I feel I need reassurance and information to just get out there for newer reefers. Not necessarily help. Or if I misunderstood things, i would like it to be pointed out. My reef is about 1 year old and is my second reef tank.
My phosphate was at 1, so I decided to try out Brightwell phosphate-E due to a recent video from BRS stating world wide corals uses it and they will be also. Following the dosing instructions of 1 ml eliminates 1 ppm of phosphate and 1 capful equals 5 ml ( located under basic instructions on back of bottle), I dosed 2 capfuls into my sump directly onto my filter pads (100 micron to a 50 micron) leading to my skimmer (again as directed by bottle).
This clouded the water as the bottle suggested.
30 minutes later my 2 1/2 - 3 inch yellow tang showed distress and swam to the corner of the tank where I was sitting in what I would say, asking for help.
45 minutes later yellow tang was lethargic and at the bottom of tank gasping for air. I began to panic and did everything I could, added an air stone, increased top water surface agitation and utilized an aqua lifter feeding outside air pumping it directly to my pump to chop the bubbles.
2 hours later, yellow tang was dead
I am a hunter and fisherman living in Alaska, what that fish went through before passing was ridiculous as it slowly, and I mean SLOWLY choked to death on this chemical.
This bottle is labeled as “reef safe” however it truly is not in my opinion and what I witnessed. The ingredients are labeled on the bottle as “purified water, proprietary phosphate removers”.....
I would bet it is lanthanum chloride and I am stupid for not thinking before dosing. If this is the case, the little guys gills were coated with that crap preventing proper o2 exchange.
No other sign of distress were found/ noted in any other corals, fish or invertebrates in my reef.
Please, look into this and tell me if I am right or wrong because as a reefer I have one job, keep the critters alive and healthy. I failed. I feel new reefers or anyone with a tang should be warned.
P.S. the Tang was going to go into a larger 300g tank I was going to purchase and build, for you tang police out there. I spent a lot of time with this fish, turning it into a pet as it started to recognize me and come out. Normally it would hide around other people. I emailed Brightwell with my information but nothing has come back to me.
Specs below;
Specific gravity 1.024
Temp 78
PH 8.4
Alk 10
Ammonia undetected
Nitrite undetected
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 1
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1300
ATI essentials dosing on a dosing pump.
60 gallon shallow rimless 48"x24"x12", 20 gallon sump with reef octo classic 150int skimmer
1 tuxedo urchin wearing a large feather duster as a hat
4 blue green chromis not fighting, happily schooling
2 Peppermint shrimp that release eggs occasionally
1 six line wrass being a good boy for now
2 turbo snails
Several WWC Mixed reef corals
My apologies if this is not “proper” and the wall of words as I am still bothered by the loss of Sunny the yellow tang. Plus I am more of a lurker as this is my first thread. Thank you.
My phosphate was at 1, so I decided to try out Brightwell phosphate-E due to a recent video from BRS stating world wide corals uses it and they will be also. Following the dosing instructions of 1 ml eliminates 1 ppm of phosphate and 1 capful equals 5 ml ( located under basic instructions on back of bottle), I dosed 2 capfuls into my sump directly onto my filter pads (100 micron to a 50 micron) leading to my skimmer (again as directed by bottle).
This clouded the water as the bottle suggested.
30 minutes later my 2 1/2 - 3 inch yellow tang showed distress and swam to the corner of the tank where I was sitting in what I would say, asking for help.
45 minutes later yellow tang was lethargic and at the bottom of tank gasping for air. I began to panic and did everything I could, added an air stone, increased top water surface agitation and utilized an aqua lifter feeding outside air pumping it directly to my pump to chop the bubbles.
2 hours later, yellow tang was dead
I am a hunter and fisherman living in Alaska, what that fish went through before passing was ridiculous as it slowly, and I mean SLOWLY choked to death on this chemical.
This bottle is labeled as “reef safe” however it truly is not in my opinion and what I witnessed. The ingredients are labeled on the bottle as “purified water, proprietary phosphate removers”.....
I would bet it is lanthanum chloride and I am stupid for not thinking before dosing. If this is the case, the little guys gills were coated with that crap preventing proper o2 exchange.
No other sign of distress were found/ noted in any other corals, fish or invertebrates in my reef.
Please, look into this and tell me if I am right or wrong because as a reefer I have one job, keep the critters alive and healthy. I failed. I feel new reefers or anyone with a tang should be warned.
P.S. the Tang was going to go into a larger 300g tank I was going to purchase and build, for you tang police out there. I spent a lot of time with this fish, turning it into a pet as it started to recognize me and come out. Normally it would hide around other people. I emailed Brightwell with my information but nothing has come back to me.
Specs below;
Specific gravity 1.024
Temp 78
PH 8.4
Alk 10
Ammonia undetected
Nitrite undetected
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 1
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1300
ATI essentials dosing on a dosing pump.
60 gallon shallow rimless 48"x24"x12", 20 gallon sump with reef octo classic 150int skimmer
1 tuxedo urchin wearing a large feather duster as a hat
4 blue green chromis not fighting, happily schooling
2 Peppermint shrimp that release eggs occasionally
1 six line wrass being a good boy for now
2 turbo snails
Several WWC Mixed reef corals
My apologies if this is not “proper” and the wall of words as I am still bothered by the loss of Sunny the yellow tang. Plus I am more of a lurker as this is my first thread. Thank you.
