Questions regarding an aluminum-leaching brightwell bio brick

[David Halderman]

I know this has been touched on but I have a couple specific questions I haven't seen directly addressed.
So I test triton ICP every 3-5 months. Tank is 5 years old and I've never had any of the metals show positive. Since buying the bio brick 3 months ago my Aluminum is now 80. I have since researched and found forums that this issue happens with both the Brightwell and the marine pure. All the ceramic blocks/bricks/plates basically.
My questions are:

1) Can anybody suggest a media that performs similarly to the Marine pure or Brightwell bricks that wont leach anything?

2) Is it possibly that the leaching will slow down, and eventually stop? Almost like osmosis, I'm thinking as the brick leaks it's Al, the less it has within it, the more difficult it will be for the Al to leave into the surrounding water. Does that principle apply here?

Answer one, answer both, thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When you say performs similarly, what do you want the bricks to accomplish? They may not be needed at all.

Is the Al trending upward?

80 ug/L is not yet at the point where my tox tests showed an immediate problem with the corals I tested.

 

[SPR1968]

I use Seachem Matrix (56+ litres in my big tank!) which is basically fancy stones and although I have no evidence I assume it won’t leach anything

Ive tried both marine pure and brightwell bricks, both can deteriorate/disintegrate over time. Matrix doesn’t

 

[dk2nt9]

From what I have seen on forums, there was no noticeable detrimental effects after using MarineRure. There is also Exxodus-Bac blocks, with the same mechanical properties as MarinePure, see if this thread has any information about what it leaches.

More durable and finer pored loose biomedia seems to be chemically inert, sintered glass as Siporax. Not available in blocks though. Even most common ceramic rings should be inert.

 

[hhaase]

I've seen numerous reports from people successfully converting from the MarinePure to MaxSpect Nano-Tech media.
I haven't seen anybody reporting any kind of material breakdown or raised aluminum from the MaxSpect either.

 

[David Halderman]

When you say performs similarly, what do you want the bricks to accomplish? They may not be needed at all.

Is the Al trending upward?

80 ug/L is not yet at the point where my tox tests showed an immediate problem with the corals I tested.

Similar in their available surface area for the bacteria to colonize I suppose is what I mean. True, the bricks are not essential, but I used to have a mild cyano problem, nothing major but kind of annoying. Since introduction of the brick 3 months ago, the cyano that I had was cut down more than half I'd estimate.

As far as trending upward, I've had 5 years aluminum free, introduction of brick, and 3 months later is 85. Which I know isn't much time. But divide that up by month could mean it's increasing 28/month approx. So although I see no effects in my tank yet, makes me nervous that it's only a matter of time. Unless I can expect it to slow down or something.

I have used GFO for 48hours, and did a 28% water change. And have another test on it's way. I will report the result in a week or so. Should also help to answer the question of whether or not GFO is a good binder for Al. I have heard it is supposed to be, but haven't seen anything definitive.

 

[David Halderman]

SPR1968, dk2nt9, haase, thanks so much for those suggestions. I'm going to start researching all of those. I've used some GFO and a water change and want to see if the Al will level off at all since so many seem to use the bricks and it doesn't seem to crash their tanks. I just can't see how it's possible if the level keeps rising like this, and want a back up ready just in case.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Similar in their available surface area for the bacteria to colonize I suppose is what I mean. True, the bricks are not essential, but I used to have a mild cyano problem, nothing major but kind of annoying. Since introduction of the brick 3 months ago, the cyano that I had was cut down more than half I'd estimate.

As far as trending upward, I've had 5 years aluminum free, introduction of brick, and 3 months later is 85. Which I know isn't much time. But divide that up by month could mean it's increasing 28/month approx. So although I see no effects in my tank yet, makes me nervous that it's only a matter of time. Unless I can expect it to slow down or something.

I have used GFO for 48hours, and did a 28% water change. And have another test on it's way. I will report the result in a week or so. Should also help to answer the question of whether or not GFO is a good binder for Al. I have heard it is supposed to be, but haven't seen anything definitive.

Are you expecting them to nitrify (convert ammonia to nitrate) or denitrify (convert nitrate to N2), or both?

 

[bnord]

I recorded a reading of 150 which was a spike compared to previous tests. Sister tank with same water source and no Marine pure was negligible on ICP.
Removed block and several media chambers of crumbling squares from MarinePure,

Used Purit and several large water changes in a 180 and replaced media chamber with Matrix
Re-test from ICP in the mail!

 

[David Halderman]

Are you expecting them to nitrify (convert ammonia to nitrate) or denitrify (convert nitrate to N2), or both?

