# Carbon vs Seachem Purigen



## destructo (Aug 12, 2009)

I have been wondering if the carbon in my filter is having a negative effect on my planted tank, by removing the fertilizers and Flourish Excel. 

Has anyone used Seachem Purigen in replacement of carbon? 

I basically only use carbon to remove tannis from the wood in my tank.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Purigen is star-trek grade filtration. I used it briefly in 2006. I stopped using it. Absolutely strips every single trace of nitrogen out of your tank. Gone. Nitrate zero. All the time. It basically leaves you with taninless-nitrateless- smell-less water that's so clear you don't know you have water.

The reason I stopped using it is that it requires fairly frequent annoying regeneration and quite honestly, I don't need it. I don't need to remove that much tanin and I don't need zero nitrate I keep it at about 10 with water changes anyways. I do want some tanin in my water for the fish I have.

Is it better than carbon? Yes. It will do what you ask of it without affecting trace elements significantly, which is good. 
It's also obscenely expensive, requires very careful placement in your filter as well as a specifically designed media bag with very tiny holes such as a seachem "the bag" because it'll go through your average one (pantyhose work too).

I don't remember what it recharges with right now. I think it's an acid but I'm not sure.

It works _too_ well. I just can't be bothered to recharge resins frequently. If you can, it's the best filter media I've ever used. I'm just too lazy to use it long term. It also likes to pack and channel sometimes.

Though it does remove tanins IME, seachem says it is purely a product for the removal of nitrogen and nitrogenous wastes from an aquarium environment.


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## destructo (Aug 12, 2009)

AquariAM said:


> Purigen is star-trek grade filtration. I used it briefly in 2006. I stopped using it. Absolutely strips every single trace of nitrogen out of your tank. Gone. Nitrate zero. All the time. It basically leaves you with taninless-nitrateless- smell-less water that's so clear you don't know you have water.
> 
> The reason I stopped using it is that it requires fairly frequent annoying regeneration and quite honestly, I don't need it. I don't need to remove that much tanin and I don't need zero nitrate I keep it at about 10 with water changes anyways. I do want some tanin in my water for the fish I have.
> 
> ...


I believe its bleach that you use to recharge. 
What do you mean by "It also likes to pack and channel sometimes"


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

MOPS has 100 ml with bag for under $10? 250 ml for $15 how much do you need? doesn't sound expensive...

http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/adva...1h6&osCsid=l7dfgpv6m133oj29tpos5871h6&x=0&y=0


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## destructo (Aug 12, 2009)

TBemba said:


> MOPS has 100 ml with bag for under $10? 250 ml for $15 how much do you need? doesn't sound expensive...
> 
> http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/adva...1h6&osCsid=l7dfgpv6m133oj29tpos5871h6&x=0&y=0


I wanted to place it in my Aquaclear 50 I see the dimentions of the bag are pretty big, I guess panty hose it is


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

destructo said:


> I believe its bleach that you use to recharge.
> What do you mean by "It also likes to pack and channel sometimes"


Its sticky resin, and different grain sizes, so it packs and channels water through only certain parts of itself sometimes.

it works like it says it does- it just needs way more frequent recharge than they claim, and I can't be bothered and honestly I don't think it's necessary in 99.9% of possible applications.


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