Safestart and purigen

jaws7777

Probation Member
Probation Member
Mar 1, 2014
17,773
20,946
740
White house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington
Does the purigen have to be removed when using safestart ?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

MilitantPotato

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2006
722
2
48
Missouri, USA
If you're doing a fish-in cycle, I wouldn't use purigen. It's useful for some things (removing tannins) but part of a mature bio-filter is the ability to process the ammonia produced from organic breakdown, along with fish waste, food degrading, overfeeding, and the occasional dead fish.

That said, you don't have to remove it.

I'm a fan of running carbon in a brand new tank for the first month or two, then removing it completely.
 

jaws7777

Probation Member
Probation Member
Mar 1, 2014
17,773
20,946
740
White house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington
Its a new tank with existing media that for some reason isnt producing nitrates not sure if I lost the cycle but its a 150 with an oscar, yellow acara, and hrp

Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

MilitantPotato

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2006
722
2
48
Missouri, USA
Nitrate tests go bad pretty quickly. The best way to see if you're cycled is to test ammonia and nitrite, if it's been a couple days, and those both read 0, you're good.
 

jaws7777

Probation Member
Probation Member
Mar 1, 2014
17,773
20,946
740
White house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington
The ammonia looked to be slightly above 0 I thought of the test going bad but my other tank tested fine.... I took the purigen out and threw in some safestart so we'll see

Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

ragin_cajun

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2013
2,759
998
1,600
54
South Louisiana
My ammonia test ALWAYS reads "slightly above 0", always has. 0 Nitrite. Nitrate anywhere from 5ppm to 80ppm. I use a API liquid test kit.
 

jaws7777

Probation Member
Probation Member
Mar 1, 2014
17,773
20,946
740
White house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington
I use the same....I removed the purigen it was already brown (am recharging it now) must be tannins from the wood. Will test again tomorrow

Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

MilitantPotato

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2006
722
2
48
Missouri, USA
Unless I've just fed or done a water change (we have chloramine) my water tests as yellow as it gets. A little ammonia isn't immediately fatal, but long term exposure to even a tiny bit, is bad.
If you've adequate filtration there should be no measurable ammonia.
 

ragin_cajun

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2013
2,759
998
1,600
54
South Louisiana
I think it's inaccuracy in the test. My LFS tests my water, they say it reads 0.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

jaws7777

Probation Member
Probation Member
Mar 1, 2014
17,773
20,946
740
White house 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington
So added the safestart yesterday added my oscar and removed the purigen...have nitrates today. Fish must not have been producing enough ammonia 3 small fish in a 150 using established media from another tank.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store