but I have seen such good results that I can't say they are snake oil. When I first heard the claims I thought that it made no sense and I felt ashamed to sell them in the LFS I was working at. I have since been convinced that this is a real product with real value even if it doesn't do everything it claims. I am not sure it is the best way to supplement a tank, but it certainly is a way that can give good results.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy out of curiosity what does TM mislead on with respect to what AFR can do?

I personally like to know the positive and negative of all products I use or plan to use so I can make better decisions.

But that is sometimes impossible since some products like AFR have strong following and the negative outcomes or misleading claims get lost or overlooked.

Sorry, that was a typo. I meant it as a contrast to Sealab 28 which lies. I'll fix it now.

 

[pygo1]

Yes, I can certainly imagine a scenario where Sealab 28 is better than doing nothing.

I’ve never seen anyone post long term numbers from a tank getting only sealab 28.

I suppose it’s fitting that the type of people to use sealab blocks are not the type to be testing and recording their water parameters lol. But it would be interesting to see the results.

From what I’ve seen in my “reefing career”, coral can handle a wider variety of parameters than we often give them credit for. I’ve never been one to chase numbers and generally go off the look/health of the tank. So while these blocks probably(definitely) do not maintain parameters within the community’s agreed upon set of parameters, maybe it does find a balance within a range that’s acceptable for coral growth, assumably through precipitation of some of the extra elements. That, or maybe the coral just tolerate elevated levels of these extra trace minerals.

That’s not to say we should believe the company’s claims. There’s definitely no way the blocks can do exactly what they claim. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t/won’t offer some benefit to the right tanks(maybe not high tech SPS tanks, but for those of us with low maintenance softies and a few LPS). If it were a new product on the market, I think I would be much more skeptical and dismissive of the product. But people have been using them for decades now, and while the evidence is generally weak and anecdotal, the overall sentiment from users seems to be pretty good for the most part which i think is at least worth a little something.

Overall, I think they fall somewhere in the middle between snake oil and miracle product. I doubt they’re worthless, but no, they won’t solve everything for your tank. Hence why I decided to re-open this can of worms in modern times. Until they’ve been debunked and are off the shelves, I’m interested in keeping the conversation alive so that maybe someone with better access to testing equipment will take a look and can definitively say what they really are doing.

Sorry if that was a big ramble, still getting through my first cup of coffee

 

[pygo1]

I'm always interested in this topic. I think they're likely to be a bit clumsier at maintaining stability than more precise methods involving regular testing and dosing, but for someone who isn't likely to do that adequately, they could be a solution that keeps things kind of in ballpark (but likely less stable than dosers or a CalRX). I'd say anyone using them will still need to test regularly to see how they do at keeping levels in the desired range. My perspective is purely based on what research I've done on them. I have not used them or seen specific studies done.

That's my general sentiment as well. I don't think they're perfect, but I'd wager that keeping the included elements up and within some general range is better than doing nothing and allowing them to deplete entirely.

 

[pygo1]

All I will say is that I have absolutely no idea what are in these things but I have had 2 experiences that have convinced me they are not garbage.

When I was still working at the LFS we had a nano display tank filled with zoas and a few other corals. All of the zoas were closed up and didn't open for over a week. I wasn't sure what was wrong. I tested the water and Ca, Alk, Mg, NO3, and PO4 all tested within normal ranges. I decided to take the approach that works well for store systems. I changed half the water every day for 3 days thinking this would reset everything. Still, no zoas opened. The shop owner who had been keeping fish for 40 years and owned the shop for over 20 years asked about the tank and I told him what I had been doing and he suggested I throw in 2 SeaLab blocks. The next morning all of the zoas were open and looked beautiful. I don't know what the sealab block did but it certainly did something.

The other experience was about 10 years ago from an old-school service guy in my area. I knew he had been keeping tanks for over 40 years and professionally doing service for over 30 years. I got asked to see his quarantine facility and grow-out tanks. I saw the largest thickest SPS colonies I have ever seen. Not Acropora but Porites that were massive boulders and huge Montipora colonies the size of beachballs. All he supplemented with was bulk Alk buffer and sealab blocks.

