Adding purigen for the first time

[jim LI]

HI All,
I have been researching Purigen until my head is about to explode. I am going to give it a try, but I have a question on the placement of it in the filters. I have 2 - 2217 Eheim filters that I am running, with eheim pre-filters on the intake tubes. I have the filters set up like this:

Starting at the bottom -

Ehfimech Mechanical Filter Media
Course filter pad
Filter floss
50 micron polishing pad
Substrat.

Where would be the better place to put the Purigen? I was thinking after the polishing pad and before the substrat. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim


PS - The tank has been set up for 6 months

72 gal bow front, display tank
1" of common colored gravel
no live plants
driftwood

8 - 3-5" discus
11 cardinals
6 cory
1 bn pleco
4 bolivan rams
84 degrees
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
PH - 7.2
60% w/c every other day using tap water
Prime as a dechlorinator

[DISCUS STU]

Hey Jim,

I have a similar setup with my 2217 but also have a UV coming off my second Eheim (2215) that only has bio beads, their in circuit with each other. I've just ordered my first batch of Purigen.

When I used to use Chemi-Pure packets I always placed then as my last stage before the water return.

Hope it works out. Growing Discus and trying to breed them again here in Jersey.

[discuspaul]

Place the Purigen bag in the filter position where you feel it will get the best/strongest water flow throughout the beads in the bag.

[jim LI]

Thanks for the replies.

Jim

[OC Discus]

Try to put it last in line, but not packed tight. Water needs to flow freely through the purigen.

[jim LI]

thanks, but now that brings up another question.. i have a 2217 that i bought the seachem bag for the purigen, but it doesn't cover the whole canister. i have the purigen last in the fliter, but water can get around the bag. is there anything i can do to move the water flow through the purigen better? the bag is 5" x 10".

thanks

[Discus-n00b]

You should be fine I would think as its constantly cycling through there. I have the same filter and do the same thing with "the bag". I guess you could use 2 bags and spread the purigen out among both?

[DISCUS STU]

I just put this into my Eheim 2217 using PURA Media Bag - 300 Micron - 3 pk. Length 12 in., Width 6 in. Even though Purigen recommends a 180 micron bag there doesn't seem to be a problem.

Yes, there's little gaping in there but what can you do? I think this stuff helps, hard to tell.

[discuspaul]

I believe you'll find out in a few days that it certainly helps a lot, at least in a planted discus tank anyway.
Been using it for years in my planted discus tanks, and wouldn't do without it.

[OC Discus]

You should be fine I would think as its constantly cycling through there. I have the same filter and do the same thing with "the bag". I guess you could use 2 bags and spread the purigen out among both?

You couldn't go wrong with two bags forcing more of the water through it. Try to keep it loose in the bag so the beads circulate and water circulates around them. I agree with Paul. I hope my display tank is never without it again.

I keep an extra set of pouches so about once per month I can put clean ones in and recharge the other set. Mine still bleaches clean after about six months of use- three months each set. I expect the two sets to last about a year. Money well spent.

[jim LI]

Thanks for the responses. I used about 250 ML for my 72 gallon tank. If I use a second bag, do I split what I have in the first bag with the new bag or add fresh to the second bag?

thanks again,
Jim

[OC Discus]

I'm using 400ml in a 55 gallon. Likely your bag is sealed and would be damaged to open it. You can't use too much. I would go for double- 500 ml. It can be bleached and reused many times. The more you use the longer it will go between bleaching. I've experimented and settled on 3-4 weeks.

[tvoydan]

jim LI

Just curious, have you looked into bagging your own purigen? If so what bag are you planning on using? Or are you sticking with the pre-bagged stuff. I just picked some up and bought some media bags to place it in. But have not added it my filtration system yet.

Tom

[discuspaul]

Many types of bags are not sufficiently fine mesh to contain the tiny Purigen beads.
For example, if you use one of the 2 sizes of bags available at PetSmart, you'll need to double-bag them to keep the beads from flowing out into your filter & tank.

[jim LI]

Tom,
I am bagging my own. I bought a 500ML bottle of purigen. I am using the seachem "the bag". I filled that bag with half the bottle, 250 ml. by the suggestions i have seen, i am going to add the rest of the purigen to a second " the bag" i will buy.

[Fishquake]

I'm using 3 Lifegard Aquatics Chemical Filter Modules plumbed in series. The Purigen is placed in the center retainer chamber, and I am using 180 micron sock over the opening to secure the media.

