# UK Purigen Users Only



## DogTailRed2 (8 Oct 2021)

Where do you get your bleach and what make, manufacturer?
Has anyone in the UK been able to get 8.25% Hyprchlorite Thin Househol Bleach?
Thank you.


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## SRP3006 (8 Oct 2021)

Asda sell thin bleach which I've been using for a while now. Think I've used a morrisons one too. Thin bleach and no added perfumes.
Cleans up lily pipes and regenerates purigen no problem


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## MichaelJ (8 Oct 2021)

DogTailRed2 said:


> Where do you get your bleach and what make, manufacturer?
> Has anyone in the UK been able to get 8.25% Hyprchlorite Thin Househol Bleach?
> Thank you.


I use regular Clorox (available in the UK) bleach - don't use the so-called _splash-less_ bleach as it is thicker and less potent.  Mix 1 part bleach with 2 parts tap water in a bucket and let it sit for 24 hours - I stir it up a couple of times, if I remember to do so.  After that I rinse the Purigen and fill the bucket with regular tap and a capful of Prime and let that sit for another 24 hours and its ready for reuse. I usually re-use it 2-3 times... others 4-5 times. 

Cheers,
Michael


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## DogTailRed2 (8 Oct 2021)

MichaelJ said:


> I use regular Clorox (available in the UK) bleach - don't use the so-called _splash-less_ bleach as it is thicker and less potent.  Mix 1 part bleach with 2 parts tap water in a bucket and let it sit for 24 hours - I stir it up a couple of times, if I remember to do so.  After that I rinse the Purigen and fill the bucket with regular tap and a capful of Prime and let that sit for another 24 hours and its ready for reuse. I usually re-use it 2-3 times... others 4-5 times.
> 
> Cheers,
> Michael


"Clorox (available in the UK)" This is the problem. It isn't available in the UK.


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## MichaelJ (8 Oct 2021)

I see... well, It came up in a Tesco search, so I just assumed. My bad


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## plantnoobdude (8 Oct 2021)

yes thin bleach. my local super market stopped selling it, so i went to the corner shop and got some, worked just fine. just make sure its unscented and not the thick kind of bleach.


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## John q (8 Oct 2021)

Don't use purigen myself and no idea how important a sodium hypochlorite content of 8.25% is but if you're adamant you want that percentage you could always buy some sodium hypochlorite 14% and dilute it. I'm assuming that would work? Hopefully somebody with a more chemical knowledge will chime in if I'm talking out of my posterior. 

Personally I'd just use regular bleach like the others mention.


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## Gold Fish (8 Oct 2021)

I'm looking forward finding a method better than mine. 
I am using the Morrison thin bleach. Asda's one will be the next, but I don't expect better results. 
I'm using it undiluted, in 2-3 sessions of 24 hours. When the purigen is starting to look good enough, I will rinse it same way as the others. 
I use two bags, one in the filter and one in a plastic box full with water (don't let it dry).


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## PARAGUAY (8 Oct 2021)

Maybe Milton steriliser solution would do it if thin bleach as seems the case is unavailable


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## Wookii (9 Oct 2021)

When I used to use Purigen I never found I got adequate whitening of the resin with standard thin supermarket bleach which is typically only 1% sodium hypochlorite. 

I bought 14% sodium hypochlorite, as @John q suggested, from APC Pure, and it produced a much better result for me.


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## erwin123 (9 Oct 2021)

my household bleach is 5%. I find that by bleaching purigen before it turns too brown, you can more easily return it to the 'close to new' colour.


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## Wookii (9 Oct 2021)

erwin123 said:


> my household bleach is 5%. I find that by bleaching purigen before it turns too brown, you can more easily return it to the 'close to new' colour.



I think the 1% is a UK thing. The US has stronger household bleach also.


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## erwin123 (9 Oct 2021)

ah, didn't know thin bleach is limited to 1% in UK


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## sparkyweasel (9 Oct 2021)

MichaelJ said:


> I see... well, It came up in a Tesco search, so I just assumed. My bad


That's Tesco Malaysia. I don't know how ambitious their delivery service is.


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## MichaelJ (9 Oct 2021)

sparkyweasel said:


> That's Tesco Malaysia. I don't know how ambitious their delivery service is.


Hahah! good one... well, I get an E for effort I suppose.


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## Mr.Shenanagins (9 Oct 2021)

If you can keep agitating that helps even more. I use a magnetic plate stirrer and it really speeds up the process.


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## J-Bonham (10 Oct 2021)

Wookii said:


> When I used to use Purigen I never found I got adequate whitening of the resin with standard thin supermarket bleach which is typically only 1% sodium hypochlorite.
> 
> I bought 14% sodium hypochlorite, as @John q suggested, from APC Pure, and it produced a much better result for me.


In this instance does whiter actually mean it has been restored better though? 

