Brightwell phosphate-E

[LobsterOfJustice]

Hi can I please ask why you say it wreaks havoc on alkalinity?

Alk starts rapidly falling once I start my drip. I have a KHG which monitors and compensates. I am planning on switching to a dosing pump so I can further control and space out my dose so as to minimize the effect.

 

[Kalibur2]

Any updates on what happened?

 

[Hot2na]

Another Brightwell product that SUCKS : Phosphate "R"....its a resin you can fluidize it or run it in a canister ...or passively in an HOB filter..
I tried it...NO effect on phosphates whatsoever...My 12x12 polyfilter did a better job than the phosphate "R".....Rowaphos (the old standard)was the most effective product I've used so far...I'm also not a fan of these liquid lanthanum products...

 

[Tim Olson]

Any updates on what happened?

From my perspective Phosphate-E is working out great. It's finally given me the ability to keep phosphates near zero, consistently. Before, I really struggled with the GFO roller coaster ride. Now I dose the appropriate ml's of Phosphate-E spread out through the day, using a dosing pump. This has also helped me maintain alkalinity much better than before, and most of all it's made the process relatively predictable. I use Core7 with a refugium and now when I change the Core7 dose the alkalinity changes as it should (more Core7 = more alkalinity). I've attached and updated version of the alkalinity & Core7 graph, which illustrates the improvements. It's still not perfect, but it's great to not have the big swings in alkalinity. But most of all it's been wonderful to see my corals doing much better. I hope this helps.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

From my perspective Phosphate-E is working out great. It's finally given me the ability to keep phosphates near zero, consistently. Before, I really struggled with the GFO roller coaster ride. Now I dose the appropriate ml's of Phosphate-E spread out through the day, using a dosing pump. This has also helped me maintain alkalinity much better than before, and most of all it's made the process relatively predictable.

+1 to all of this. With GFO you just put a bunch in and the phosphate level drops to who knows where, and then at some point over the next several weeks starts creeping up until you change it again. With the Phosphat-E on a dosing pump I’ve got rock solid PO4 levels right where I want them with minimal effect on alkalinity. I can super easily adjust the dose up or down on the dosing pump to compensate for an increase or decrease in levels from feeding more/less or the fuge sucking up some more, although I haven’t even had to do this yet.

 

[happysalt]

Awesome appreciate the feedback. It will end up on my dosing pump asap.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I purchased this product but only used very small amounts a few times.

I recently let my po4 creep up higher than I like without changing my gfo

Before changing my gfo I gave it a shot to see if I could get a good gauge on its results.

I figure I have about 80 gallons total volume. 4ML per day for a few days yielded a consistant .03 drop.

One thing I found interesting....

I've read that gfo will drop alk initially when used...

I did notice an exact corralation of ph drop on my apex when dosing. I'm assuming that's alk consumption

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I purchased this product but only used very small amounts a few times.

I recently let my po4 creep up higher than I like without changing my gfo

Before changing my gfo I gave it a shot to see if I could get a good gauge on its results.

I figure I have about 80 gallons total volume. 4ML per day for a few days yielded a consistant .03 drop.

One thing I found interesting....

I've read that gfo will drop alk initially when used...

I did notice an exact corralation of ph drop on my apex when dosing. I'm assuming that's alk consumption

GFO doesn't always impact alk or pH, but it can by allowing some precipitation of calcium carbonate on the media or downstream of it.

Lanthanum will lower alk and lower pH if it precipitates some lanthanum carbonate.

 

[happysalt]

I’m guessing only temporary drops in ph but permanent in alk?

 

[mginani]

When people say they are slow dosing throughout the day, are they mixing/diluting the product with RODI water?

 

[mginani]

When people say they are slow dosing throughout the day, are they mixing/diluting the product with RODI water?

 

[mginani]

When people say they are slow dosing throughout the day, are they mixing/diluting the product with RODI water?

 

[mginani]

When people say they are slow dosing throughout the day, are they mixing/diluting the product with RODI water?

 

[happysalt]

Just dosing it right into a filter sock would be perfect. Second best would be right before the skimmer.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

When people say they are slow dosing throughout the day, are they mixing/diluting the product with RODI water?

Yes, I am diluting 500mL Phosphat-E to total volume of 5L with RODI (for 10% final concentration). I am dosing this with a 1.1 mL/min BRS dosing pump controlled by an apex controller (on for 1:04 every 20 min).

 

[David_Ewen]

Middle of 2019 and Brightwell is still selling this product with insufficient instructions.
I used this product for 3 days. 1/2 dose for 2 days, full dose of 10ml in 55gal on 3rd day. Yellow Tang dead on 3rd day. Happy Easter to me. What a bummer.

