# Purigen, to good to be true?



## Guest (Apr 11, 2008)

I just learned about this product. I don't know what took me so long. But this product sounds like it's too good to be true. Does everything that activated carbon does, but more and re-chargeable. I am definitely going to get it.

So, why wouldn't anyone use it? Or why would anyone use AC instead of Purigen other than to remove the meds from the tank? What am I missing or is it that Purigen doesn't work as well as advertised?


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

I've been considering using Purigen also. I've seen it get great reviews and hear that it does a great job of adsorbing Nitrates.


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

I used it for a few months.

I wasn't impressed. No noticeable difference in clarity (which it claims) and my nitrates weren't any less at water change time than before I was using it.


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

Joea said:


> I used it for a few months.
> 
> I wasn't impressed. No noticeable difference in clarity (which it claims) and my nitrates weren't any less at water change time than before I was using it.


Where in your system was it placed? In the canister filter or wet/dry?


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

I had it in an AC500 (AC110) on top of my media as the final filtering stage in that filter.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

I use it every now and then. It requires a very fine mesh bag like Seachem's "The Bag" or you can buy it already bagged. I think the bag clogs up faster than the purigen needs regeneration. That is the main problem--it clogs, you need to clean it, you don't just toss it like you would carbon.

If there are fine particulates in the water or if there is some ammonia, it will clear it up pretty quickly (depending on flow rate of filter). It is good to have around for little emergencies . If you are compulsive enough to check and clean it frequently, you will like it.


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## gherlevi (Dec 16, 2004)

I imagine that Seachem generally makes high-quality products.

I gave Purigen a shot as well, running it in an AC. I'm sure it works but:

1. it is very dense and reduced filter flow pretty quickly.
2. If you buy the pre-bagged type, you're working with a limited and small size.
3. I was too lazy to ever seriously try to recharge it.

I still have the bottle of the stuff that I'm keeping around for emergencies, but I find that running my tanks without any chemical filtration still works just fine.

I wouldn't rely on Purigen for removing nitrates.


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

so is there ANY filter media or chemical media that WOULD remove Nitrates?


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

kingdave said:


> so is there ANY filter media or chemical media that WOULD remove Nitrates?


 mangroves :idea:


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

HMMMM, mangroves growing in the sump...


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2008)

I did some more research on Purigen, and apparently, it works really well in SW tank for removing/reducing nitrates. I am definitely going to give purigen a try. I do have a SW and don't have a skimmer, so hopefully, purigen will help.


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## thetim6 (Jan 24, 2003)

What about seachem matrix?

It might not remove nitrates, but it advertises that it does.


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## Donfish (Dec 24, 2007)

It may just be semantics but from Seachem's website.



> Purigenâ„¢ is a premium synthetic adsorbent that is unlike any other filtration product. It is not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water at a rate and capacity that exceeds all others by over 500%.* Purigenâ„¢ controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds.* Purigenâ€™sâ„¢ impact on trace elements is minimal. It significantly raises redox. It polishes water to unparalleled clarity. Purigenâ„¢ darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with bleach. Purigenâ„¢ is designed for both marine and freshwater use. This product is sold by volume. Cited weight is minimal weight.


So it doesn't actually remove inorganic ammonia, nitrites and nitrates but does remove the organics that will eventually breakdown into these waste products. I propose that if your tank is cycled properly, not overstocked or overfed, you have a good biofilm and healthy biofliter by the time the water gets to the Purigen there isn't much nitrogenous organic waste left to remove.


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2008)

Donfish said:


> So it doesn't actually remove inorganic ammonia, nitrites and nitrates but does remove the organics that will eventually breakdown into these waste products. I propose that if your tank is cycled properly, not overstocked or overfed, you have a good biofilm and healthy biofliter by the time the water gets to the Purigen there isn't much nitrogenous organic waste left to remove.


