Verification? Please define.
Borax is commercial grade sodium borate. These are the bead shaped particles found in at least one well known "buffer" marketed and sold to marine aquarium keepers.
Borate "B" is a very small part of the buffering system or buffering platform in some brands of marine salts.
We have formulated marine salts without the addition of B. These formulations were all bio assay successful (ability to allow natural cell division in sea urchin and various larva rearing projects).
Larva from amphiprion ocellarus was raised to adulthood. These adults reproduced and ultimately F3 Amp. ocellarus were raised to adulthood in solutions without the addition of borate in the marne salt formulation.
At the same time, synthetic sea water formulations were compounded that included B at NSW concentrations. There appeard to be no difference in larva numbers or survival between systems were B was present vs. B found as an impurity.
Mahi Mahi was raised in captivity through several generations at the California Academy of Science in the mid 1980's with marine salts we provided where B was not added to the formulation.
This strongly suggests B (like a few other elements) has no life giving properties when used in synthetic sea water.
Sodium borate is available in several purities. If hobbyists use borate for their individual aquarium use, I would hope that it is higher purity than (borax) hand cleaner.
Borate is not easily tested with accuracy by the home marine hobbyists. Borate is found at 4.6 ppm. in NSW at 35 ppt. (page 7, Artificial Seawaters Formulas and Metholds. Bidwell & Spotte).
Without proper testing and monitoring of additions (of any supplement), it is highly possible to overdose with the ramdom addition of any ion. The results can be catistrophic.
Most hobbyits continually fiddle and fool with their marine aquariums. This is part of the enjoyment of salt water aquarium keeping.
However, an alarming number of hobbyists are simply diven by the insatable desire to use lower and lower cost items. Sooner than later, something(s) will be introduced into the closed system that will cause more unexpected problems than hobby enjoyment.
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