Dlee13
Aquarium Advice Activist
My old filter has died so I've ordered a Fluval U3 internal filter and I was wondering what I should get to replace the Carbon Cartridges? I haven't seen it in person so I don't know what will fit in that section?
Carbon Cartridge
- Thread starter Dlee13
- Start date
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I would get seachem purigen.
Dlee13
Aquarium Advice Activist
I looked it up and does it need to be replaced often? I don't need chemical filtration right and I could just put some more sponges in?
It will last you 2-3 years if I remember correctly. It recharges whenever it gets full. It should be recharged when it turns black (seachem says on average every 6-7 months. It can be recharged alot but according to seachem loses some of its capacity after 10ish recharges.
Dlee13
Aquarium Advice Activist
Sorry but I'm new to the hobby so I don't really know about this stuff. So what is recharging exactly? It changes colour several times to show how much it has been working? Sorry if it sounds stupid =/
No its all good
So with carbon you have to throw it away once used. Usually about a month. With purigen you recharge it when filled. It starts white and gets darker as it fills. After it is full you put it in a bleach solution and it goes back to white and gets used again! It is very cost efficient. It also makes your water very very clear.
Dlee13
Aquarium Advice Activist
No its all good
So with carbon you have to throw it away once used. Usually about a month. With purigen you recharge it when filled. It starts white and gets darker as it fills. After it is full you put it in a bleach solution and it goes back to white and gets used again! It is very cost efficient. It also makes your water very very clear.
I've started looking into purigen and some people say it's easier to throw it away instead of bleaching it? I can get 100ml for $20 so would I go through that fast? I am actually considering it now but would it be bad to use during my fishless cycle since it's meant to keep Nitrates down?
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think what you really want is more bio media in the space the carbon would have occupied. Purigen is great if you have a big nitrate problem or overstock, but it's not cheap, and does not last forever. Does have to recharged which is a two day process using bleach.
I'd get sponge and cut it to fit the space.. any filter sponge should do, coarser clogs less quickly than fine does. Or add floss, which is a great water polisher, and can be cleaned often before it finally goes to ragged bits. Some toss it and replace every time but I hate to waste anything so I use it as long as I can. Sponge lasts years and years, you just squeeze it out well in tank water to clean it when needed.
If a tank is running well, is not overstocked and has good biomedia in filters that are maintained, you don't need any of the chemical nitrate, nitrite or ammonia absorbing media, all of which cost more than sponge or floss, and all of which need replacing much more often than sponge or floss will. Floss is the least costly of any media.
Carbon is useful to have on hand in case you need to remove either nasty odours, discolouration, as from wood or leaves, or some medications from water. Rest of the time it's a costly waste of space IMO.
If you are still cycling don't get Purigen. It will just slow things down.
I'd get sponge and cut it to fit the space.. any filter sponge should do, coarser clogs less quickly than fine does. Or add floss, which is a great water polisher, and can be cleaned often before it finally goes to ragged bits. Some toss it and replace every time but I hate to waste anything so I use it as long as I can. Sponge lasts years and years, you just squeeze it out well in tank water to clean it when needed.
If a tank is running well, is not overstocked and has good biomedia in filters that are maintained, you don't need any of the chemical nitrate, nitrite or ammonia absorbing media, all of which cost more than sponge or floss, and all of which need replacing much more often than sponge or floss will. Floss is the least costly of any media.
Carbon is useful to have on hand in case you need to remove either nasty odours, discolouration, as from wood or leaves, or some medications from water. Rest of the time it's a costly waste of space IMO.
If you are still cycling don't get Purigen. It will just slow things down.
I think you are confusing purigen with denitrate or something. Purigen is a replacement for carbon. It absorbs chemicals, colors, and smells.
Purigen os cheaper on amazon just so you know.
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry, but I think you need to read up on Purigen. Look up Seachem's site. It's meant to remove ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, by removing the sources of those toxins. It is NOT a carbon substitute. Carbon takes out odours, meds and colours, can't be recharged without a lab to do it.
By the time I pay for shipping, anything I can't get locally is often too costly. Purigen is great stuff, particularly if you tend to overstock. I can get it if I want it locally.
But my filters remove all the ammonia and nitrite and nitrates are controlled for now with water changes, until I get my aquaponic troughs running, and then with any luck I won't have any nitrates to worry about either.
Here, I'll save you looking it up.
Purigen
Product Description
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
By the time I pay for shipping, anything I can't get locally is often too costly. Purigen is great stuff, particularly if you tend to overstock. I can get it if I want it locally.
But my filters remove all the ammonia and nitrite and nitrates are controlled for now with water changes, until I get my aquaponic troughs running, and then with any luck I won't have any nitrates to worry about either.
Here, I'll save you looking it up.
Purigen
Product Description
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
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hey, we all make mistakes. If we didn't we'd be perfect and wouldn't that just be dreadful ?
Haha yep. Is it possible that purigen does both though? They kind of make it seem like it is a reolacement to carbon and alot of people think it is. I may email them to see if it at least removes meds and chemicals.
Fishfur
Aquarium Advice Addict
Can't hurt to ask, Seachem has an amazing customer service dept. But I don't think they are really that similar.
Carbon is made of wood or other plants. It also adsorbs.. not ABsorbs.. some things from water, like Purigen. But it only removes some things, odour molecules, some kinds of meds, some colour molecules.
Purigen is synthetic, and adsorbs organic stuff too, so in that way it's similar. But it removes the nitrogenous waste products.. and while that helps with clear water, it's not quite what carbon does, as I understand it.
Be interesting to see what Seachem says. But at the price, it's still far too costly for me, and for that matter so is carbon. I'm quite glad it is no longer considered essential, as it once was. I mostly use it, in small amounts, for orchids and a few other plants that like boggy conditions, not my tanks.
Carbon is made of wood or other plants. It also adsorbs.. not ABsorbs.. some things from water, like Purigen. But it only removes some things, odour molecules, some kinds of meds, some colour molecules.
Purigen is synthetic, and adsorbs organic stuff too, so in that way it's similar. But it removes the nitrogenous waste products.. and while that helps with clear water, it's not quite what carbon does, as I understand it.
Be interesting to see what Seachem says. But at the price, it's still far too costly for me, and for that matter so is carbon. I'm quite glad it is no longer considered essential, as it once was. I mostly use it, in small amounts, for orchids and a few other plants that like boggy conditions, not my tanks.
Interesting. I will post whatever reponse I get.
Dlee13
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'm interested to see too because GodFan hold me sold on Purigen since I've read many people use it and it keeps their water clearer than ever! My filter won't arrive till at least the 8th of Oct so hopefully you can hear back from them by then!
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