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Purigen? Should I consider a reactor?

5K views 29 replies 5 participants last post by  plamski 
#1 ·
I've read it strips out nitrate -so is this for fish/shrimp only tanks?
 
#4 ·
Not sure on how much it would reduce the TDS. The best way to reduce TDS is to do water changes. 250 is a bit on the higher end but neos are pretty hardy. What's your KH, GH, and Nitrates?

I haven't use a fluidized reactor so I wouldn't know.
 
#9 ·
I just bought one last week. It turned yellow very quickly. I think it was doing its job of getting the tanis out of the water (or what ever the tea colored stuff is). I was wondering if anyone knows how to properly regenerate it. I know it says so on the package and all but just wanted to double check before I put something soaked in bleach into my discus tank:icon_eek:
 
#11 ·
Soak it in the bleach and water solution as stated in the directions on the package, rinse it several times, add a generous amount Seachem Prime, then rinse until the smell is gone. I've regenerated it with just straight bleach before with no problems.
 
#19 ·
DC is light green. Solution hasn't been changed in awhile but reacts normally when brought into the air, etc. The needle valve is marked just before the point where shrimp start swimming around erratically, a symptom I consider a precursor of CO2 toxicity.

Several days ago I switched to a spray bar, so maybe I'm losing more CO2 to the atmosphere now. I think I'll whip up some more solution and see if the level can be boosted to compensate.
 
#20 ·
Your CO2 seems fine then since you're below the threshold of your shrimps maximum tolerance. Your flow seems good as well, according to your posts in the other thread. So you can rule out the CO2 and the flow problems. You said the lower leaves darken and fall off. Maybe it's phosphate?
 
#21 · (Edited)
I'm dosing standard KH2PO4 plus feeding the few current inhabitants, so I'm at a loss to explain it.

The marking on the needle valve was put there long before the nitrate problem was discovered. Is it possible the shrimp and fish were unusually susceptible to CO2 because of the nitrate stress?

If so, maybe the issue really is CO2 once the nitrate problem is gone.
 
#25 ·
Not easily. I don't have a kit and the LFS doesn't test for it.

KH2PO4 dosing is the standard EI amount, as was the KNO3 which has proven to be massively overdosed. That doesn't completely rule out a P deficiency of course.

I'm seeing dust algae in several spots in the tank now, plus some BBA on the glass. Time to compensate for the CO2 being lost to the ripples from the new spray bar.
 
#27 ·
I ran into algae issues first and decided to up the CO2 beyond the shrimp-safe level, since there weren't any left at that point. I'm planning to add more fish so the P level is going to jump anyway. In the meantime I'm boosting the KH2PO4 dose.

I've also cranked the flow from the spray bar so there are ripples and lots of flow, meaning I needed to add even more CO2. The fish are happy with the extra O2 but now I have a waterfall of floating plants.
 
#29 ·
Back to your original question, Rainer - I've been using Purigen 24/7 in my planted discus tank for well over 2 years now, and wouldn't be without it for producing & maintaining crystal clear water.
I get Purigen in the 250 ml jar and bag it myself (double-bagging to ensure no particles escaping), and have re-charged each supply at least a dozen times (about every 3 weeks or so) before it begins to lose any effectiveness, and I need to replace it.
I run 4 bags at a time, one in each of my 2 filters, and the other 2 soaking in conditioned fresh water, after a re-charge, awaiting to replace the other 2 as they get dirty.
Here's my tank if you care to have a look:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/lolliblues2
 
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