Does anyone use Brightwell Aquatics products?

[SINNERMF]

Anyone use these??? Pros,Cons, experiences?????

 

[Ricunger]

I like some of them but i only use a select few. What were you interested in. I had a chance to speak with Chris Brightwell at NCPARS swap. He is a really nice guy and has some wonderful products but some you can diy and save a ton. like vitamrin c, 2 part, kalk +2, Reef biofuel(carbon), etc... all can be DIY if you look into them. Just let me know what you were sysing up and i can shed some light on if i have any exp with them.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I use their magnesium supplement. It seems to do a good job of raising my mg when needed and keeping it stable.

 

[SINNERMF]

If you have any infor, input, throw it at me. I've seen these advertised within the last 6months or so and was curious about them. I've been debating on certain brands and was curious about this one. If you know how to DIY anything please let me know. A few people I know are just starting to use these and was curious to see if it worth investing in.

 

[Ricunger]

I use reef bio fuel, Coral Amino, Revive, Potassion, Micro Bacter 7, Trace elements, 2 part, lugols solution & a few micron liquid foods. I like them all so far and have never had any problems with them. I like revive & potassion the most. Granted i did win a brightwell raffle but i have used potassion, reef bio fuel, micro bacter 7, & coral amino for about 8 months before winning the others. I have never changed anything else in my daily routine and have seen wondergul colors & growth. I dont believe it 100% made the changes to my sps but im sure it helped. Here are some pictures Before & after.... about 4 months apart(pictures are taken at differnet times of day). I will add a current one later also...

Alot of the DIY additives can be found below in The Reef Chemistry Forum... here are a few great reads...

Randys 2 part...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1271282

Vodka part 1...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=288714&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Vodka part 2...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1260492

Vodka or sugar...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1337934

Vitamin C part 1

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1252294&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Vitamin C part 2

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1330742

And tons others.

 

[Rouselb]

any bio film from the dosing?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here's my comment from other threads on Brightwell:

Some Brightwell products are likely just fine. Others seem poorly thought out, from a scientific standpoint (although a cynic would say the point is sales, not utility).

Here are some of my thoughts on them:

Liquid reef is like Purple Up or Kent Liquid reactor in that the main ingredient (fine sand) does not dissolve in seawater. I do not recommend it.

Kalk +2 is also poorly thought out. The magnesium in it does not dissolve in limewater. And there is very little present anyway.

Their iodine product claims that iodide is the primary iodine-containing ion in seawater, which is incorrect.

Another Brightwell product that I have a problem with: "elemental". Specifically, I can't imagine anyone choosing this odd mix of things even if it worked as described, which it won't.

You can't link right to it, but it claims to have the useless aragonite, like Liquid Reef, but then goes on to add additional calcium and strontium, and a miniscule amount of magnesium.

If it worked as claimed, it is a very odd and unbalanced mixture of calcium and alkalinity. Since the aragonite won't dissolve, it is basically like a mixture of calcium and strontium, along with a miniscule amount of magnesium and potassium.

What would one use that for? The text says as an add on to other methods to diversify additions? That is a goal???

 

[Rouselb]

Randy, not to take this thread off topic, but what are your thoughts on the neo system in general? I know its very similar to the zeovit system.

 

[Elysia]

I use two Brightwell products that I really like, Phyto Chrom and pH+. I have bought some phosphat R, but I haven't used it, yet.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry, I don't know much about the neo system additives.

 

[billsreef]

Randy,

I read the "instructions/explanation", entertaining if you have nothing better to do It brought an old saying to mind, I'm sure you know which one

 

[stanlalee]

I can say I've had pretty good results using coralamino and I use microbacter7 as directed for kicks (only 2.5ml a week in my 30g tank). I was already using seachem for my alk/cal and trace element balancing (except Mg I use Kent tech M). I'm happy with the products I already use so I really have no reason to try anything else. coralamino and macrobacter7 are product types I wasn't using previously and since I'm happy with coralamino I'll probably never have any reason to try any others. the microbacter7 I havent a clue if its helping on not. there wasn't anything I was addressing with it to begin with so I probably wont use it again once its gone.

 

[SINNERMF]

Randy, do you have any reccomendations?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are you trying to accomplish?

 

[chrisstie]

I just picked up the Microvore diet from my LFS yesterday and am trying it out. I worked there for about a year last year and only go into visit and keep my tanks going but there was a small cube tank I was taking care of that we always struggled with.

The Brightwell line came in after I had left there but I was listening to people talk about it while I was in the store the other day. I looked at the same tank and the LPS in the tank were the poofiest fluffiest things I had ever seen. I don't know if it was just the food they were feeding or a combination of things but I figured it was worth it to try it.

My corals open up to eat it but I will only know if it has the same effects over a long period of time. Worth a try, though. If I like this I might consider their other products but not without a lot of research and reason to switch. Go slowly, one thing at a time in this hobby, right?

 

[Rouselb]

I and many of the reefers who are trying the neo system are trying to decrease nutrients (po4, no3), rid our tanks of algae, have better coral growth, brighter colors, and and overall better system. BW products (i believe many of these guys come from Kent) have a line of products that are similar to the Zeovit and Prodibio systems. Each system has a different price point and dosing directions. So the question is, is the neo system which is manufactured by BW, worth the cash and time spent dosing? Meaning, will it help to decrease excess nutrients, increase coral growth, increase PE?? Is this product a watered down version of the other two systems??

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're tried simple carbon dosing (vodka, etc) and found it lacking in some specific way?

As to watered down, none of these systems list ingredients and concentrations, as far as I know, so I do not believe it is publicly known what is in any of them.