Seachem Phosguard, Purigen, Matrix

[Erk]

Does anybody use any of these products? After doing some reading plantgeeks website, that has a seachem rep answering peoples question, I got to thinking, some of these things may be helpful, so I wanted to get other peoples opinions on ANY of these products....its hard to decide, since the seachem rep is gonna boast his products

Thanks very much as always! :D
Eric

[fishgeek]

what are you trying to achieve

the rep's job is to sell/promote sales of there products whether that is the correct answer or not

andrew

[Erk]

Thanks Andrew

That was exactly what I was thinking, and more or less trying to say

I think my nitrates get a lil high in between water changes, and my phosphates are kinda high too....I have a phos-zorb pouch in my filter, and that seems to be helping, but I was thinking the rep claims purigen is not an ion exchange resin, and I would like to try that, cause my water isnt very "polished" and I use R/O water :? Also, I didnt know if the phosguard would be a better option then phos-zorb pouch? Also didnt know if the matrix would be helpful to keep the nitrates down, versus "Nitra-zorb pouches"?

Perhaps I just over-think things?

Thanks for your help andrew :D
Eric

[kiteman]

I

[kiteman]

I dont use the Seachem items you mentioned but I do use Seachem Prime water treatment and Flourish and Flourish Excel plant foods.

In all three cases they are very good, chemically sound, needed in small qualities so a bottle laster a long time, especially Prime (1ml per 10 gallons).

Plant growth was very good with Seachem Flourish/Excel. Prime also neutralises ammonia/nitrite whilst still allowing them to be taken in by a biological filter.

They arent commonly found in most typical shops but all mail order compaines do offer them.

Chris

[Erk]

Thanks Chris, I use all seachem products for my plant ferts, and Im happy with them too! :D

I use prime sometimes, but since I use RO water now, i dont really need to use Prime as much, but I always liked that as well

Thanks for your help! :D

[Robdog]

Hey Eric,
I think the Seachem products are really good. A lot of the liquid supps they offer are highly concentrated meaning you squirt less to have the same effect theoretically making your bottle last longer. My bottle of Prime has been going for ages now even with sometimes double and triple dosing to compensate for Sydney Waters downfalls.
As for Matrix, I haven't used it. It claims to have some huge surface area for bacteria growth but I think the Eheim stuff has double. Would I use it, yes. I don't think I need 38,294 square metres of bacteria in my tank. And by the way, how the hell do they measure that stuff??
I don;t think the Matrix stuff would do much for nitrate reduction.

I use a Purigen pouch in my marine tank and I'm not sure if it does all it claims. I might take it out and see if anything happens.
Phosguard, I haven't used but I would give it a go if a Seachem rep wanted to give me some for free.

[Erk]

Thanks Robdog, that is a wonderful explaination, and answer to my questions...the purigen claims its for fresh and saltwater tanks, so I got some of it, maybe it will have better effects in my freshwater, I havent used it yet, but I did pick some up, along with the phosguard, since my rena phos-zorb pouch is about due for a changing, so I will try it and see how it goes.

I have lots of seachem products, so why not? hahaha....we shall see....no matrix or anything else...besides some german blue rams :wink: for me tonight, I think I have enough ceramic rings for my bacteria to grow on, and I put some stability in, since I had it, and never really used it :)

I don't think I need 38,294 square metres of bacteria in my tank. And by the way, how the **** do they measure that stuff??

Hahaha....thats a great question!

Thanks again for your help! :D will keep you posted

[taksan]

1) Matrix is the best filter media available ...period it has three times the surface of Eheim Substrat pro and does support anerobic bacteria for Nitrate control but does not remove nitrate directly like Nitrazorb but nitrazorb only lasts 2 weeks per large pouch
2) Purigen is the best water polishing resin available ...period
3) Phosguard is the best photphate control media available ....period

Seachem makes the best water chemistry managment products in the world.

[samir]

1) Matrix is the best filter media available ...period it has three times the surface of Eheim Substrat pro

and apparently 40 times that of ordinary bioballs. I'd better be ordering some Matrix then :shock:

[endless]

Seachem makes the best water chemistry managment products in the world.

hey taksan you forgot period at the end of this sentence

[Ben]

Taksan hit the nail on the head with Seachems products.

