How many run Purigen?

[Melissa]

Just curious how many of you run Purigen and how often. Any comments on the results would be great!

[Jessezm]

I just regenerated mine for the first time. I love it, but have absolutely no empirical evidence to tell you why. I used to run it passively in my sump, but now I run it in a canister filter, where I imagine it's much more effective. I like the fact that it's so easy to regenerate and it's easy to tell when it needs to be cleaned. Just make sure that you get the filter bag from seachem as well (boy, they should be paying me, shouldn't they?!)

[nos68]

When I had a nano, I used it. However in the big tank as well as the q-tanks, I don't / haven't. Just have skimmers.

-Chris

[milhouse74]

I use it at work in my HOB, but then again it is only a 7.6 Gallon tank, so I take all the precautions I can. I have never used it in a larger tank.

David

[goodfortune]

I'm using it in my JBJ nanocube at work, and I also have some sitting in my sump at home.

- Michael

[dfitzz]

ditto on The Bag..had 2 of the smaller bags from the 100ml size blow out...tiny plastic dots everywhere

[georgiajams]

Ditto on the bag. I don't have the "official Seachem" bag, but the one I have is now rubber banded on top. My 40B still has little dots everywhere. It is next to impossible to clean up once it spills. Besides that, Purigen is good stuff.

[Melissa]

So are you all saying that the bag from seachem leaks? What size bag is necessary to keep from having this happen?

[Jessezm]

No--I think they're talking about the off-brand bags. Seachem actually sells it in a sealed bag for 100g tanks (it's the one in a cardboard box--not the stuff in the plastic jar). I just run two of these "pouches" in my canister filter and forget about them for awhile. The seachem rep said to regenerate it every other month or sometimes sooner depending on the amount of organics in the tank. You will notice it start to yellow and then turn light brown. That's when I regenerate mine. To regenerate it you just soak it overnight in a 1:1 bleach/water solution, then rinse and soak all day in water with prime or another dechlorinator in it (2 tbsps prime to one cup water)

I also run carbon, and a skimmer of course--I just like the added cushion since i'm starting to house a lot more SPS.

[Melissa]

Ah, ok...got it - use the Seachem bag. I ordered both the purigen in the bag and the jar.

I run carbon in a phosban reactor. I really like this because I was having problems with the carbon creating holes in the filter media bags when I had the overflow drain water running directly through the bag.

Jesse,
How long did your purigen last before you had to regenerate it?

[dfitzz]

it was the seachem bags from the 100 g? size that leaked...seams split.. they make a seperate bag(called The Bag) for use with the larger jars, which is tougher and has better seams... they don't reccomend off brand bags as the particle size will pass thru most mesh bags

[dfitzz]

btw..i love the stuff.. no more carbon for me

[Jessezm]

Ah--okay--I can see that happenning--actually, the rep that spoke at one of the A-SMAS meetings mentioned that these bags can "wear out", even if the Purigen is still fine. i guess that's what he meant... It sounds like using "the bag" would be a good idea. I ran my purigen for about two months before regenerating it. Afterwards it looked brand-new and sparkling white, and i'm confident that it works well.

I still run carbon as an added safety net against allelopathy between corals (I have zoos and shrooms on top of my SPS and LPS, so it seems like a good idea) and to keep the water as clear as possible.

[georgiajams]

Anyone know where you can get "the bag"? I remember specifically looking for bags with finer mesh at CBA and MF and didn't see any. That was a while back though. I definitely don't want that stuff going everywhere in my display tank.

[Jessezm]

they had them at Fish Store and More this weekend