Brightwell Aquatics pH+

[Hair Algae Wizard]

Folks,

Has anyone started using the new pH+ from Brightwell? I don't see it available anywhere, and curious if anyone has experience with it yet?

My pH is chronically low, despite a scrubber and thought this may be a good solution to dose in parallel. (I believe it is suitable for continuous use)

Thanks in advance for any feedback on the product.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

This is not a pH-only additive. This product WILL RAISE YOUR ALKALINITY. From a chemistry perspective, there is no way this supplement cannot raise alkalinity. From the Brightwell page:

The hydroxides are the problem. Hydroxides contribute to alkalinity when they combine with atmospheric CO2 dissolved in the tank. This is how limewater/kalkwasser increases alkalinity.

Hydroxide combines with atmospheric CO2 to become bicarbonate:
OH- + CO2 => HCO3-

Hydroxide also combines with bicarbonate to become carbonate and water:
OH- + HCO3- => CO3-- + H2O

Carbonate and bicarbonate are the majority of total alkalinity in reef tanks. This product must raise alkalinity. There's no way that it cannot.

If you want to raise your alkalinity as well, this is likely a fine alkalinity supplement. However, dosing alkalinity additives to raise pH will reach limits very quickly in reef aquaria since alkalinity can only go so high. pH will perpetually drop so long as elevated CO2 is present.

If you want to raise your pH with hydroxides, save some money and use Randy's new high pH two part recipe.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is just a high pH alk supplement. I use such materials in my very high pH DIY two part.

If you want to use this sort of material, just buy food grade sodium hydroxide from Amazon and cut out Brightwell and their terribly misleading claims.

IMO,. this is a reason NO ONE SHOULD EVER BUY FROM BRIGHTWELL.

"Increaser deals with excess CO2, raises pH only without increasing alkalinity"

Fraud. or ignorance. Neither is good in a hobby company that I would support.

 

[Hair Algae Wizard]

Thank you both for your replies, they are greatly appreciated.

 

[Hair Algae Wizard]

It is just a high pH alk supplement. I use such materials in my very high pH DIY two part.

If you want to use this sort of material, just buy food grade sodium hydroxide from Amazon and cut out Brightwell and their terribly misleading claims.

IMO,. this is a reason NO ONE SHOULD EVER BUY FROM BRIGHTWELL.

"Increaser deals with excess CO2, raises pH only without increasing alkalinity"

Fraud. or ignorance. Neither is good in a hobby company that I would support.

Randy,

Could you possibly suggest how best to use sodium hydroxide? I obviously do not want to raise my Alk, just my pH.

I greatly appreciate any advice you can provide.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Any hydroxide will raise both alkalinity and pH. This is part of the reason that the marketing by Brightwell (and Seachem) is so dishonest. They say "won't increase alkalinity," but it says right on the bottle/website that it contains hydroxides.

Having said that, the boost from sodium hydroxide is pretty potent. Per Randy's article on limewater, adding 0.5 meq/L of alkalinity will increase pH by 0.66. This equates to 0.47 pH increase per 1 dKh of alkalinity increase. You should expect similar increases when dosing sodium hydroxide.

If you want to increase or maintain your alkalinity, sodium hydroxide is a good way to get a pH boost at the same time. If you don't want to increase your alkalinity, there's no liquid you can dose to raise your pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy,

Could you possibly suggest how best to use sodium hydroxide? I obviously do not want to raise my Alk, just my pH.

I greatly appreciate any advice you can provide.

Then do not use it at all. lol

it can only be used to increase alkalinity and pH.

pH is determined only by CO2 in the water and alkalinity. if alk is fixed, CO2 is the only handle.

Open windows, CO2 scrubbers, skimmers inlet from outside, etc. are all ways to reduce CO2:

pH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

 

[Hair Algae Wizard]

Then do not use it at all. lol

it can only be used to increase alkalinity and pH.

pH is determined only by CO2 in the water and alkalinity. if alk is fixed, CO2 is the only handle.

Open windows, CO2 scrubbers, skimmers inlet from outside, etc. are all ways to reduce CO2:

pH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

Thank you Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[schuby]

This is not a pH-only additive. This product WILL RAISE YOUR ALKALINITY. From a chemistry perspective, there is no way this supplement cannot raise alkalinity. From the Brightwell page:

The hydroxides are the problem. Hydroxides contribute to alkalinity when they combine with atmospheric CO2 dissolved in the tank. This is how limewater/kalkwasser increases alkalinity.

Hydroxide combines with atmospheric CO2 to become bicarbonate:
OH- + CO2 => HCO3-

Hydroxide also combines with bicarbonate to become carbonate and water:
OH- + HCO3- => CO3-- + H2O

Carbonate and bicarbonate are the majority of total alkalinity in reef tanks. This product must raise alkalinity. There's no way that it cannot.

If you want to raise your alkalinity as well, this is likely a fine alkalinity supplement. However, dosing alkalinity additives to raise pH will reach limits very quickly in reef aquaria since alkalinity can only go so high. pH will perpetually drop so long as elevated CO2 is present.

If you want to raise your pH with hydroxides, save some money and use Randy's new high pH two part recipe.

What you listed is for their "Boost ph+" product. The "PH+" product has this warning:

Caution:[/B] Contains carbonate salts; harmful if swallowed. If swallowed: give water, get medical attention. May cause eye or skin irritation. If in eyes, flush with water for 15 minutes, get medical attention. If on skin, wash thoroughly with water. Keep out of reach of children. Not for human consumption.

Does the PH+ product also raise alkalinity, based that it contains carbonate salts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does the PH+ product also raise alkalinity, based that it contains carbonate salts?

Certainly it does. It is just an overmarketed normal alkalinity supplement containing carbonate (e.g., like soda ash, washing soda, baked baking soda, sodium carbonate)

There is no bottled product that can exist even in theory that will raise pH and not raise alkalinity. It is impossible.