Purigen Regen Problem

[Borderlesscott]

Just done a 3rd Regen of my Purigen, followed the procedure as recommended only I do each part for 24 hours - Rinse, Bleach, Rinse, Prime, Rinse back in filter. The purigen looked clean and I could not smell any odours.
Within 1 hour my fish went to the back of the tank and started showing signs of stress, pulled the purigen out, 60% water change with prime plus extra prime in the tank and a carbon sponge fitted, then went to bed exhausted.
Today things look a bit better, did loose a Rummy Nose, though he didn't look good before anyway, only put them in 5 days ago and my Vallisneria plants don't look to good, slightly melting. Just done another 30% water change and crappying myself incase it's wiped my cycle on my filters.
My main question is other than visibly checking and smelling for odours is there anyway to check if it's regenerated without problems.

 

[HUKIT]

No there is no surefire way to determine if the regen process left any bleach residue behind. I've regenerated purigen pouches dozens of times without issue, the only additional step I take is adding more dechrlorinator than required. Maybe another explanation such as forgetting to add dechrlorinator during the water change when the Purigen was removed?

 

[Borderlesscott]

Definately dosed prime with the water change and even after I add the purigen I always add a little extra directly to the tank just in case.
Fish seem to be coming around, just my 2 GBR looking washed out still and a few still not feeding. Guess i just need to keep up on my water changes, and I ordered new Purigen - don't think I'll chance the old stuff again. Tank is
slightly cloudy so maybe a mini cycle or just not having Purigen in there, ammonia dropping from 0.045 - 0.026 in 4 hours according to Seneye so hopefully not to much bacteria killed. I've read about this happening to so many people and thought I was taking every precaution even adding more Prime than necessary once bleached, got a feeling the media bag has to much Purigen in there and possible still had some bleach remaining - only thing I can think off.

 

[Borderlesscott]

HUKIT is there a possibility the contaminates released by my purigen mess up could lead to blindness or temporary blindness? The two Rams I said where washed out looking seem to be very short sighted, not moving when I go to the glass and seem to be feeling there way round the tank - hoping its just temporary chlorine blindness, what do you think?

 

[HUKIT]

I say that's not possible, even with a small amount of bleach or contaminants left behind when it's dilluted in water it's going to be so miniscule. I would run some carbon in the filters to help remove any harmful substances. I have had some strange things happen after water changes over the years that to this day I still can't explain, one time I lost 6 clown loaches within one day without knowing why.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Thanks for quick response, good to know - cancelled all my work today and sat beside this tank all day, scared to leave it, think I'm starting to make up scenarios in my head.

 

[Rivercats]

Borderlesscott I use Purgen and honestly I have always been too chicken to try to recharge it. It lasts so long I figure I'd rather bite the bullet and just get new. I tried recharging it once and it just didn't smell right, I didn't use any of the water conditioners that they say renders Purgen unchargable, so I ended up throwing it away. I hope the little guys are okay and anything that might have happened to them is only temporary. Over the years I've had a few quirky things happen after water changes too that just made no sense.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Thanks Rivercats, pretty stressed out - if they where dogs or cats I would have had them to the vets. My Purigen does not last to long, I get about 3-4 weeks before I have to recharge it in my main tank, probably due to the amount of plants in it, going to maybe get an Eheim prefilter as I believe this can extend the purigen lifespan in heavily planted tanks. I have two seachem media bags with purigen which I use alternately, I think the one which caused the problem might have been the oldest and has probably been recycled around 10-12 times, the other one is newish with only 3 regen's. I've ordered a new supply and hopefully it does not happen again. I'll post an update if the Rams pull through, poor guys are pitiful looking

 

[HUKIT]

I would run some carbon in there honestly, this will remove any harmful chemicals such as bleach.

Carbon Filtration In Freshwater Aquariums

 

[Borderlesscott]

Thanks HUKIT, I've got a Juwel Carbon Pad in the internal filter with a POLY-FILTER pad on top I had from ages ago, going to get some Eheim Carbon Pads or the Eheim Ehfi Karbon stuff you put in a media bag tomorrow morning for my external, 11.30pm over here now, scared to leave the tank as don't what I'll wake up to tomorrow. Ammonia level right down to 0.020pm so hopefully looking to the long term my bio filter is still okay.

 

[HUKIT]

Good luck and let us know how it's going, I have dogs and cats but these little buggers cause more stress than them combined.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Dead Rummy Nose and Lemon Tetra this morning and poor Rams still look horrible, strange as my Amano shrimp are still alive i would have thought they would go first, just leaving to get some more carbon, then back for another massive water change.

 

[Borderlesscott]

New Carbon and Polyfilter Pad in internal Juwel filter and Eheim carbon sponge in my external, my LFS Exotic Aquatics Belfast super stars couldn't have done more - give me 50l of free RO water as every little helps, ran every test they could do on my water, all okay. Most fish looking good, just the Rams still stressed, water cloudiness has cleared a but after an 80l water change - might be my Vallisneria breaking up causing the cloudiness. Fingers crossed!

 

[HUKIT]

Dead Rummy Nose and Lemon Tetra

Sorry to hear that.

New Carbon and Polyfilter Pad in internal Juwel filter and Eheim carbon sponge in my external

Just keep up with the water changes and leave the carbon in there for a couple of weeks, if there is any bleach left behind it will quickly be removed.

Is there a reason that you run Purigen in the first place? I use it occasionally for specific reasons but find it's more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I use Purigen mainly for the visual clarity it gives, even with extra filter floss i just can't get that crystal clarity without it, starting to question wether I should use it again as the thought of this happening again worries me. I don't use it in my other tanks, just my 63 gallon.

 

[HUKIT]

I don't run carbon or Purigen unless I'm removing medications or tannins from driftwood. I'm surprised to hear you say that with regards to water clarity, I've never experienced that before. Is is a white hazy such a bacterial bloom?

 

[Borderlesscott]

It's not the bad really, 9/10 people would probably be happy with the clarity, just think the Purigen takes it to another level. I don't think it's tannins, more a very very slight whitish tinge - my wife thinks im nuts as she never see's anything wrong with it, I see it within 24 hours of taking the Purigen out and it remains for until it goes back in again. Product blindness probably! Going to see how it goes without Purigen for a while, if the fish are healthy and happy so should I be, kills me the thought of the stress I caused to the fish for my tiny percentage of extra clear water, guess you learn by mistakes and in this case a definately kick in the face so I won't forgot. If the 2 Rams die I'll be gutted, my granny bought them for me 2 weeks before she passed.

 

[jetajockey]

The haziness could be a result of removing a portion of the biofiltration.

 

[HUKIT]

The haziness could be a result of removing a portion of the biofiltration.

That's what I was thinking, small bactieral blooms.

 

[Borderlesscott]

No more Purigen, going to send my latest order back and just make do - absolutely shattered, warmest day of the year so far, rained all summer and I'm sitting beside my tank watching and hoping, think my dog is huffing with me due to lack of attention.