# DIY Purigen Reactor/Regeneration technique.



## Mr.Shenanagins (20 Nov 2020)

I’ve never been happy with the way my Purigen is utilized in my sump, so I decided to look into ways to filter it sufficiently. I came across this thread on TPT and I think it’s a really easy diy reactor that would tumble the Purigen gently enough to get proper turnover so all the little beads get exhausted equally. I’ll probably use a 50-90gph pump so as to not blow the Purigen all over the place in the filter housing. I thought the regeneration technique was pretty ingenious using a magnetic stirrer to hasten the process. Hope this helps anyone on the same page as me or pondering it. 👍🏻

https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...185670-purigen-reactor-how-sorta-2.html?amp=1


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## Zeus. (20 Nov 2020)

ceg4048 said:


> I like Purigen - except for the price, of course.
> 
> I really dislike the term "polishing of water" because it's a meaningless phrase invented by someone who didn't really understand what these types of resins actually do. They use it, the water gets clearer but no one know why, so they invent a phrase based on some kind of metaphor, like polishing furniture.
> 
> ...


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## Mr.Shenanagins (20 Nov 2020)

Thanks for that. That’s the first negative post I’ve seen about Purigen. I found it’s helpful with tannins and water clarity in addition to water changes.


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## Zeus. (20 Nov 2020)

I always think we have to be careful we we read about products claims, esp when there are cheaper ways to achieve the same goal. When someone recommends a product who gains nothing by using it is one thing, when they are sponsored or sell it then that opinion is biased intentionally or unintentionally is entirely an other, you need to do your own research to check both, the later more so


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## Mr.Shenanagins (20 Nov 2020)

I guess the main reason I appreciated Purigen was it’s recharge capability. You can also see when it’s exhausted as opposed to carbon, or so that’s the claim. Is that the general consensus here, that Purigen is a gimmick?


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## Witcher (21 Nov 2020)

Zeus. said:


> cheaper ways to achieve the same goal


Purigen, siporax, phorax, nitrax and other kind of similar rubbish (probably ending with so fashionable "-ax" at the end of the marketing name) can be easily defeated/avoided by simple water changes.


Mr.Shenanagins said:


> I found it’s helpful with tannins



I personally think tannins (and probably other forms of O/H related acids) are so important to tanks/lakes/rivers etc. stability that I'd personally avoid removing them. They are perfect "rubbish" binders (by coagulation of freely floating compounds) and they stabilise water acidity (no pH jumps up and down etc.).


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## Mr.Shenanagins (21 Nov 2020)

I don’t disagree with that, but when your tank looks like a planted black water tank, things tend to look dull and colors don’t truly pop.

In terms of “simple water changes”, I’d agree that a 20 gallon or less is easy enough to do multiple times. Anything higher it’s a tedious task that many of us are lucky we get once a week to do it. If I did multiple water changes a week I think my wife would have my head. But I don’t disagree that’s the natural solution. I don’t use Purigen as a crutch or a bandaid, it’s a useful tool IMO. But if I’m wrong and it’s all pseudo science then I’d be happy to kick it.


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## Aqua sobriquet (21 Nov 2020)

Sera Siporax is only sintered glass media. As far as I’m aware it’s completely inert?


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## dw1305 (22 Nov 2020)

Hi all,


Witcher said:


> I personally think tannins (and probably other forms of O/H related acids) are so important to tanks/lakes/rivers etc. stability that I'd personally avoid removing them. They are perfect "rubbish" binders (by coagulation of freely floating compounds) and they stabilise water acidity


I'm a fan of <"humic substances"> as well. If you keep a Reef Aquarium, or Lake Tanganyika cichlids, you might want to reduce DOM, but even then there will be some present. 

I think this should be available to everyone <"Dissolved humic substances – ecological driving forces from the individual to the ecosystem level?">

cheers Darrel


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## dw1305 (22 Nov 2020)

Hi all,


Mr.Shenanagins said:


> You can also see when it’s exhausted as opposed to carbon, or so that’s the claim. Is that the general consensus here, that Purigen is a gimmick?


No, I think it does what it says on the packet.  Have a look at page 3. of <"FeEDDHA">. 

If you want "gin clear" water for aesthetic reasons, then Purigen is of interest to you. If you want it to reduce levels of DOM in your tank? then there are other options.

cheers Darrel


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## Mr.Shenanagins (22 Nov 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> No, I think it does what it says on the packet.  Have a look at page 3. of <"FeEDDHA">.
> 
> ...


Thanks Darrell. I knows nothing beats consistent water changes, but in terms of water clarity I do enjoy having the Purigen at my disposal.


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## alto (23 Nov 2020)

> I really dislike the term "polishing of water" because it's a meaningless phrase invented by someone who didn't really understand what these types of resins actually do. They use it, the water gets clearer but no one know why, so they invent a phrase based on some kind of metaphor, like polishing furniture.



While I realize this is quote of a quote (from some while ago) ... I can’t resist mentioning that Seachem did not “invent” this term - it’s been used by manufacturers of high quality water purification systems for 40 years (or perhaps even longer)
And the manufacturers certainly did know what they were promising and provided the specifications and identified compounds to back their “polishing” claims 

@Mr.Shenanagins - the Seachem Discussion Board is back up again, so you can find considerable discussion/information from various points of view 

Seachem certainly did studies on what/how much Purigen removes from test water (including planted tanks) - though I don’t know how much of that information remains publicly available 
(re changes in company structure over the years, also legislation, labelling, import/export regulations etc etc)

If you live in an area where water reservoirs are peat basins or extracted ground water has seeped through layers of peat, Purigen is a Wondrous Thing
-  that can be regenerated multiple times
(regeneration/recovery seems to work better if done more frequently rather than waiting until the beads are deeply discoloured)


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## Aqua sobriquet (23 Nov 2020)

I neglected to say earlier but a box of Siporax media came with the last filter I bought and seems to be working well enough. It’s also easy to clean at filter maintenance time.


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## dw1305 (23 Nov 2020)

Hi all, 


Aqua sobriquet said:


> Siporax media came with the last filter I bought


I like <"Siporax">, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it, but if some-one gave it to me I'd definitely use it.  

cheers Darrel


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