I use all three products, but only the Phosguard on my salt water tanks, the other 2 products i use both FW and SW.

[Proteus]

1) Matrix is the best filter media available ...period it has three times the surface of Eheim Substrat pro and does support anerobic bacteria for Nitrate control but does not remove nitrate directly like Nitrazorb but nitrazorb only lasts 2 weeks per large pouch
2) Purigen is the best water polishing resin available ...period
3) Phosguard is the best photphate control media available ....period

Seachem makes the best water chemistry managment products in the world.

Exactly...

One of the biggest things Seachem has over just about every other competitor that makes aquarium related liquids, powders and resins is they are first and foremost a laboratory facility.

There may be other products that claim to be as good or better, but over time they tend to disappear, or are proven to be ineffective overall. Point in question, look at Sera Aqutan water ager, yes it is a good product, but 5ml only treats 20L, Seachem Prime 5mls threats 200L... plus it is one of the only effective instant denitrifiers for emergency situations on the market

[taksan]

1) Matrix is the best filter media available ...period it has three times the surface of Eheim Substrat pro

and apparently 40 times that of ordinary bioballs. I'd better be ordering some Matrix then :shock:

If your talking ordinary plastic bioballs its much more then that .... 1 litre of Eheim Substrat pro has a surface area equal to 2700 litres of plastic bioballs. and Matrix is suposed to have 3 times the surface area of substrat pro.

[Erk]

Thanks guys.....great explanations, and information! :D

I picked up the phosguard to replace the phos-zorb, and some purigen, I have lots of ceramic rings, and some bio-chem stars (rena brand) in my cannister right now, so no matrix, but I will def. keep it in mind

Thanks again everyone! :D
Eric

[Robdog]

....oh yeah and all the bottles have nice bright colours on them!
:stupid

[fishgeek]

i have never used seachems products , so this is an uninformed opinion

surface area on filter media is important, and it can be misleading
with time small pores/channels will block with solids and reduce the functional surface area
if water is not passing an area of bacteria whetherthey be aerobic or anaerobic then the water can not have nitrogenous waste levels reduced by those bacteria

so increasing surface area is great and has a defintie limit, what that is i dont know, maybe seachem do and matrix is that maximal limit

purigen sounds like a good product, and why would it be needed if water quality is maintained with the usual methods
ie the local water company provides relatively good water( i am omitting all those who catch rain water/tap bores or dams etc)
you use a product and prime certainly has a good reputation that removes the chlorine and or heavy metals you want gone
and you have a healthy functioning filter


and my last issue is one that bugs me
seachem sell a bacteria in a bottle formula, like most aquatic companies
the thing i dont understand about these products is how aerobic bacteria stay active in a sealed bottle with no nutrients for an indefinite time on the shelf , waiting for someone to buy them and then instantly cycle a tank?
also why the claim that regular additions of these bottled bacteria are needed to the ones that will naturally develop and grow in a healthy and functioning filter


andrew
is seachem prime sodium bisulphite or similar? does anyone know?

[fiftycal]

isnt it potassium thiosulphate or something?

Bacteria stay alive as they are kept in a "dormant" state. For that, they need to be kept refridgerated though. There may also be a chemical inhibitor which reduces bacterial multiplication. Either way they should be used as soon as possible. Its very likely they do have nutrients in there. Bloody anything will grow in nurtrient broth. I dont believe in these bacteria in a bottle stuff. I study biotechnology in uni, and even if you start with a tiny amount of bacteria, incubated overnight you will get a HUGE amount. Room temperatue with a long period of time will only result in dead bacteria, even if inhibitors are used.

TBH, im suprised seachem doesnt have more medications. I suppose they are a chemical lab though, less of a biological lab

[Proteus]

TBH, im suprised seachem doesnt have more medications. I suppose they are a chemical lab though, less of a biological lab

They do.... they even have a very effective Metro based medication, however 95% of there med's are not allowed into Australia as they are listed as vet prescription items only :(

[taksan]

Easily obtained via the internet though

[fiftycal]

TBH, im suprised seachem doesnt have more medications. I suppose they are a chemical lab though, less of a biological lab

They do.... they even have a very effective Metro based medication, however 95% of there med's are not allowed into Australia as they are listed as vet prescription items only :(

So many Aussie laws are full of it, or ruin things for us because of knobs