[RodneyL001]

I placed my Purigen in a reactor, I bagged my own, Paul, one of the Silver member on here, has a way of placing his in the reactor loose, take a look at his setup in the hardware-filter section. I tried the loose method and ended up with Purigen all in my tank. The tricky part with Purigen is when you recharge it.

[we4wieners]

I'll share my tactic. I placed my purigen in a stocking. So far it has held up very well.

[afriend]

I placed my Purigen in a reactor, I bagged my own, Paul, one of the Silver member on here, has a way of placing his in the reactor loose, take a look at his setup in the hardware-filter section. I tried the loose method and ended up with Purigen all in my tank. The tricky part with Purigen is when you recharge it.

Rodney,

I've recharged Purgen many times and never had any problem at all. What kind of problems are you having?

Paul

[RodneyL001]

This will be my 1st time recharging, I just convinced myself to give Purigen a try. I was just going by some of the comments I've read about the recharging process. I know most people recharge with no problems, but I thought it was worth mentioning that if you don't recharge Purigen correct, it can be toxic, and that is according to the Seachem web-site. And I don't say that so that I think it is the most important thing about Purigen, just a side note that we should be aware of. As I said, I'm going to use the recharge process, just very carefully.

[pitdogg2]

Purigen will work best if it is in a fluidized filter. Just be careful as it doesn't take much to make it fluidized.

[afriend]

This will be my 1st time recharging, I just convinced myself to give Purigen a try. I was just going by some of the comments I've read about the recharging process. I know most people recharge with no problems, but I thought it was worth mentioning that if you don't recharge Purigen correct, it can be toxic, and that is according to the Seachem web-site. And I don't say that so that I think it is the most important thing about Purigen, just a side note that we should be aware of. As I said, I'm going to use the recharge process, just very carefully.

Rodney,

Here are the possible issues you might encounter when recharging Purigen:

Do not use any other chemicals in the tank water other than those recommended by Seachem. Go to the Seachem website and ask questions of their techs if you are not sure. I have found them to be extremely knowledgeable. They will not evaluate the use of any other products other than Seachem. I know for a fact that Seachem Prime is OK to use in the tank. Recharged Purigen can become toxic when mixed with other chemicals such as algecides.

I have not tried to recharge Purigen while in a bag, just in loose form. Perhaps this might be an issue in rinsing out all of the bleach, but I don't know this for sure. It's probably alright because the SeaChem techs recommend it. Maybe I'm being overly cautious here.

Make sure that that you use pure bleach. Do not use if it contains perfume or sodium hydroxide. You can tell if it has sodium hydroxide by placing some of the bleach in a glass jar and shaking it. If it foams don't use it.

Although SeaChem instructions do not call for using Prime during the rinse, they did at one time. I use it in the next to final rinse to neutralize any remaining bleach and have not had any issues.

Use a 50/50 bleach solution. Let it soak overnight and then rinse it many times (I rinse it at least 10 times for the loose Purigen). I don't know if more rinsing is necessary for Purigen in bag form.

Do not let Purigen dry out between uses. Store in a jar covered with water. If Purigen dries out, it can crack and produce even smaller beads.

Hope this helps,

Paul

[afriend]

Purigen will work best if it is in a fluidized filter. Just be careful as it doesn't take much to make it fluidized.

pitdogg2,

RIGHT ON BIGTIME.

It only takes a flow rate between 0.5 and 1.0 gallons per minute to get excellent results with Purigen (assuming that it is in loose form).

I never achieved good results using it in bag form. Others on SD have however.

Paul

[discuspaul]

Apart from not doing a thorough multiple rinsing of re-generated Purigen in fresh water conditioned with either Prime or Safe, to remove all traces of the bleaching, the only risk-related issue with re-charging Purigen is to be sure NOT to use any conditioner which includes a stress coat protective feature that is AMINE-BASED (Prime & Safe are not amine-based) - as the amine compounds will bind with the Purigen resin, and thereby develop/produce toxic chloramines.
Seachem will confirm that if you wish to check with them.

[afriend]

Apart from not doing a thorough multiple rinsing of re-generated Purigen in fresh water conditioned with either Prime or Safe, to remove all traces of the bleaching, the only risk-related issue with re-charging Purigen is to be sure NOT to use any conditioner which includes a stress coat protective feature that is AMINE-BASED (Prime & Safe are not amine-based) - as the amine compounds will bind with the Purigen resin, and thereby develop/produce toxic chloramines.
Seachem will confirm that if you wish to check with them.

discuspaul,

I agree with you completely, and I did check with them about two years ago before using regenerated Purigen. I am being very cautious here and going one step further: I would not place any new chemical product in the aquarium water without first checking with them.

Thanks for asking.

Paul