I guess I didnt' read it close enough. But what this means is that Purigen works like protein skimmers in SW tanks. Before the protein or organic compounds get a chance to breakdown into ammonia and so on, Purigen will remove it from the water column so that water quality remains good for a longer period of time. So if this is correct, then Purigen will provide benefit to any tank no matter how well it is maintainted. Right?


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## partsrep (Mar 14, 2005)

I have two prepack bags of purigen in my AC110 and I did notice a difference in clarity and I thought my water was sparkling clear before. I can't verify if it has reduced nitrates at all as I stepped up my water change routine. If I had to guess I would say there really isn't much effect on nitrate reduction in a FW tank. But the clarity thing is worth it. I keep two in the filter and have two ready to go so whe it's time to recharge I just swap them out. It's safer than carbon as it won't leach back after time.


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## Donfish (Dec 24, 2007)

dntx5b9 said:


> Donfish said:
> 
> 
> > So it doesn't actually remove inorganic ammonia, nitrites and nitrates but does remove the organics that will eventually breakdown into these waste products. I propose that if your tank is cycled properly, not overstocked or overfed, you have a good biofilm and healthy biofliter by the time the water gets to the Purigen there isn't much nitrogenous organic waste left to remove.
> ...


It will provide a benefit in such that there are other organics (DOC) that it removes besides nitrogenous waste. My point was in a well run tank the removal of nitrogenous waste is the job of the benthos and bacteria. It is no substitute for proper biological filtration. If you use Purigen before the biofilter has a chance to do it's job don't you run the risk of starving your bacteria and risking a cycle when the Purigen is removed? My guess is if any reasonable amount of Purigen could act as a primary waste remover we would be using that instead of a biological filter. I'll bet it will saturate fast and then we have trouble.

Since Purigen doesn't directly remove nitrates it should then be used to clarify already clean water and I think that's its intended purpose, i.e. get what the filters miss. As for other freshwater "nitrate removers" it has been my experience that they will keep a steady level of nitrate but not remove it down to zero. The best way to reduce nitrates in freshwater aquariums in my opinion are water changes, plants and certain types of algae. Funny thing is my planted tanks actually have less nitrates than my tap water, so when I do a WC I end up increasing nitrates but that's okay since my angels in them are my prime concern I do the WC's weekly.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2008)

Donfish said:


> It will provide a benefit in such that there are other organics (DOC) that it removes besides nitrogenous waste. My point was in a well run tank the removal of nitrogenous waste is the job of the benthos and bacteria. It is no substitute for proper biological filtration. If you use Purigen before the biofilter has a chance to do it's job don't you run the risk of starving your bacteria and risking a cycle when the Purigen is removed? My guess is if any reasonable amount of Purigen could act as a primary waste remover we would be using that instead of a biological filter. I'll bet it will saturate fast and then we have trouble.
> 
> Since Purigen doesn't directly remove nitrates it should then be used to clarify already clean water and I think that's its intended purpose, i.e. get what the filters miss. As for other freshwater "nitrate removers" it has been my experience that they will keep a steady level of nitrate but not remove it down to zero. The best way to reduce nitrates in freshwater aquariums in my opinion are water changes, plants and certain types of algae. Funny thing is my planted tanks actually have less nitrates than my tap water, so when I do a WC I end up increasing nitrates but that's okay since my angels in them are my prime concern I do the WC's weekly.


You make a great point there. I think it's worth while contacting SeaChem and figure out how Purigen works exactly. Is it getting what the filter misses or is it getting to it before the filter?


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## partsrep (Mar 14, 2005)

Donfish said:


> It will provide a benefit in such that there are other organics (DOC) that it removes besides nitrogenous waste. My point was in a well run tank the removal of nitrogenous waste is the job of the benthos and bacteria. It is no substitute for proper biological filtration. If you use Purigen before the biofilter has a chance to do it's job don't you run the risk of starving your bacteria and risking a cycle when the Purigen is removed? My guess is if any reasonable amount of Purigen could act as a primary waste remover we would be using that instead of a biological filter. I'll bet it will saturate fast and then we have trouble.
> 
> Since Purigen doesn't directly remove nitrates it should then be used to clarify already clean water and I think that's its intended purpose, i.e. get what the filters miss. As for other freshwater "nitrate removers" it has been my experience that they will keep a steady level of nitrate but not remove it down to zero. The best way to reduce nitrates in freshwater aquariums in my opinion are water changes, plants and certain types of algae. Funny thing is my planted tanks actually have less nitrates than my tap water, so when I do a WC I end up increasing nitrates but that's okay since my angels in them are my prime concern I do the WC's weekly.


