Anyone using Purigen?

[jeej]

Is anyone using Purigen in their shrimp tanks? Or have any experience in doing so?

Seems like a good way to help keep clean water - but at what expense? Will it remove too much of the needed stuff too?

[Neonshrimp]

I just strated using it myself. I will let you know as I gain more experience with it. It is supposed to remove the toxic waste/compounds without removing the electrolytes from what I read and heard.

[jeej]

Cool, I'd be interested to know of your progress.

One other person I spoke to was against it because he believed that if you bred shrimp in such clean water, when the shrimp would be moved to a tank that wasn't using Purigen... they might die.

[Newjohn]

Are you using Purigen to reduce the number of water changes ?

If you are not over feeding and doing weekly water changes, is there really a need for this ?

You Can Not Breed Them
If
You Do Not Have Them

John

[Neonshrimp]

The makers of Purigen claim:

It controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenousorganic waste that would otherwise release these compounds.

It's impact on trace elements are minimal.

It also claims it significantly raises the redox (buffers?).

It is not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from the water at a rate and capacity that exceeds all others by over 500%.

I hope this is all true

[Newjohn]

It sounds like " Snake Oil " to me.

In a well maintained Invert Tank, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates should not be a problem.

nitrogenousorganic

I will have to look this one up in the dictionary.

The organic waste that is produced by the Shrimp is feeding the Bio-Film / Micro-organisms that the shrimp feed on.

removing

Where did they go ?
They do not just disappear,
It sounds like chemical bonding to me.

I believe water changes also removes these .

Just my thoughts
John

[Neonshrimp]

I'm not sure of the specifics but it sounds like the waste is trapped in the pours as the Purigen does turn dark in color as it approachs saturation. You can then soak it in a bleach:water solution to regenerate it.

If it is snake oil, It is the most expensive one I ever bought I will let you know if I see any change/difference

[Baby_Girl]

hmm, I have to agree with John here. If it removes nitrogenous compunds, as it claims, then it is directly competing with the biofilter and the good micro-critters we try to cultivate for our shrimp to eat.

As he said, I also believe water changes are the best natural way to remove unwanted compounds. Anything else is, at best, unnecessary expense and at worst, throwing off the tank's balance and ecosystem. Just my honest opinion.

[Kenshin]

When I started shrimp keeping hobby, I used to try many products out in the market to make my water "cleaner" in my shrimp tanks (including Purigen). As I have learned from many experiences (including shrimp death disasters) , it is best to keep everything simple without much addition.

Now I only have 1 air sponge filter plus one power filter (AquaClear 50) with a prefilter/sponge on the intake to filter my water. And I do not even use any charcoal or other materials. Just the sponge and media that comes with the power filter. These 2 things and the air sponge filter is enough for micro-organisms to grow for the shrimps to graze on (besides myself feeding them a little bit everyday), cycle, filter, and maintain my water in my tanks until I carry out 1 water change every 2 weeks.

[Neonshrimp]

After what you all had to say and thinking about what would be better for my shrimp tanks, I have stopped using it for them. I will still be using it for my fish tanks but purigen is just too efficent of a purifier to use for shrimp. I agree shrimp need to be a part of an ecosystem that can not be sustained if the water is too clean/pure. Thanks for your thoughts

[sstimac]

I agree with Kenshin. The fewer chemicals the better. I only use a dechlor in my shrimp tank. I also do not use carbon in it. The canister filter (Fluval 304) is just a huge bio filter with different foams and ceramic rings.

[Neonshrimp]

I agree with Kenshin. The fewer chemicals the better. I only use a dechlor in my shrimp tank. I also do not use carbon in it. The canister filter (Fluval 304) is just a huge bio filter with different foams and ceramic rings.

Fewer chemicals is better but that is not an issue with the purigen. In this case it is the too efficient cleaning ability of the purigen media and thus loss of balance in the ecosystem that is the concern. There are no chemicals added when using purigen.