In short. I still have no idea what are in these things but I have seen such good results that I can't say they are snake oil. When I first heard the claims I thought that it made no sense and I felt ashamed to sell them in the LFS I was working at. I have since been convinced that this is a real product with real value even if it doesn't do everything it claims. I am not sure it is the best way to supplement a tank, but it certainly is a way that can give good results.

Thanks for sharing! That's an interesting tidbit on the LFS tank. I wouldn't expect them to be the reason for zoas wanting to open back up lol. As for the 2nd experience, do you happen to know what he was dosing for the alk? IIRC, when I used them early on, the blocks kept my tank at a calcium level in high 400's to low 500's. Even without much consumption in the tank, it didn't get ridiculously high, nor did I see a drop in alk due to precipitation.

These things are an interesting little mystery and I hope someone like BRS will do an investigation on them at some point

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Thanks for sharing! That's an interesting tidbit on the LFS tank. I wouldn't expect them to be the reason for zoas wanting to open back up lol. As for the 2nd experience, do you happen to know what he was dosing for the alk? IIRC, when I used them early on, the blocks kept my tank at a calcium level in high 400's to low 500's. Even without much consumption in the tank, it didn't get ridiculously high, nor did I see a drop in alk due to precipitation.

These things are an interesting little mystery and I hope someone like BRS will do an investigation on them at some point

If I remember right he used Continuum Aquatics Borate Free Buffer. I think this is the same thing as Brightwell Alkaline 8.3 or Kent Superbuffer DKH. All were designed by Jack Kent.

 

[mydemun]

hey guys , i strongly suggest looking up a guy on youtube BTUFF as he have 8 years on youtube of history for using sea-lab 28 with soft , lps , sps corals in the tank , i mean the guy even uses tap water without any conditioners ,

i dont know man i think more hobbyists should start invest in these kind of experiments and not just follow the big companies or youtubers to buy their products

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

hey guys , i strongly suggest looking up a guy on youtube BTUFF as he have 8 years on youtube of history for using sea-lab 28 with soft , lps , sps corals in the tank , i mean the guy even uses tap water without any conditioners ,

i dont know man i think more hobbyists should start invest in these kind of experiments and not just follow the big companies or youtubers to buy their products

As I have stated, this method is not any different than adding a fixed dose of a product such as calcium, rather than dosing based on need.

Might that work is some scenarios? Sure. Is it the best way to go? That seems very far fetched.

 

[Cina05]

hey guys , i strongly suggest looking up a guy on youtube BTUFF as he have 8 years on youtube of history for using sea-lab 28 with soft , lps , sps corals in the tank , i mean the guy even uses tap water without any conditioners ,

i dont know man i think more hobbyists should start invest in these kind of experiments and not just follow the big companies or youtubers to buy their products

hey guys , i strongly suggest looking up a guy on youtube BTUFF as he have 8 years on youtube of history for using sea-lab 28 with soft , lps , sps corals in the tank , i mean the guy even uses tap water without any conditioners ,

i dont know man i think more hobbyists should start invest in these kind of experiments and not just follow the big companies or youtubers to buy their products

I just happened upon this forum from watching his YouTube channel and wondered what this sea-lab 28 stuff is. I've only kept saltwater for a few years, and started in freshwater in 2017. BTUFF has an amazing tank, but take his tap water ideology with a grain of salt. I think he's in Bakersfield, CA. The tap water there has a TDS of less than 90 and they likely treat with chlorine which can gas off. I'm from Washington where the water comes from an aquifer. It's super soft and barely requires any chlorine. You could throw a fish in sink water up there and it'd be fine. But I live in Houston now and the water is so hard it's more like liquid rock. They treat with chloramine and you need water conditioner to make it safe for fish. I did use tap water for a long time and didn't understand why I kept losing finicky fish and definitely one who require softer water. So I think it's a little reckless for him to tell people he uses tap water without some specific disclaimers.