I use Purigen and just use a 2/1 water/ bleach solution to restore like most. 

I have a feeling it could just be down to perception or a little OCD. I'd say don't over think it.


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## Wookii (10 Oct 2021)

J-Bonham said:


> In this instance does whiter actually mean it has been restored better though?



Yes, it’s a colour change resin. The further it is from white, the greater it’s current organic loading.



J-Bonham said:


> I use Purigen and just use a 2/1 water/ bleach solution to restore like most.
> 
> I have a feeling it could just be down to perception or a little OCD. I'd say don't over think it.



Well Seachem advised me directly that 1% bleach solution was insufficient when I queried it with them, so there is that? 😉

I’m sure if 1% solution was sufficient, they would alter their instructions to say 1 part 8% (US domestic standard) bleach and 7 parts water - why voluntarily opt for a stronger 4% solution if it’s not necessary to fully recharge the resin?


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## dino21 (10 Oct 2021)

Hi,

Just been recharging a sachet of Purigen and saw this thread,

We buy Asda own brand Thick Bleach, just 39p a bottle,  which states 4.5% hypochlorite. 

As Purigen say use an 8% solution at 1:1 then surely just use Asda bleach virtually neat ?

However after doing that for 24 hours, twice, as @Wookii  mentions the beads are still a very pale brown / creamy colour, nothing like the almost white colour when new.

So is it worth buying that quiet expensive 14% hypochlorite solution to get it virtually white ?  or just reuse as is and expect a slight reducing in efficiency ?

Did read comment about the Freshwater section instructions and using an extra Buffer was really just a total belt and bracers thing and not normally needed .


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## MichaelJ (10 Oct 2021)

dino21 said:


> However after doing that for 24 hours, twice, as @Wookii mentions the beads are still a very pale brown / creamy colour, nothing like the almost white colour when new.


I've never managed to get the beads as white as when they are new. I've tried bleach only, 1:1 bleach water (as directed) and 1:2 bleach water - it hardly makes a difference in my case, that's why I am doing 1:2 bleach water. Occasionally stirring it up helps though.
Cheers,
Michael


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## erwin123 (11 Oct 2021)

as I clean my canister filter monthly, I decided to regenerate purigen monthly as well and find thats the most effective way to get them 'white' - i.e. regenerated them when purigen is at most 'very light brown'.  I use 5% bleach undiluted.

Previously, I only regenerated them after they turned brown (eg: after a few months) but once they turned brown, I found that they never turned white again in 5% bleach.


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## MichaelJ (11 Oct 2021)

erwin123 said:


> i.e. regenerated them when purigen is at most 'very light brown'


Hi @erwin123  I like this strategy... Will try it next time I replace in the tank where I still use Purigen.


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## PARAGUAY (12 Oct 2021)

Not so sure Purigen can be regenerated as often as claimed otherwise it would keep its colour creamy white? I suspect for Aquascaping contests they just replace with new bags for photographs /final pictures. Same with Polyfilters quickly get embedded with what they remove  Not to say they dont do a good job


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## MichaelJ (12 Oct 2021)

PARAGUAY said:


> Not so sure Purigen can be regenerated as often as claimed otherwise it would keep its colour creamy white?


Right. It might have something to do with how dirty you let it get before cleaning/regenerating it. I've read about people reusing it 10 times before tossing it. No way that would ever work for me - I get 2-3 times out of mine, but I might be leaving it in the filters for too long.


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## Wookii (12 Oct 2021)

MichaelJ said:


> Right. It might have something to do with how dirty you let it get before cleaning/regenerating it. I've read about people reusing it 10 times before tossing it. No way that would ever work for me - I get 2-3 times out of mine, but I might be leaving it in the filters for too long.



Wow, I’d be gutted if I had to throw them away after 2-3 recharges, they’re far too expensive for that. I’ve had more than 10 recharges out of a couple of my older ones - in fact I’ve never thrown one away yet, and they’d come out of the filter dark brown and covered in sludge sometimes.

I’ve not used Purigen for about a year though, since I started adding botanicals to the tanks.


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## MichaelJ (12 Oct 2021)

Wookii said:


> Wow, I’d be gutted if I had to throw them away after 2-3 recharges, they’re far too expensive for that. I’ve had more than 10 recharges out of a couple of my older ones - in fact I’ve never thrown one away yet, and they’d come out of the filter dark brown and covered in sludge sometimes.


Yeah, good point. I might have been a bit too picky in the past when I was pursuing uber clear neutral water.



Wookii said:


> I’ve not used Purigen for about a year though, since I started adding botanicals to the tanks.


Yep, I yanked the Purigen out of the tank where I keep shrimps as well after starting with dried almond leaves.

Cheers,
Michael


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## Millns84 (13 Oct 2021)

I just use thick bleach mixed 50/50 with water. Four years and counting, no issues.


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