Just nitrify is all I need. I have never been able to get measurable amounts of nitrate or phosphate in the tank, unless I dose them specifically. (Using hanna ULTRA low phosphate checker, and using the new hanna nitrate Low Range checker).
For sure my biggest motivation for keeping some sort of bio media and not just removing it altogether is it seems to eliminate me ever having to address the cyano anymore. Such as brushing it off certain areas of rocks every now and again. Apart from that, the tank hasn't changed much with or without the media.

 

[Spare time]

I use Seachem Matrix (56+ litres in my big tank!) which is basically fancy stones and although I have no evidence I assume it won’t leach anything

Ive tried both marine pure and brightwell bricks and plate, both can deteriorate/disintegrate over time. Matrix doesn’t

If I need biomedia I prefer matrix. Brightwell's brickmade an absolute mess in my sump and I will never use one of those again

 

[David Halderman]

I recorded a reading of 150 which was a spike compared to previous tests. Sister tank with same water source and no Marine pure was negligible on ICP.
Removed block and several media chambers of crumbling squares from MarinePure,

Used Purit and several large water changes in a 180 and replaced media chamber with Matrix
Re-test from ICP in the mail!

Interested to see if that solved it, and interested to see if you ever get a bad reading while using the matrix.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Unless you have a minimalist tank with no sand and little rock, I expect you need no media at all.

Elevated ammonia is just not a thing in established reef tanks. Some folks dose it intentionally.

 

[bnord]

I recorded a reading of 570 which was a spike compared to previous tests. Sister tank with same water source and no Marine pure was negligible on ICP.
Removed block and several media chambers of crumbling squares from MarinePure,

Used Purit and several large water changes in a 180 and replaced media chamber with Matrix
Re-test from ICP in the mail!

So at long last I received ICP test results (a few weeks back actually) and ran 2 sets, before and after a 20% change. This was after removing all Murine Pure media and conducting 2, 20% changes in the 180.

Both sets of before and after WC were normal , 37 ppb and 50 ppb. Sister lagoon tank was 35 ppb.
several corals.
Again, this is down from over 500ppB

Not proof positive, but a strong indication, particularly as the cubes were crumbling as they were removed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for the update.

 

[David Halderman]

Mine has seemed to slow down. I used GFO for 24 hours in that same week that I posted this originally, and since then have been doing water changes 20% every 2 weeks. Took me lot longer to get around to doing another ICP than I said I would, but in short it went something like this....
Introduction of Marine pure brick, first ICP after was 85. Run GFO 24 hours, 2 20% water changes, new ICP test 5 weeks later shows aluminum 45. My water changes have been a constant throughout this whole process, so either the GFO worked a little, or the brick has an initial off loading of Al that isn't sustained.

 

[Arego]

Polyp lab genesis rock is great, I have a couple of them.

 

[surcalation]

Sorry to revive this thread from a google search. I purchased some Brightwell Bio Bricks this year (2024) and I too have seen an uptick in Aluminium (33.45uG/l from 0) since placing them in compared to an ICP before they were in. I currently have 4 in my system which all got dosed in MicroBactor 7 before going in. I do an ICP each quarter so will see what comes by the end of the year. I change my RowaPhos monthly. I don't run Carbon.

Last time I had Aluminium was after running Sera Silicate clear for a while. Turns out it its Aluminium Oxide which from google is good at removing silicates but leaves some Aluminium behind.

Reason for me putting them in is that my Nitrates have been 50ppm for years now, tried a Sulphur reactor but been unable to dial it in to get results so have resulted to some more surface area.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry to revive this thread from a google search. I purchased some Brightwell Bio Bricks this year (2024) and I too have seen an uptick in Aluminium (33.45uG/l from 0) since placing them in compared to an ICP before they were in. I currently have 4 in my system which all got dosed in MicroBactor 7 before going in. I do an ICP each quarter so will see what comes by the end of the year. I change my RowaPhos monthly. I don't run Carbon.

Last time I had Aluminium was after running Sera Silicate clear for a while. Turns out it its Aluminium Oxide which from google is good at removing silicates but leaves some Aluminium behind.

Reason for me putting them in is that my Nitrates have been 50ppm for years now, tried a Sulphur reactor but been unable to dial it in to get results so have resulted to some more surface area.

Did the bricks reduce nitrate?

Your aluminum level is not concerningly high at the moment.

 

[surcalation]

Did the bricks reduce nitrate?

Your aluminum level is not concerningly high at the moment.

Levels have not dropped yet. I test each week using Salifert No3. Certainly not expecting them to drop instantly think its 2-3 months till i might get results?