Purigen

[Cougra]

Well, I've been debating trying out some Purigen in my tanks and have finally purchased some to test. I know this isn't a very scientific experiment since I'm only using regular test kits, have no controls or anything of the sort, but I'm willing to share my observations.

Here is a description of the product from Seachem's own website:

Purigen™ 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%. Purigen™ controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds. Purigen’s™ impact on trace elements is minimal. It significantly raises redox. It polishes water to unparalleled clarity. Purigen™ darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with bleach. Purigen™ is designed for both marine and freshwater use. This product is sold by volume. Cited weight is minimal weight.

I have put the recommended amounts in a freshwater tank and in a saltwater tank.
The freshwater tank has been set up for a little over a year now. It is a 48"x18"x21" tank, filtered with an Eheim 2026 power filter and has minimal lighting (2x40W NO florescent tubes). For a bioload it has 2 N. brevis, 3 N. meeli, 8 Paracyprichromis, 3 Danios, 2 N. leleupi and one Ancestrius sp. Before adding the Purigen I tested for:
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrates - 15ppm

The saltwater tank has been in operation for a little over 6 years now. It is a 30"x12"x18" tank, filtered with live rock, a sump w/live rock (holds 13gal of water), and live sand. It doesn't have a skimmer on it (the one I had was horrible and I deemed everything was safer without and never got around to replacing it) and has regular weekly water changes of 10 Gallons (~30%) using RO/DI water (1-2ppm TDS readings). I have recently started using a Fluval 204 canister filter for better water flow, as well as more mechanical and chemical filtration. Bioload is very light with 1 clownfish and 1 royal gramma for fish, a few soft corals, snails, one shrimp, and some hermit crabs.
Readings:
SG - 1.025 (measured with a hydrometer)
pH - 7.9 (never could keep it above 8 but it's stable and only fluctuates by 0.1 at most each day)
calcium - 380ppm
alk - 3.2meq/l
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate - 5ppm

In each tank I placed a little more then the recommended amounts and figure that I'm going to need to rejuvenate it again much sooner then recommended since the tanks have been running without if for so long so it'll have more to remove from the water then if the tanks were running for longer periods of time with it in. I placed the media in the canister filters on each tank to ensure good water flow past the media. In both tanks this is the only type of chemical filtration I'm currently using. (I don't use carbon or phosphate removers very often if at all.)

After 48 hours:
I had originally intended to do similar tests on each tank but ran out of nitrate test solution so will only announce test results when I can test for all the same things again at the same time.
In the freshwater tank I noticed that the water is a little clearer when looking through the side of the tank (Can't notice from the front).
However, I noticed a huge difference in my saltwater tank, as the water is much clearer then before. I hadn't noticed that I had a slight yellowing of the water despite the frequent larger water changes until it was gone. Before people jump to any conclusions, keep in mind that I rarely use any type of chemical filtration and the few times I used carbon or poly-filters was because I knew there was something wrong with the tank.

I took pictures of it before use and after 48 hours to see if I could observe any changes in colouration and feel it's doing anything. Here are the photos for comparison (the Purigen is was photographed from the FW tank as it's easier to completely remove however I noticed very similar colour differences with the media in the SW tank as well.)

 

[Woodstock]

Wowzer!!!

Is is to be used for only 48 hours or is that the time frame you chose to check it?

Let us know how the 'clorox renewing' goes...

Very interesting! Thanks!

 

[Cougra]

It's suppose to continue working for up to 6 months, I'm just not that patient and decided to try photographing and water testing every couple days to see how it changes in appearance and how the water chemistry changes for a little bit of control. However I didn't expect to run out of test solution so my schedual is going to be altered a little. I do plan on keeping doing updates for a while including rejuvenating it. (LOL Keeping it in a thread will help me remember when I started using it!)

I forgot to mention that this stuff is very fine and I had to place it in a nylon stocking as some of it kept falling out of the regular filter media bags.

 

[BlackGrandPrix]

I love this stuff. The recharge is very easy to do. Just make sure to use prime to dechlorinate other brands can wreck the purigen. It made a big difference on the clarity in my water too.

 

[Woodstock]

Update plz

 

[Witfull]

i just got 3 250ml bottles(they were insanely mispriced at a LFS) and am going to try it out.

 

[Gina]

Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Cougra]

Sorry, Doni, I didn't see your bump on this thread. I forgot about it.

I haven't notived any difference in the nitrate levels of the water using this product, however the clarity of the water is still very much improved compared to before adding the Purigen. The beads have darkened a lot more then the picture above in both the freshwater and saltwater tanks. I haven't tried to recharge the beads yet as I still see some white ones in the bundle.

I placed the beads in a stocking and noticed that the ones in the middle don't change colour so I'm attempting to find something that I could put them in that would allow for better water circulation around ALL the beads.

