Filter Media ID

[CardShark]

Can someone tell me what this filter media is?

It was in a canister filter that came with a tank I bought.
I'm wondering if I should just toss it or if it's something useful.

 

[Jonmott]

Pretty sure that’s seachem purigen.

 

[CardShark]

Pretty sure that’s seachem purigen.

If that's the case, that would be great. I was actually thinking about buying Purigen.

Can anyone else confirm?

 

[CardShark]

The colors of mine are white/tan/brown/pink and it doesn't seem to match up with the pictures I see online of Purigen.

Do those "beads" just take on the color of stuff it's absorbing in the water?

The pictures of dirty Purigen I'm seeing looks like it's just brown/tan.

 

[Beneful1]

I wouldn't risk putting anything in my tank that I don't know what it is or what it could be contaminated with.

 

[mattgirl]

I was thinking either purigen or nitra-zorb. The problem with not knowing exactly what it is you can't know how to recharge it. Purigen is recharged with bleach and nitra-zorb is recharged with salt. If it is something else it may need to be recharged some other way. If you can't find out from the person you got it from exactly what it is I don't think I would be comfortable using it.

 

[Islandvic]

The beads are not uniform in size like Purigen is.

It may be another brand's version of it, probably some type of resin bead media used for removing tannins, organics, etc.

If I bought a used filter and it had those bags in there, I would not personally use it.

I would at a minimum cut a slit in the bags and dump out the media. You can always save the bags for later, and re-purpose them if you want to buy a bottle of bulk Purigen or carbon in the future.

 

[CardShark]

Some good points by the last couple of posters.

It's probably not a good idea to use it if I don't know exactly what it is.

 

[coralbandit]

It is some sort of chemical media and not a bio media .
The fact it is old and you don't know what it is makes it worth nothing ?
Too small to be bio. I roll with purigen or other chem ..
Chuck it !

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Looks a bit like phosguard too.