# ADA Brighty K



## NeilW (28 Sep 2009)

I already have been making use of TPN+ for my old tank but was setting another up.  I've been reading that a lot of people use Brighty K in the first month or so after set up. Would this be a better product to use to start out with?  Also does it neutralise chloramine as well as chlorine?

Thanks,
Neil


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## ceg4048 (29 Sep 2009)

I wouldn't get too excited about Brighty K. There's no magic involved as it's basically Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) + water. Does this sound like something that can neutralize chloramine? The correct answer is "No". If you add enough of it there might be an increase in alkalinity but that's about it. There can be no comparison between TPN+ and Brighty K. TPN+ contains N, P as well as K and micronutrients, although TPN+ might actually be a bit low in K. Adding either Brighty K or K2CO3 certainly won't hurt, but there is no way they can be used in lieu of TPN+. 

If you are not suffering Potassium deficiency then there is no reason to add more Potassium. If you want to add more K to see if it makes a difference then it would be a lot cheaper to experiment using either of the widely available K2CO3 or K2SO4 powders. 

Cheers,


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## Mortis (29 Sep 2009)

Also keep in mind that they use only Brighty K if paired with ADA Amazonia type substrates which are nutrient rich as it is.


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## NeilW (29 Sep 2009)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> I wouldn't get too excited about Brighty K. There's no magic involved as it's basically Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) + water. Does this sound like something that can neutralize chloramine? The correct answer is "No". If you add enough of it there might be an increase in alkalinity but that's about it. There can be no comparison between TPN+ and Brighty K. TPN+ contains N, P as well as K and micronutrients, although TPN+ might actually be a bit low in K. Adding either Brighty K or K2CO3 certainly won't hurt, but there is no way they can be used in lieu of TPN+.
> 
> If you are not suffering Potassium deficiency then there is no reason to add more Potassium. If you want to add more K to see if it makes a difference then it would be a lot cheaper to experiment using either of the widely available K2CO3 or K2SO4 powders.
> 
> Cheers,



Thanks Clive, the voice of reason as always 



			
				Mortis said:
			
		

> Also keep in mind that they use only Brighty K if paired with ADA Amazonia type substrates which are nutrient rich as it is.



I was going to use NS so this wouldn't be an issue.


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## JamesC (29 Sep 2009)

Actually Brighty K does contain Potassium Carbonate and Sodium Thiosulphate. So yes it will neutralise chlorine as well as the chlorine part of the chloromine leaving the ammonium part behind. It's only a small amount of ammonium that will be very quickly taken up by the plants and filters.

James


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## ceg4048 (29 Sep 2009)

Hi James,
                Didn't realize that Na2S2O3 was a component.  Thanks for that clarification. At normal dosing levels and normal water change routines, is there sufficient quantity to have a significant impact on chlorine levels?

Cheers,


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## JamesC (29 Sep 2009)

No idea of quantities but this is what they recommend


> Standard dosage is 1mL per every 20L, or to neutralize chlorine 5ml per every 10L



James


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## ceg4048 (30 Sep 2009)

Hmm, 5ml per 10L for neutralization? That means a Rio 180 needs 90ml (less if one accounts for actual volume). That means a 250ml bottle roughly serves 3 water changes. At Â£18+VAT this would cost over Â£6 per water change. Compare that to something more pedestrian like 250ml Seachem Chloroguard at Â£10+VAT which treats at least 11 water changes for this size tank ( Â£1 per water change). With the leftover Â£8 you could then buy 1/4 kilo of K2SO4 which has enough Potassium to last that tank a year. Therefore, analysis reveals that the cost/benefit ratio for this product is adverse. 

Cheers,


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## JamesC (30 Sep 2009)

Yep, it's all very weird to say the least, but that's ADA for you. I'm not 100% sure that it does contain sodium thiosulphate as it's only something I picked up on a while ago, ie no evidence just hearsay.


> Brighty K is created from potassium carbonate that is naturally extracted from trees. A little pH rise is normal using this product, perfectly understandable since it has carbonates, and pH will eventually return to normal due to the plants. Regular dosage of Brighty K at water changes, is also effective in neutralizing chlorine in tap water, which may cause toxication to aquarium fish



James


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## viktorlantos (30 Sep 2009)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> Hmm, 5ml per 10L for neutralization? That means a Rio 180 needs 90ml (less if one accounts for actual volume). That means a 250ml bottle roughly serves 3 water changes. At Â£18+VAT this would cost over Â£6 per water change. Compare that to something more pedestrian like 250ml Seachem Chloroguard at Â£10+VAT which treats at least 11 water changes for this size tank ( Â£1 per water change). With the leftover Â£8 you could then buy 1/4 kilo of K2SO4 which has enough Potassium to last that tank a year. Therefore, analysis reveals that the cost/benefit ratio for this product is adverse.
> 
> Cheers,



You're right. But Brighty K is not really for chlor off. ADA uses this product for fertilization only.
There's an anti-chlor product which ADA recommend to use for water changes. ADA Chlor-Off. 
So to use Brighty K is not really an efficient way for this. 

http://www.thegreenmachineaquatics.com/ ... 0Chlor-Off


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## plantbrain (30 Sep 2009)

K+ is K+ is K+.
At least as far as plants are concerned.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## ceg4048 (30 Sep 2009)

viktorlantos said:
			
		

> You're right. But Brighty K is not really for chlor off. ADA uses this product for fertilization only. There's an anti-chlor product which ADA recommend to use for water changes. ADA Chlor-Off. So to use Brighty K is not really an efficient way for this.
> 
> http://www.thegreenmachineaquatics.com/ ... 0Chlor-Off


Hi Viktor,
   Yeah that seems more reasonable I suppose. If it's Â£9 for a 250ml bottle of Chlor-Off then that's comparable to the other de-chlor products.



			
				plantbrain said:
			
		

> K+ is K+ is K+.
> At least as far as plants are concerned.


Yeah, that's what I always say. The ADA marketing guys seem much smoother than the others. Hey James, I love the part where they say


> Brighty K is created from potassium carbonate that is naturally extracted from trees...


What they conveniently left out was that the only way (at least that I know of) to "naturally" extract potassium carbonate from trees is to burn the tree to a cinder. The resulting ash (Potash) can then be baked to remove the impurities. I don't reckon this is very "Green" at all, so more than likely they just buy bulk K2CO3 (which would have been made by combining Potassium Hydroxide with CO2) and then mixing it with water. Hey, wait a minute - that sounds like something plantbrain would do!   

Cheers,


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## plantbrain (1 Oct 2009)

Extracted from trees, like that is environmentally friendly or something, that's about the worst possible way. 
I thought ADA used some deep sea "pure" source for their K+?

What the heck?
Such BS marketing irritates me.

Well, either way, KCL, K2SO4 is a lot better deal on virtually every front.
Both are mined.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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