SeaChem Purigen for removing tannins

[James_in_MN]

Rok - what is your reasoning for not having something that controls ammonia in your DT?

There's only one thing you should have in your tank to control ammonia.

Bacteria.

If you add anything else that removes ammonia, it will interfere with establishing your biological filter, or starve your ammonia-eating bacteria.

 

[BfishLpond78]

That's all i needed to hear, it's gone. Thanks for the advice. Is that a "water dog" as your picture? If so, I almost got on but, i read they need some crazy water paramaters, like cold temperatures and big rocky substrate...can you confirm or deny this?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Anyone had any experience with the SeaChem Purigen product for removing Tannins from Malaysian Driftwood?

The best thing on the market for removing micro trash like tannins and get your water crystal clear is poly-fil in your filter IMO/E. It also isn't adding yet another chem into your DT.

Best part is, once it's loaded with gunk you just toss it and put a fresh wad in. I've changed it out a number of times in a couple of my tanks and never have a hint of a mini cycle or BB.

 

[ejaramillo01]

The best thing on the market for removing micro trash like tannins and get your water crystal clear is poly-fil in your filter IMO/E. It also isn't adding yet another chem into your DT.

Best part is, once it's loaded with gunk you just toss it and put a fresh wad in. I've changed it out a number of times in a couple of my tanks and never have a hint of a mini cycle or BB.

What exactly is Poly-fil? Where do you get it?

 

[Rokuzachi]

What exactly is Poly-fil? Where do you get it?

Poly-fil is polyester fibers like you'd use for stuffing a pillow, I think. If it's that, you can get it at just about any craft store and many stores with a craft section.

Works just as well as "water polishing pads" that you might pay $7 for a tiny box.

 

[Coleallensmom]

There's only one thing you should have in your tank to control ammonia.

Bacteria.

If you add anything else that removes ammonia, it will interfere with establishing your biological filter, or starve your ammonia-eating bacteria.

I agree with the first part of your post but it's my understanding that Purigen does not remove ammonia...it just helps with removing organic waste from your tank.

I've *never* heard of Purigen causing a mini-cycle.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

What exactly is Poly-fil? Where do you get it?

It's fine polyester fiber used as pillow filler, I get mine from a crafts store for less than $5, but any fabric store or maybe Walmart has it. I use the Fairfield brand which I've confirmed as free of any fire retardants or other chem additives, so make sure to read the label carefully.

I use it on 3 of my 4 tanks (1 being a Fulval 305 can) and have barely touch the bag. Works better and saves me money for better things I want for my tanks/fish than over priced chem products like Purgen or AC's ammo remover. I don't use carbon unless I need to remove meds, which is next to never. I have nearly a dozen bags of carbon from the filters I've bought, I should sell some of it lol.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I agree with the first part of your post but it's my understanding that Purigen does not remove ammonia...it just helps with removing organic waste from your tank.

I've *never* heard of Purigen causing a mini-cycle.

If the end result is artificially reducing ammonia in your tank, isn't it basically the same thing?

If your bacteria are used to getting X amount of it, and suddenly you decrease that amount by removing some of the source, wouldn't some of the bacteria die off because there's less of a source now? Seems like if you removed it after that, then your colonies would need to re-expand to compensate. Or worse, if you increased your bioload and removed the Purigen. I've never used it myself so I wouldn't know, I'm just wary of anything that claims to "control" or "remove" this and that from a tank.

 

[mudraker]

Purigen is a top knotch filter media and is the best on the market at removing impurities and maintaining lcrystal clear water.

It is not one of those phoney baloney "miracle cure" products foisted off by LFS. But even carbon, which so many still use, removes ammonia, then loses the ammonia removing properties and becomes a home for beneficial bacteria.

What I would like to know, Bfish, is did you ph remain stable after adding the DF and purigen?

I have a large chunk of Maylasian in a bucket in my bathtub that has been soaking since Oct. and it is still leaching....

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Purigen is a top knotch filter media and is the best on the market at removing impurities and maintaining lcrystal clear water.

It is not one of those phoney baloney "miracle cure" products foisted off by LFS. But even carbon, which so many still use, removes ammonia, then loses the ammonia removing properties and becomes a home for beneficial bacteria.

What I would like to know, Bfish, is did you ph remain stable after adding the DF and purigen?

I have a large chunk of Maylasian in a bucket in my bathtub that has been soaking since Oct. and it is still leaching....

I have no doubt that Purigen is a good product (Seachem has great products), but for the same price I can fine filter and have crystal clear water in 3 tanks for a year with poly-fil at the same price as one 3.4 oz pack of Purigen.

Truth is carbon is very poor/doesn't remove ammo, no2 or no3.

Fluval 405 media? - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community

 

[mudraker]

I don't run carbon at all, but did for years.

I have had great success with purigen, and I maintain 14 fw tanks, most of them planted. I don't use it in all my tanks yet, mainly because they run well with the media I already have, mostly ceramic rings and polyfil. IME purigen far superior to polyfil in maintiaining clear water.

I'd still love to see if PH was maintained or dropped after adding DW and purigen though. (hint, hint)

 

[BfishLpond78]

Sorry for the delayed response, it was early AM when you guys were posting these, so I was in dreamland. As far as the drop in PH, there was slight drop, but nothing major. The MDW is gonna drop regardless do to its properties, with the additional of the purigen i didn't see any significant drop or any behavioral changes in my inhabitants.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Thanks for the clarification about poly-film.(Mr. Limpet and Roku)

When you said that your ph drop slightly..... Can you be more specific? Like from what to what level?

Thanks

 

[BfishLpond78]

Ya sorry, early morning for me, i had to get home and look at my notes, it went from about 7.4 to about 6.8, but after a month of having it in there its gone back to 7.4 range.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Ya sorry, early morning for me, i had to get home and look at my notes, it went from about 7.4 to about 6.8, but after a month of having it in there its gone back to 7.4 range.

Thanks, not bad.

 

[mudraker]

Thanks for the ph info Bfish.

Hoping to learn from your experience!