# ph and purigen



## Lindy (27 May 2014)

I add leaves and cones to my shrimp tank to help lower the ph. I have just added purigen to polish the water. Will the purigen remove the goodies lowering the ph therefore raising the ph?


----------



## sciencefiction (27 May 2014)

Purigen is counteractive to the alder cones and leaves. Darrel explains here in an old thread:

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/...d-and-anti-fungal-benefits.27843/#post-289334


----------



## Yo-han (27 May 2014)

Yep, it takes away the tannins from the water. Not a recommended combination...


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (27 May 2014)

I doubt it will affect the lower ph caused by the alder cones etc. 
Rather just traps the tannin colour, as after all, they're still in the water. 

Have you thought about running a little bag of DI resin in your filter? Softens the water no end. I don't know how controllable it would be though.


----------



## Sacha (27 May 2014)

It adsorbs humic acid, so it removes all the beneficial properties.


----------



## Lindy (27 May 2014)

Thanks for the replies, will remove it as need the lower ph.


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (27 May 2014)

Why not try the ph after a week with it out just before water change. 
Then do the same with? 

I'd personally find it interesting. As I'll be doing a similar setup very shortly.


----------



## sciencefiction (27 May 2014)

As far as Ph drop using leaves and alder cones, in water like mine you'll be adding all year and still nothing. I add massive amounts to one of my tanks and it doesn't move the Ph one bit.
 It may have an effect on the Kh a bit though although not enough to cause a Ph drop for me, and probably has effect on other unmeasurable chemical components which I am hoping for but visually I just get happy cherry shrimp and the leaves provide a good cover for my kuhli loaches.

So if doing a test, I'd measure the Kh, not the Ph to see what makes a difference, providing you test in the same water.


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (27 May 2014)

If the waters nice and soft, and Lindy uses enough, they'll be some effect on ph. 

I mentioned testing Ph as Isn't it a lot easier to get an accurate measure on with a decent meter? Are there many other tests other than liquid you can do for Kh? Unless you send it to a lab, of course.


----------



## Sacha (27 May 2014)

Salifert make a very good KH test. It's titration method so it's the most accurate you'll find outside of a lab.


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (27 May 2014)

Sacha said:


> Salifert make a very good KH test. It's titration method so it's the most accurate you'll find outside of a lab.



Can you hit .1 of a degree?

Edit: 
Just read up and these look very good indeed. Thanks


----------



## Sacha (27 May 2014)

Think it's .2. They are really great, get it!


----------



## Mortis (1 Jun 2014)

Would purigen also have an impact on the buffering and pH lowering capabilities of substrate as well ?


----------



## Yo-han (1 Jun 2014)

Yes and no! It only removes stuff (buffers, acids etc.) from the water. pH lowering substrates have two mechanisms of action. One: binding buffers (carbonates). This process isn't effected by purigen so the water gets softer and the pH gets down a little as well. Effect two: the substrate leaches acids. Any nitrogen containing acids like humic acid, will be adsorbed and thus they're no longer able to drop the pH. The substrate will also leach non-nitrogen acids, which will drop the pH and won't be adsorbed by purigen. So I think the effect will be minimal!


----------