Yes, I agree that's a great point Donfish. And that's exactly how I use it. My tanks are biologically sound, the water is clear, and I keep my Nitrates below 20 with water changes. Since using the Purigen I have noticed more clarity in the water. So yes, I think it's a good final stage of mechanical filtration. There is no substitute for water changes and good bio-filtration.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

So, would the placement of Purigen in the filter matter? Put it after your bio media vs. before? Would it make any difference? Also, Purigen being a porous media, I am sure it will grow denitrifying bacteria as well. So, if you remove it completely from the filter, the tank will inevitably go through some sort of cycle.


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## partsrep (Mar 14, 2005)

I have two pre-pack bags on the top layer of my AC110 media. You could put them in a canister as well, but to answer your question it's a chemical media and chemical media is typically placed after the bio-media in a filter. You will want easy access to it without disrupting your bio-media.

When it's time to regenerate them I just swap them out just like I would a carbon bag or filter floss . As far as denitifying bacteria growth, bacteria will grow almost anywhere it can except the water column. I doubt the amount of bacteria in a dose of purigen would be enough to start a cycle per se as the tank is constantly cycling as new bacteria grows constantly.


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## Brock (Dec 6, 2002)

I used Purigen in a mesh filter bag placed in my sump after the bio wheel. It works great!

Then again, I always over filter...


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## Guest (Apr 19, 2008)

Just got my Purigen in the mail yesterday. I will be putting it in all three of my tanks today after the water change.


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2008)

I put Purigen in the top media bucket in my FX5 yesterday in my discus tank. So far, no improvement at all in the water clarity. I must say, I am disappointed with Purigen. May be things will improve overtime? Or if I haven't seen any improvements by now, this is it?


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## porch (Aug 20, 2003)

Has your purigen made a difference yet?

The first time I used it, it made a huge difference in a couple of hours, but my water was slightly cloudy. Now the difference is more subtle. If you're happy with your water clarity without it, then i wouldn't bother.

If you see the purigen starting to turn light brown, then it is working, and your water should be as good as it's going to get. Do one more water change and wait a day before making a final decision...

I don't know about others, but I'm too lazy to go thru the recharging process. Maybe some have found a quick way to do it, but I wouldn't want to have to deal with soaking in a bleach solution overnight, making sure you get all the bleach out, and then possibly having to use buffer to bring the PH down! After 5 months, I'm happy to throw the stuff away. To save money, I order the stuff online in 250 ml quantities, and use "The Bag" by Seachem...

Good luck with it, and keep us posted.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

I tried Purigen in both my freshwater and saltwater tanks. It really didn't seem to do a whole lot for either. It really reduces flow if it is in a canister or even the HOB. It reduced the nitrates in the FW setup a bit (nitrates were about 5ppm lower than they would normally be before a water change. In the SW (29g BioCube) tank it didn't seem to do much. I ended up getting a nanoskimmer and it has made the worl of difference so I ditched the Purigen.


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2008)

I had Purigen in my 3 tanks: 265G, 90G, and 36G SW. I got it out of 90G and put it in the 265G in another filter (I have FX5, XP4, and 405 and Purigen is in FX5 and 405.) I think the water clarity improved after I added more Purigen, but not crystal clear as I hoped. The SW water clarity was excellent to begin with, but since I don't have a skimmer, I wanted to add to reduce the nitrate level. Not sure if it's making any difference. So, overall, Purigen experiment wasn't a success, but since I bought a 1L packet, I guess I will be using them for a while.


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