I researched this product after my tang died, so my bad. But knowing WWC uses it and BRS recommend it, I figured it would be safe.

I feel I need reassurance and information to just get out there for newer reefers. Not necessarily help. Or if I misunderstood things, i would like it to be pointed out. My reef is about 1 year old and is my second reef tank.

My phosphate was at 1, so I decided to try out Brightwell phosphate-E due to a recent video from BRS stating world wide corals uses it and they will be also. Following the dosing instructions of 1 ml eliminates 1 ppm of phosphate and 1 capful equals 5 ml ( located under basic instructions on back of bottle), I dosed 2 capfuls into my sump directly onto my filter pads (100 micron to a 50 micron) leading to my skimmer (again as directed by bottle).

This clouded the water as the bottle suggested.

30 minutes later my 2 1/2 - 3 inch yellow tang showed distress and swam to the corner of the tank where I was sitting in what I would say, asking for help.

45 minutes later yellow tang was lethargic and at the bottom of tank gasping for air. I began to panic and did everything I could, added an air stone, increased top water surface agitation and utilized an aqua lifter feeding outside air pumping it directly to my pump to chop the bubbles.

2 hours later, yellow tang was dead
I am a hunter and fisherman living in Alaska, what that fish went through before passing was ridiculous as it slowly, and I mean SLOWLY choked to death on this chemical.

This bottle is labeled as “reef safe” however it truly is not in my opinion and what I witnessed. The ingredients are labeled on the bottle as “purified water, proprietary phosphate removers”.....
I would bet it is lanthanum chloride and I am stupid for not thinking before dosing. If this is the case, the little guys gills were coated with that crap preventing proper o2 exchange.

No other sign of distress were found/ noted in any other corals, fish or invertebrates in my reef.

Please, look into this and tell me if I am right or wrong because as a reefer I have one job, keep the critters alive and healthy. I failed. I feel new reefers or anyone with a tang should be warned.

P.S. the Tang was going to go into a larger 300g tank I was going to purchase and build, for you tang police out there. I spent a lot of time with this fish, turning it into a pet as it started to recognize me and come out. Normally it would hide around other people. I emailed Brightwell with my information but nothing has come back to me.

Specs below;
Specific gravity 1.024
Temp 78
PH 8.4
Alk 10
Ammonia undetected
Nitrite undetected
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 1
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1300

ATI essentials dosing on a dosing pump.
60 gallon shallow rimless 48"x24"x12", 20 gallon sump with reef octo classic 150int skimmer
1 tuxedo urchin wearing a large feather duster as a hat
4 blue green chromis not fighting, happily schooling
2 Peppermint shrimp that release eggs occasionally
1 six line wrass being a good boy for now
2 turbo snails
Several WWC Mixed reef corals

My apologies if this is not “proper” and the wall of words as I am still bothered by the loss of Sunny the yellow tang. Plus I am more of a lurker as this is my first thread. Thank you.

 

[happysalt]

I'm surprised that it killed your fish and sorry to hear that. Were you testing phosphates all throughout using it?

 

[Kalibur2]

I have just started using last few weeks. It’s awesome. Has reduced my phosphate and my green hair algae is gone was able to pull out easily. And has not returned. No affect on fish 5 micron filter sock

 

[Kalibur2]

Reduced phosphate from .65 to .15. Did it slowly everyday

 

[Elgringodiablo]

I wonder if it would make sense to turn off your return pump, leave the skimmer on, then dose near the skimmer, waiting 10-15 minutes before turning the return pump back on. Sure, it would only bind to phosphates in the sump, but that might be good enough to bring the levels back down to manageable. Unfortunately they don't make 5 micron socks for Red Sea tanks...

 

[Kalibur2]

I wonder if it would make sense to turn off your return pump, leave the skimmer on, then dose near the skimmer, waiting 10-15 minutes before turning the return pump back on. Sure, it would only bind to phosphates in the sump, but that might be good enough to bring the levels back down to manageable. Unfortunately they don't make 5 micron socks for Red Sea tanks...

I have a redsea reefer and I removed the tray and bought the 5 micron sock from marine depot. It fit in that space. I did not turn anything off and it worked flawlessly

 

[FlyPenFly]

I believe the key is to put it on a Doser so you don’t have a precipitation event that clogs the gills of your fish.

That seems extreme to me that there were enough particles in the water to do that and sounds like an overdose.

 

[AdamNC]

Maybe I missed it somewhere but what’s the point of a 5 micron sock and not the standard 200 micron sock?