[nyskiffie]

I'm running Purigen in my filter to try and remove some organic wastes since I'm struggling to fight cyanobacteria.

But at the same time, I'm dosing SeaChem Nitrogen to try and allow my plants to be able to use all the other nutrients to try and limit the cyano growth.

Am I shooting myself in the foot with the purigen? Does anyone know if the SeaChem Nitrogen is somehow not absorbed by purigen?

 

[jrygel]

It's not. Purigen doesn't absorb Nitrate (or any other needed plant nutrients) directly; it absorbs some of the organics before they break down into ammonia. Lots of us (myself included) have been dosing nitrogen in various forms while using purigen for years.

 

[nyskiffie]

What chemicals would you consider organics which aren't nitrate/nitrite? I'm just confused by what they're actually saying it absorbs if it isn't nitrates or nitrites.

 

[Darkblade48]

What chemicals would you consider organics which aren't nitrate/nitrite? I'm just confused by what they're actually saying it absorbs if it isn't nitrates or nitrites.

These generally refer to DOCs (dissolved organic compounds).

These can be (for example) tannins, hormones, and other carbon containing compounds.

 

[discuspaul]

I'm running Purigen in my filter to try and remove some organic wastes since I'm struggling to fight cyanobacteria.

But at the same time, I'm dosing SeaChem Nitrogen to try and allow my plants to be able to use all the other nutrients to try and limit the cyano growth.

Am I shooting myself in the foot with the purigen? Does anyone know if the SeaChem Nitrogen is somehow not absorbed by purigen?

That should not pose any problem.

 

[nyskiffie]

These generally refer to DOCs (dissolved organic compounds).

These can be (for example) tannins, hormones, and other carbon containing compounds.

Exactly. I ran it in my discus tank with great results, but this is my first time with it in a high tech/heavily planted scenario.

 

[jrygel]

These generally refer to DOCs (dissolved organic compounds).

These can be (for example) tannins, hormones, and other carbon containing compounds.

Yep, what he said.


The nitrogen cycle is: DOCs breakdown to ammonia, which breakdown to nitrite, which breaks down to Nitrate. You are dosing nitrate, which isn't affected by purigen. Your Nitrate level may be indirectly affected by purigen, inasmuch as purigen is absorbing some of the DOCs that may eventually breakdown into nitrate via the nitrogen cycle, but that doesn't affect the nitrate that you are dosing directly.