Phosphate in Brightwell NeoMarine

[cmoore806]

The HI713. It can be used for both freshwater and saltwater.

Wonderful to know. I was not aware as I have the HI774 ULR Phosphate checker which cannot be used for FW.

 

[MnFish1]

I'd like to resurrect this thread a little to ask how are you testing for phosphate in your RODI water? I have a Hanna checker which cannot be used for freshwater. How do you check it?

I do not check it - if the TDS meter is 0 - (assuming its accurate) - there is no reason

 

[Adamantium]

I do not check it - if the TDS meter is 0 - (assuming its accurate) - there is no reason

Well, yes and no. A TDS meter reads down to 1 PPM, but I had ~.3 PPM of phosphate showing up. So, not enough to trigger a TDS meter, but enough to be significant.

That said, my issue wasn’t the RODI.

 

[MnFish1]

Well, yes and no. A TDS meter reads down to 1 PPM, but I had ~.3 PPM of phosphate showing up. So, not enough to trigger a TDS meter, but enough to be significant.

That said, my issue wasn’t the RODI.

The way I was thinking about it (and I think most people would think this) - the best way to tell is to measure your PO4 after you mix your salt water (I believe most PO4 tests are more accurate in 'sea water' rather than RODI water).

 

[Adamantium]

The way I was thinking about it (and I think most people would think this) - the best way to tell is to measure your PO4 after you mix your salt water (I believe most PO4 tests are more accurate in 'sea water' rather than RODI water).

Yes, but the point is finding the source of it. If your TDS meter is showing your RODI at 0, but you’re getting PO4 out of mixed saltwater, testing the RODI is the only way to know if it’s your salt, or not.

 

[MnFish1]

Yes, but the point is finding the source of it. If your TDS meter is showing your RODI at 0, but you’re getting PO4 out of mixed saltwater, testing the RODI is the only way to know if it’s your salt, or not.

Agreed, the point is finding the source. But - measuring PO4 in RODI water may not be accurate. Because as someone else said - 0 may not really be 'o' unless you have a high end TDS meter that can read < 1 ppm. And - Measuring PO4 in RODI water does not work well at least according to my research.

Thus if your PO4 is high after mixing - to me the only way to verify anything would be to send an ICP test of both non-mixed and mixed.

 

[jhans1]

Update! I spoke with one of Brightwell’s Technical Experts and he explained that they make NeoMarine in many small batches, and he suspects that I did, indeed, get a bucket from a batch that went out with a small phosphate issue.

Without prompt, not only did he offer to send a new bucket, he also offered either phosphate-e or their phosphate export media so I could continue using the current bucket. I went with the latter.

Needless to say, I’m very pleased with the outcome. I’ll continue to be a happy Brightwell customer.

Im currently having an phosphate issue with the same salt mix. My freshly mixed Brightwell Neomarine salt (0 TDS RODI) is testing 0.5 ppm phosphate on the Hanna ULR checker. Do you remember the batch number you had? I have 2 buckets marked with EXP050126B and both are testing out between 0.51 - 0.57 ppm phosphate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Im currently having an phosphate issue with the same salt mix. My freshly mixed Brightwell Neomarine salt (0 TDS RODI) is testing 0.5 ppm phosphate on the Hanna ULR checker. Do you remember the batch number you had? I have 2 buckets marked with EXP050126B and both are testing out between 0.51 - 0.57 ppm phosphate.

Have you tested your source water?

 

[jhans1]

Have you tested your source water?

I have tested the source water (tap water) and after RODI filter. Straight tap water measures 0.15 phosphate and RODI 0.00 phosphate. I know that the Hanna phosphate ULR checker can be inaccurate when measuring regular non saltwater. I have ordered some Tropic Marin Reef Salt and will use the same RODI water to measure phosphate in this salt mix later this week. Im going to update this thread when i have the results.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have tested the source water (tap water) and after RODI filter. Straight tap water measures 0.15 phosphate and RODI 0.00 phosphate. I know that the Hanna phosphate ULR checker can be inaccurate when measuring regular non saltwater. I have ordered some Tropic Marin Reef Salt and will use the same RODI water to measure phosphate in this salt mix later this week. Im going to update this thread when i have the results.

OK, let us know what you find.

 

[jhans1]

Just did another phosphate test with the Tropic Marin salt that i recieved today. Used the same RODI water as source water and got a reading of 0.02 ppm phosphate. Next step is to contact Brightwell regarding my batch of salt.

 

[MnFish1]

Please let us know, I continue to use Brightwell - and have next to 0 PO4 in my mixed salt. One question - are you following the mixing instructions? One thing I've seen with Brightwell is that unless mixed appropriately - that there can be anomalies on certain tests (this was from a couple years ago - and I don't remember specifically). When you first mix the salt there is a strong 'sulphur' smell - which often concerns people - but is due to a couple of the chemicals (again - sorry I dont remember) - but after mixing thoroughly this goes away. According to instructions - neomarine should mix for 24 hours before use.

 

[daniel_mourra]

I’m perplexed. The BRS website states that NeoMarine has no detectable phosphates at normal reef salinity levels. I just mixed up a batch at 35 PPT, and am getting a reading of .32 PPM. I even did the test multiple times to make sure this wasn’t an erroneous reading.

Has anyone else seen this before?

Happened to me yesterday. Hanna checker ULR for phsophates showing 0.04 PO4…. And Kh on 6.5! Instead of 7.5

Called brightwell and spoke to the owner! He said hanna always shows bad results (made in romania, not necesarily known for electronics) and asked to retest using SALIFERT…. I did.

Results: Phosphates 0.0 UNDETECTABLE
ALKALINITY: 7.2

So yeah… Hanna reads high on PO and low on KH…. Points for salifert.