Experimental testing of Brightwell Boost pH +

[Dan_P]

Bromcresol green also suffers UV and possibly even visible light degradation.

I wonder if that might even be partly why storing in a fridge helps: not just cold but dark. :)

Good supporting information and a method to generate a sample of degraded material for a VIS spectrum.

The Hanna reagent bottles are opaque black plastic. Whether the bottle is stored in the opaque black plastic box that holds the Checker or on the shelf, risk of UV exposure seems low.

Evaporation is my favorite cause right now. Many ways to fail here. Not tightening the cap. Losing the cap liner (mine always falls out all the time). Not removing all of the safety seal from the newly opened bottle. These things are difficult to get off in one piece. There is a good chance of leaving behind glue and irregularly shaped paper on the rim of bottle, a recipe for a poor seal and loss of head space vapor.

I will begin the study this week and will report back if something turns up or at the conclusion of the study when I use up the reagent around the fall of 2024.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

We have now completed our testing of Boost pH+ and have determined that it does, in fact, raise the alkalinity of an aquarium when used as directed on the bottle. We were wrong. We will be revising our labels and all advertising to reflect this.

I want to apologize for our error. We certainly did not intend to mislead anyone. Oddly, we had not had any compaints from users. I am also open to suggestions from forum members of other steps we should take to correct the error.

We did receive some criticism on the forum about our use of an API test kit for our initial testing after Randy's original posts. Although I have no problem with that test kit, other than the courseness of the results, increments of a whole dKH, it was the only test kit that I had on hand at the time, and the lead time to get reagents for our other kits was long, due to the Christmas holiday season.

As for all of our products, we are willing to replace or provide a replacement or a different product to any customer who has purchased Boost pH+ and is unhappy with the product. Additionally, I would like to offer to give a free sample of anything we make to any forum member that did the experiment to test Boost pH+, to help compensate for your costs. Just send me an email, to [email protected] with what you want and address information for shipping.

Thank you for following up, Jack. :)

 

[Malcontent]

Good idea. If there is a round testing, definitely would consider this as a control rather than filling the headspace with nitrogen.

You can buy small cans of argon intended for wine (or paint) preservation if you don't have a nitrogen tank sitting around:

Amazon product ASIN B00GO9C4QY

 

[Malcontent]

Bromcresol green also suffers UV and possibly even visible light degradation.

I wonder if that might even be partly why storing in a fridge helps: not just cold but dark. :)

Hach delivers their bromcresol green in sealed "powder pillows" separate from the acid:

https://www.hach.com/p-alkalinity-reagent-set/2271900
I actually have this kit from a batch of used Hach test kits I bought but never tried it.

 

[Dan_P]

We have now completed our testing of Boost pH+ and have determined that it does, in fact, raise the alkalinity of an aquarium when used as directed on the bottle. We were wrong. We will be revising our labels and all advertising to reflect this.

I want to apologize for our error. We certainly did not intend to mislead anyone. Oddly, we had not had any compaints from users. I am also open to suggestions from forum members of other steps we should take to correct the error.

We did receive some criticism on the forum about our use of an API test kit for our initial testing after Randy's original posts. Although I have no problem with that test kit, other than the courseness of the results, increments of a whole dKH, it was the only test kit that I had on hand at the time, and the lead time to get reagents for our other kits was long, due to the Christmas holiday season.

As for all of our products, we are willing to replace or provide a replacement or a different product to any customer who has purchased Boost pH+ and is unhappy with the product. Additionally, I would like to offer to give a free sample of anything we make to any forum member that did the experiment to test Boost pH+, to help compensate for your costs. Just send me an email, to [email protected] with what you want and address information for shipping.

Thank you for the reply and offer of reimbursement. I will decline the offer because you should not have to pay for the fun I had with the study and the unexpected adventures it spawned.

By the way, I hope your autobiography will clarify how the mix up occurred in the Boost pH+ claim that it did not affect alkalinity.

Dan

 

[hart24601]

We have now completed our testing of Boost pH+ and have determined that it does, in fact, raise the alkalinity of an aquarium when used as directed on the bottle. We were wrong. We will be revising our labels and all advertising to reflect this.

I want to apologize for our error. We certainly did not intend to mislead anyone. Oddly, we had not had any compaints from users. I am also open to suggestions from forum members of other steps we should take to correct the error.

We did receive some criticism on the forum about our use of an API test kit for our initial testing after Randy's original posts. Although I have no problem with that test kit, other than the courseness of the results, increments of a whole dKH, it was the only test kit that I had on hand at the time, and the lead time to get reagents for our other kits was long, due to the Christmas holiday season.

As for all of our products, we are willing to replace or provide a replacement or a different product to any customer who has purchased Boost pH+ and is unhappy with the product. Additionally, I would like to offer to give a free sample of anything we make to any forum member that did the experiment to test Boost pH+, to help compensate for your costs. Just send me an email, to [email protected] with what you want and address information for shipping.

Good on you Jack! Happy to see a manufacturer respond to data.

 

[BeanAnimal]

@JackKent1 -

Thank you for the response.

 

[KrisReef]

Thank you for following up, Jack. :)

I have been too lazy to write up my results but my results agree with Randy and Jack. Raw data, no graphs :

	Milwaukee pH Meter	Hanna	Hanna	Hanna	Salifert
		pH Meter	dKh Meter	PPM Meter	Milliliters of titrant
Initial	8.2-8.3	8.2​	6.9​	135​	48​
		8.5​	6.9​	135​	48​
		8.6​	7​	137​	48​
1mL Boost	8.4​		7.1​	139​	49​
			7.2​	142​
1mL Boost	8.5​
			7.2​	144​	51​
			7.4​	145​
			7.2​	141​
1ml Boost	8.6​		7.6​	150​	53​
2o hours later	8.5​		7.6​	149​	52​

Initially measured the reef water 3 times with a Milwaukee pH meter and Hanna ph meter, Hanna dKh and PPM alk meters, and Salifert dKh test kit.

My Hanna pH meter likely needs new reagent, as it drifted after I shock the bottle after the first measurement and flashed 8.6 on the third replication. The Hanna dKh and Alk meters are brand new as was the Salifert Alk test. I like the Hanna Alk for ppm readings, the dKh meter is for sale, and Salifert is superior for repeatability of measurements, but I like Hanna because I don't like to guess at the titration endpoint.

Trends in increasing alkalinity with addition of pH Boost product (that smelled a bit like vinegar when I first opened it) were slightly lower after 20 hours in the bucket but still showed both elevated pH and Alk from the initial reef water measurements.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for posting your results. :)

 

[GARRIGA]

Doubling the water sample to 10ml on API should provide 0.5 dkh increments per drop. How it works with Tropic Marin KH. For those wanting to use API and seeking more precision. Going to 20ml I suppose would provide 0.25 dkh. All relative approximations as I doubt any hobby level kit going to be precise based on drops.

 

[buruskeee]

@JackKent1 there has been lots of suspicions on the claim of Razor of not having algaecides, yet the product acts exactly as an algaecide. Can we get lab testing to prove there isn’t one? I’m a fan of the product by the way, but want absolute transparency when using a product.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Jack indicated to me today that he may not check this forum very frequently so he may not see that question. You might want to write him at Brightwell.