chemicals, fertilizers, supplements and filtration

[razum]

I have a low-light, high tech system w/ fish, snails, shrimp; mostly successful for past two years. I appreciate the knowledge this group shares so freely with each other. So now that I know a little, I have a question: doesn't the activated charcoal in my filtration system trap the supplements and ferts as much as it does harmful chemicals, etc? For instance, when I dose with Seachem Excel, does my charcoal grab it all? Or, is the additive "Liquid Gravel cleaner" trapped by the filtration system before it can degrade the detritus?

Thanks for your response(s) in advance.

 

[Biollante]

Chemical Filtration Media Does Not Tend to Remove the Good Stuff

Hi,

Activated charcoal/carbon, Purigen, chemical filtration media, remove dissolved organic material, nitrogenous waste and leave the salts alone.

According to Seachem, Excel is a complexed carbon that is minimally affected by activated charcoal; of course, they recommend Purigen, a Seachem product.

Glutaraldehyde, CH[SUB]2[/SUB](CH[SUB]2[/SUB]CHO)[SUB]2[/SUB], the active ingredient in Excel, is an organic compound even so it does not, in my experience seem to be removed by chemical filtration.

My guess is that CH[SUB]2[/SUB](CH[SUB]2[/SUB]CHO)[SUB]2[/SUB] is a carbon chain that is simply too large to be effectively adsorbed by activated charcoal or Purigen.

Biollante

 

[Htomassini]

From my experience purigen will not pull pull your ferts or bacteria or additives. It is very good at pulling in the organic junk and it does not release it when full unlike carbon. For example on my discus tank without ferts purigen will still keep nitrate from fish waste in the tank (about 5ppm)

Also with carbon you are constantly buying it and throwing it out.




Henry Tomassini
www.theplantedaquariumstore.com
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scotwilson]

Use of biofertilizers is one of the important components of integrated nutrient management, plant nutrients to supplement the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Laminar air flow chamber provides a uniform flow of filtered air.

 

[GillesF]

From my experience purigen will not pull pull your ferts or bacteria or additives. It is very good at pulling in the organic junk and it does not release it when full unlike carbon. For example on my discus tank without ferts purigen will still keep nitrate from fish waste in the tank (about 5ppm)

Also with carbon you are constantly buying it and throwing it out.

Henry Tomassini
www.theplantedaquariumstore.com
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Purigen doesn't pull out ferts indeed, this was confirmed by Seachem in a mail I had sent.