Brightwell ExtraxPhos, anyone use?

[TheKyle]

Does anyone have experience with Brightwell aquatics “ExtraxPhos”? Good or bad? I know there are tons of phosphate absorbing media out there but this one was appealing to me because it claims the 600g bag can eliminate up to 30 mg/L from 300gal of water. For less that $15 this sounds very economical.

Up to this point, I’ve been using regular brs gfo but struggling to keep phosphate down lately due to the large amount of media required for my 250gal system. So I decided to give this media a try and so far I am very impressed. Two days ago I added 200g to my reactor (less that half the recommended dose). Phosphate was 0.212 at the start (I know terrible) and today is down to 0.117 . Anyways that’s my experience so far.

My question is should I be worried about possibility of aluminum being released into the aquarium for this product, since it appears to be aluminum based? I have a ~20” diameter toadstool leather that I’m watching like a hawk for signs of irritation. So far it’s all good. Anyone use this media that can weigh in on their experience?

 

[Hermie]

I think it's alumina oxide or something like that... I mean, I use it lol. There are some reports (advancedaquarist) of alumina oxide leeching aluminum in the water but I trust Seachem to be honest (which is the brand I use) to not make a product that will harm my tank. So yeah Go ahead use it! (IMO). It works great (alumina oxide) at limiting phosphate levels. Just make sure you do have some phosphate in your water or you may strip it completely.

 

[TheKyle]

I think it's alumina oxide or something like that... I mean, I use it lol. There are some reports (advancedaquarist) of alumina oxide leeching aluminum in the water but I trust Seachem to be honest (which is the brand I use) to not make a product that will harm my tank. So yeah Go ahead use it! (IMO). It works great (alumina oxide) at limiting phosphate levels. Just make sure you do have some phosphate in your water or you may strip it completely.

Seems like a logical way to look at it. Have you been using the media long term now?

I did notice that Seachem had their own study directly disputing the advanced aquarist one. Seemed pretty credible although the Seachem study lower detection limit for aluminum was much higher than levels being recorded in the advanced aquarist study. Struck me as a little odd since both used icp testing I think. Also, I think the advanced aquarist study used way higher amounts of media/gallon of water than any normal tank would run. So both studies seem like they could be improved on imo. Left me not knowing what to think.

 

[Hermie]

Seems like a logical way to look at it. Have you been using the media long term now?

I did notice that Seachem had their own study directly disputing the advanced aquarist one. Seemed pretty credible although the Seachem study lower detection limit for aluminum was much higher than levels being recorded in the advanced aquarist study. Struck me as a little odd since both used icp testing I think. Also, I think the advanced aquarist study used way higher amounts of media/gallon of water than any normal tank would run. So both studies seem like they could be improved on imo. Left me not knowing what to think.

Yeah... I agree. But I think high phosphate levels are more detrimental to coral growth than high alumina... so that's another excuse to use it haha. (based on some scientific studies I recall)

 

[Hermie]

Yeah... I agree. But I think high phosphate levels are more detrimental to coral growth than high alumina... so that's another excuse to use it haha. (based on some scientific studies I recall)

Also I heavily feed and I have a nano tank, so low phosphate levels are never an issue for me personally. Also, my experience has been that algae grows MUCH slower when I have "phosguard" in my sump (the seachem brand) than without it. I did get a low level phosphate test and its just about undetectable (its not a Hanna test), but I still have plenty of algae (most likely from not continuing to use phosguard). I stopped using it because I have a sponge and I wanted the silica to be in the water, (diatoms are not a big deal for me personally); however the turf/hair algae had gotten OUT OF CONTROL, so I had to rearrange my priorities. If the sponge dies... it dies... I gotta reduce my phosphates and Im not willing to feed less. So I am back using phosguard (alumina oxide)

 

[TheKyle]

Yeah... I agree. But I think high phosphate levels are more detrimental to coral growth than high alumina... so that's another excuse to use it haha. (based on some scientific studies I recall)

I’m in the same boat here. Visually, my tank looks ok with sky high phospates, but my sps seem to stop growing completely which I’m guessing isn’t exactly healthy. As long as my toadstool mushroom stays open I’ll probably keep using the aluminum oxide.

I was starting to have some success dosing nitrates to lower phosphate, but it was happening way too slow. Despite heavy feeding, my nitrates are kept in check by HEAVY vinegar dosing. So dosing some nitrate theoretically allowed some additional phosphate to be exported, assuming the process was limited by my undetectable nitrate levels.

 

[TheKyle]

Also I heavily feed and I have a nano tank, so low phosphate levels are never an issue for me personally. Also, my experience has been that algae grows MUCH slower when I have "phosguard" in my sump (the seachem brand) than without it. I did get a low level phosphate test and its just about undetectable (its not a Hanna test), but I still have plenty of algae (most likely from not continuing to use phosguard). I stopped using it because I have a sponge and I wanted the silica to be in the water, (diatoms are not a big deal for me personally); however the turf/hair algae had gotten OUT OF CONTROL, so I had to rearrange my priorities. If the sponge dies... it dies... I gotta reduce my phosphates and Im not willing to feed less. So I am back using phosguard (alumina oxide)

With how high my phospates and nitrates have been it’s hard for me to explain how I never have any algae. My best guess is that my 6 tangs and many snails keep it at bay. Also I grow a lot of cheato in my sump. I’ve read that besides lowering nutrients, macro algae May actually release chemical compounds that inhibit growth of other types of algae. Maybe there is something to this claim. Idk but it is really hard for me to tell me nutrients are high without testing since everything looks ok at a glance.

 

[Hermie]

btw I really like Brightwell, I have their concentrated nannochloropsis (phytogreen s) that I mix in with mysis when I feed my corals. It's more pure than the seachem phytoplankton.