Purigen Causing Cloudy Water

HI so last night I added Purigen to my 5.5 gallon tank. I woke up this morning to find that the water is cloudier than when I added it last night. My fish seem to be doing ok. This is my first time using Purigen so I’m a bit on edge. Any idea what that could be?

 

My only experience with Purigen is with the little pouches. I put one in one of my HOB filter housings and it actually helped to clear up my slightly cloudy water.

Are you using the prefilled pouches ? If yes, where is it located in your tank?

 

My only experience with Purigen is with the little pouches. I put one in one of my HOB filter housings and it actually helped to clear up my slightly cloudy water.

Are you using the prefilled pouches ? Where is it located in your tank?

Yes I am indeed using a prefilled pouch. It’s located in my ZooMed Nano 10 canister filter. It is working with the carbon bag and mechanical filtration (I’m not sure what they’re called but they look like really fat noodles) that came with the filter.

 

I am not an expert on exactly how Purigen works but I am pretty sure it needs the be the last thing the water goes through before going back in the tank. Is yours situated like that?

It is very possible that it will just take a bit of time for it to clear the water. I feel sure that the slight cloudyness will not harm your fish friends though.

 

I am not an expert on exactly how Purigen works but I am pretty sure it needs the be the last thing the water goes through before going back in the tank. Is yours situated like that?

It is very possible that it will just take a bit of time for it to clear the water. I feel sure that the slight cloudyness will not harm your fish friends though.

I am not an expert on exactly how Purigen works but I am pretty sure it needs the be the last thing the water goes through before going back in the tank. Is yours situated like that?

It is very possible that it will just take a bit of time for it to clear the water. I feel sure that the slight cloudyness will not harm your fish friends though.

My filter is not situated like that. On the very bottom layer is the carbon, then second layer is Purigen, and then the mechanical filtration is on top. I’ll be sure to make it so that the Purigen is on top and then give it some time. I’m glad the fish won’t be hurt. Thanks!

 

I don't think it matters, you just need a good water flow through the purigen. I would put mechanical filter first. Purigen binds dissolved organic solids from the water chemically. I shouldn't make the water cloudy. Was your tank fully cycled? Did you rinse out your filter in tap water and perhaps enter a minI cycle?

 

I don't think it matters, you just need a good water flow through the purigen. I would put mechanical filter first. Purigen binds dissolved organic solids from the water chemically. I shouldn't make the water cloudy. Was your tank fully cycled? Did you rinse out your filter in tap water and perhaps enter a minI cycle?

My tank is fully cycled and I rinsed it in tap water before using it.

 

I don't think it matters, you just need a good water flow through the purigen. I would put mechanical filter first. Purigen binds dissolved organic solids from the water chemically. I shouldn't make the water cloudy. Was your tank fully cycled? Did you rinse out your filter in tap water and perhaps enter a minI cycle?

Thank you TexasGuppy I will admit that I am not that well versed as to how to use Perigen. I just know that it shouldn't cloud the water if used properly and know that it didn't work that well for me until I reversed where it was located in my filter housing. It didn't do much when I first got it. I had it situated to be the first thing the water went through. No affect. I then moved it to where it was the last and my water started clearing up. That is just me though and may not make a difference for someone else.

Bonnie6 it sounds like TG is more experienced in the use of Purigen so I will bow out. Hopefully your water will clear up quickly.

 

My tank is fully cycled and I rinsed it in tap water before using it.

You've rinsed the whole filter or just the purigen on tap water? Either or that might have killed your cycle if you did the whole filter or is going through minI cycle if the purigen touched your media after rinsing it on tap water

 

Thank you TexasGuppy I will admit that I am not that well versed as to how to use Perigen. I just know that it shouldn't cloud the water if used properly and know that it didn't work that well for me until I reversed where it was located in my filter housing. It didn't do much when I first got it. I had it situated to be the first thing the water went through. No affect. I then moved it to where it was the last and my water started clearing up. That is just me though and may not make a difference for someone else.

Bonnie6 it sounds like TG is more experienced in the use of Purigen so I will bow out. Hopefully your water will clear up quickly.

Haha okay. Thanks for you help though!! It’s greatly appreciated!

You've rinsed the whole filter or just the purigen on tap water? Either or that might have killed your cycle if you did the whole filter or is going through minI cycle if the purigen touched your media after rinsing it on tap water

Just the Purigen in tap water.

 

Haha okay. Thanks for you help though!! It’s greatly appreciated!



Just the Purigen in tap water.

So your tank could be going through minI cycle since the media with BB might have got in contact with the chlorine on the purigen. Just a theory though

 

So your tank could be going through minI cycle since the media with BB might have got in contact with the chlorine on the purigen. Just a theory though

Oh ok. Should I just give it time then?

 

Oh ok. Should I just give it time then?

Yes pretty much. Just monitor your water parameters to make sure your Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrate doesn't spike.

 

Yes pretty much. Just monitor your water parameters to make sure your Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrate doesn't spike.

Ok thanks so much!!

 

Purigen works best when it has the water flowing "through" it and not around it. Also, it needs slow water flow which is why they say it doesn't work too well in canisters, flow is too high.
You just need to try to get it so there aren't gaps around the edges to make sure water goes mostly through the pouch. Purigen will turn dark as it absorbs the organics, and it can be recharged with bleach many times.

 

My tank is fully cycled and I rinsed it in tap water before using it.

I definitely agree that rinsing your media in the tap water may have killed a lot of your beneficial bacteria. Chances are its a minI cycle.

 

You've a bacterial bloom; the result of having increased the space in which bacteria can live by multiple orders of magnitude - the bacteria are having a house party; they'll go away in a few days.

 

You've a bacterial bloom; the result of having increased the space in which bacteria can live by multiple orders of magnitude - the bacteria are having a house party; they'll go away in a few days.

Ok awesome! What do you mean by increased space?

 

When you add more bio media to your filter, in theory you can house more bacteria. However, it only grows if you have more bioload, aka ammonia. Normally, adding bio media would not cause bacteria growth. But, I think your tap water in the purigen bag killed some of the bacteria in the filter. If there was any conditioner in the water, it would have nutralized it after a short while. So, you are now having to regrow that bacteria, hence the cloudy bloom in the tank.

 

When you add more bio media to your filter, in theory you can house more bacteria. However, it only grows if you have more bioload, aka ammonia. Normally, adding bio media would not cause bacteria growth. But, I think your tap water in the purigen bag killed some of the bacteria in the filter. If there was any conditioner in the water, it would have nutralized it after a short while. So, you are now having to regrow that bacteria, hence the cloudy bloom in the tank.

Ohhh that makes sense! Thank you!