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks for the update. Ever think about using a phosban reactor for them? That would create great circulation around them!

Do you think they remove phosphates or silicates?

 

[Cougra]

I don't have any reactors in my system and can't afford to get any for a while, so no, I haven't really thought about trying to put them in there. At the moment I have them in front of a PH.

Unfortunately I can't really test for phosphates or silicates. The phosphate test kit I have is very unrealiable (hagen) and again I can't afford the $50 the LFS wants for the Salifert kits. (I haven't gotten around to ordering anything online for a while) My tank basically only has a couple hardy leathers, shrooms and zoanthids so I'm not as concerned about phosphates/silicates as I would be if I had any more delicate/sensitive corals.

I haven't had as much algae growing in the tank as I did before using the purigen so I do think it's helping the tank somehow, but it could also be coincidence that the algae is better under control now. I have been physically removing as much as possible ( I believe I have terf algae, should get an ID on it to be sure) and it's not growing back nearly as quickly as before.

 

[Shells]

would you'll use this, Purigen, instead of carbon and phosban?? or would
you use it along side them??

 

[Cougra]

I'm using it instead of carbon and phosban. I hate that carbon has a very short limited life span and that it's garbage once it's been used once. You wont find any carbon in my aquarium supplies cabinet. I've used Kent's phosphate sponge and haven't really noticed it make any difference, but then again I only have a cheap phosphate test kit that I use to indicate whether or not I have higher or lower levels of phosphates present. Since I haven't tested the water for exact levels of phosphate before I started using the purigen any test I preform now isn't going to tell me anything about how well the purigen works on phosphates.

 

[KMP]

I currently have Purigen in my tank. Like you, about 48 hrs after putting it in, I had the same discoloration.

 

[meandean45]

I've been using Purigen in my 125 Gal Discus tank for a while, it sure does "polish" the water nicely, it makes the tank look like it's filled with Lucite instead of water! Would be interested in an update on how it works in your' reef please!
Dean

 

[HowardW]

If your Purigen is turning brown after only a couple days that indicates you have quite a bit of organic waste in your tank. Purigen can be used along with carbon as well as a phosphate removing media, and using Purigen with carbon will make it last longer. Purigen is also less aggressive than carbon and I don't think it removes phosphates.

The reason your algae growth has slowed is probably because the Purigen is pulling out organics the algae was feeding on.

Purigen is a great product in my opinion and I've been using it for many years, I usually buy it in the 100 ml. size which already comes in its own little bag.

 

[KMP]

My tank is new and has been set-up about 5 weeks. The Purigen has been in about 3 weeks. I had the normal algea cycle out-break and that was while Purigen was in the tank. Didn't seem to have any affect on the algea. I've since added some Kent Phosphate Sponge and the algea was gone within 4 days.

 

[Cougra]

I haven't noticed any ill effects with my corals after adding the purigen. The first hour I put it in the corals closed up but I think that has more to do iwth disturbing the water flow then the actually addition of the purigen. I have noticed soem of my corals (mainly the cabbage coral) grow a little faster. I'm ASSUMING it's because I have better water clarity so the light can penitrate a lot further.

I'm hesitant to say that the purigen made the difference between the algae growth in the tank or not since I have been working at it for a long time and there are other small routine changes I've made during the use of the purigen to help combat algae growth such as better vacuming of detritus in the tank that I think has a bigger impact.

Overall, I like the purigen for the water clarification it's done more then anything else. I will definately keep using it and plan to recharge the media within the next couple weeks to try that aspect of it. If it recharges the way it's suppose to and keeps the water clear, it'll be a perminant method of chemical filtration in my tanks. I personally find it helped my saltwater tank more then my freshwater tank.

 

[meandean45]

Thanks Cougra!
The purigen does recharge as advertised (surprising in this business!). I use two 250 g bottles at a time, and find that it takes long enough to recharge the Purigen that it pays me to have four jars so that I can simply slip in two more bags and restart my filtration, then recharge the other two bags (jars) at my leisure.
I like the light idea (I have VHOs only), maybe I'll give it a try in my reef.
Thanks!
Dean

 

[HowardW]

My tank is new and has been set-up about 5 weeks. The Purigen has been in about 3 weeks. I had the normal algea cycle out-break and that was while Purigen was in the tank. Didn't seem to have any affect on the algea. I've since added some Kent Phosphate Sponge and the algea was gone within 4 days.

Purigen is not supposed to be a phosphate removing media nor have any effect on algae other than maybe removing disolved organics.

 

[12g Dude]

I've been running purigen (250ml) in my 12g nano for about 6 months now. It's my only form of filtration other than the sponge at the intake chamber. It seems to work very well. I have a second bag recharged and ready for use when the old one needs replacing. It's working to to combat an pretty high bioload for a 12g tank.