Brightwell Aquatics Xport NO3 Dimpled Brick

schooncw · Feb 14, 2017

I just purchased one of these. Anyone have any experience with this product or any opinions out there? My 120 mixed reef is a few weeks old, cycled with contents from my old tank and new rock-some large pieces-but my nitrates are 20-40.
http://brightwellaquatics.com/products/xport_no3_brick.php

jason2459 · Feb 14, 2017

I like the plate better. It seems to hold up better. The dimples on the brick turn mushy very easily so set them somewhere, don't stack anything but maybe another brick on top of it and don't touch them.

jumplittlechloe · Feb 14, 2017

I have used the Continuum Nitryx brick (same theory/design) and was very impressed. Had some high nitrates (100ppm on my Salifert test kit) on my 120g that I setup in December. I implemented several large water changes and could not get any reading under 100ppm nitrate. I purchased the Nitryx brick and washed it in RO/DI water and then soaked it in tank water with BacterGen MD and Micro Fuel (dosed to the water volume of the display). The next day I added the brick into my sump and poured the tank water I soaked the brick in back into the display. After two weeks I took a reading and my nitrates had dropped to 50ppm. I tested again on Sunday, which is three weeks, and my nitrates are 2ppm!

jason2459 · Feb 14, 2017

Continuum and brightwell are the same product rebranded. Both owned by Kent

schooncw · Feb 14, 2017

The dimpled brick seemed like the way to go to me! I passed on the bacteria and plan on just putting it in a corner of my sump. I will test weekly and post results.

schooncw · Feb 14, 2017

I think Jack Kent sold Kent and Brightwell is a new company that he started.

jason2459 · Feb 14, 2017

schooncw said:
The dimpled brick seemed like the way to go to me! I passed on the bacteria and plan on just putting it in a corner of my sump. I will test weekly and post results.

It's just another media for bacteria to grow on. Highly porous which is good and I wouldn't waste money on a bacteri in a bottle either but if used would not hurt.

With any media adding bacteria or wanting more bacteria either way will need something to fuel them. If they are limited by something they wont thrive. Many people always talk about some form of carbon, nitrogen, or phosphates but marine bacteria need many other things like Na, K, Mg, Fe, etc. Many major elements that shouldn't be limited but some trace elements maybe like Fe.

jason2459 · Feb 14, 2017

schooncw said:
I think Jack Kent sold Kent and Brightwell is a new company that he started.

No Kent bought Brightwell. He just sold the Kent name I believe and started continuum.

schooncw · Feb 14, 2017

No shortage of elements/food for bacteria in my system!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 15, 2017

schooncw said:
No shortage of elements/food for bacteria in my system!

How do you know?

have you added the product to the tank? if so, please report back on what happens to leather corals if you have any.

schooncw · Feb 15, 2017

....because I transferred the contents-50 or so lbs of live rock, corals, fish, substrate-of a 60 gallon tank into my new 120 and added another 50 lbs of live rock and more crushed coral. I also do reg water changes.
I expect to get delivery early next week and I would hope to see some results in the weeks to follow and will post results.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 15, 2017

That's the evidence that there is no shortage of elements? Iron? Vanadium? Molybdenum?

schooncw · Feb 15, 2017

Forgive me, as I am not as knowledgeable as you are. I use premium salt that purports to contain the necessary elements to sustain marine life and I do regular 20% water changes every 2 weeks. Regardless, I do believe that my tank has what is necessary to grow and sustain the anaerobic bacteria that should colonize the Xport NO3 brick. A respected author that commented on the salt-mix that I use and the frequency of the water changes-with respect to the necessary elements-said the following in another forum: "I think the 20% water change is a great plan, and I would add nothing else, aside possibly from iron if you grow macroalgae or silicate if you want to encourage sponges/diatoms/snails/etc."
I thought it was good advice then and believe it still to be good advice now!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 16, 2017

It may be good advice, but without testing, I would not simply assert that tank has all the needed elements. I did daily 1% water changes for decades, and in my tests, the tank was potentially deficient in several elements. Were those lower levels low enough to be a problem? Maybe, or maybe not. But it is not as simple a question and answer as it seems.

schooncw · Feb 16, 2017

I know this Randy but my tank is a simple one-LPS, rock, fish, etc. That was you I quoted, from 2008, by the way. You were having a RC discussion with a Tropic Marin USA guy in 2008. I did not understand much, once the two of you go down into the weeds but I have had good luck with using TM and other premium salts, doing reg water changes and only really testing ca, kh, mg, no3, po and on occasion, ph.