But that aside, his corals do look amazing, and I have found several old school reefers had success using sea-lab 28. For a lazy reefer like myself (actually too busy, and low tech) who doesn't plan on keeping difficult corals, and randomly doses coral aminos and all-in-one supplements, I like the idea of chunking a couple blocks in my sump and letting it do its thing. I'm going to order some and see how it works, if I get better growth from my mostly soft corals, mixed reef over several months. I'm amazed by the hard-core reefers that test their water religiously and dose to maintain perfect parameters for their corals. I understand the science behind it and I think it'd be fun if I had the time and energy. Honestly though, I think it's ironic that we can put so much time and precision, and money, into giving our reefs exactly what they need for perfect growth and health, but we wouldn't do that for ourselves. People don't get a blood analysis every week or month and adjust our diets, vitamins and supplement intake to maintain perfect parameters. We just take multivitamins and whatever else the Dr and internet says we're probably missing and call it a day .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

But that aside, his corals do look amazing, and I have found several old school reefers had success using sea-lab 28.

Of course, maybe his tank would look just as good, or even better, without the blocks.

 

[Cina05]

True. It's very possible it's the nutrients alone from all the food and fish poop that makes them grow like crazy. Lol

He has some hard corals in there too though, and I think he goes a long time without water changes. I'm sure the blocks at least replenish some of the minerals they need for growth, but without him doing a comparison it's all anecdotal.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

True. It's very possible it's the nutrients alone from all the food and fish poop that makes them grow like crazy. Lol

He has some hard corals in there too though, and I think he goes a long time without water changes. I'm sure the blocks at least replenish some of the minerals they need for growth, but without him doing a comparison it's all anecdotal.

Does he claim to be adding alkalinity some other way? If not, then the water changes alone would have sufficed for calcium, strontium, and magnesium.

 

[Barncat]

I just happened upon this forum from watching his YouTube channel and wondered what this sea-lab 28 stuff is. I've only kept saltwater for a few years, and started in freshwater in 2017. BTUFF has an amazing tank, but take his tap water ideology with a grain of salt. I think he's in Bakersfield, CA. The tap water there has a TDS of less than 90 and they likely treat with chlorine which can gas off. I'm from Washington where the water comes from an aquifer. It's super soft and barely requires any chlorine. You could throw a fish in sink water up there and it'd be fine. But I live in Houston now and the water is so hard it's more like liquid rock. They treat with chloramine and you need water conditioner to make it safe for fish. I did use tap water for a long time and didn't understand why I kept losing finicky fish and definitely one who require softer water. So I think it's a little reckless for him to tell people he uses tap water without some specific disclaimers.

But that aside, his corals do look amazing, and I have found several old school reefers had success using sea-lab 28. For a lazy reefer like myself (actually too busy, and low tech) who doesn't plan on keeping difficult corals, and randomly doses coral aminos and all-in-one supplements, I like the idea of chunking a couple blocks in my sump and letting it do its thing. I'm going to order some and see how it works, if I get better growth from my mostly soft corals, mixed reef over several months. I'm amazed by the hard-core reefers that test their water religiously and dose to maintain perfect parameters for their corals. I understand the science behind it and I think it'd be fun if I had the time and energy. Honestly though, I think it's ironic that we can put so much time and precision, and money, into giving our reefs exactly what they need for perfect growth and health, but we wouldn't do that for ourselves. People don't get a blood analysis every week or month and adjust our diets, vitamins and supplement intake to maintain perfect parameters. We just take multivitamins and whatever else the Dr and internet says we're probably missing and call it a day .

This is exactly how I feel too. Glad I found this thread, I appreciate being able to see different opinions properly explained.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This is exactly how I feel too. Glad I found this thread, I appreciate being able to see different opinions properly explained.

Since this is obviously another dig at me, I am happy to expound on why 28 cannot do what it claims, even if some folks may use it.

Its exactly like a smoker proving smoking does not cause cancer because he smokes and doesn’t have cancer.

One can be successful in spite of poor husbandry practices just as one can be successful because of them.