Purigen, Phosban, Carbon.

[Justiful]

I am running all three right now in my filter system. I have no nitrates, nitrites, ammonia. But it is preventative. I hear conflicting opinions on using these things all the time. The only one I remove periodically is the carbon. Whenever I dose something, anything, I take it out for 12 hours, longer if whatever I dose says too. I also add the recommended dose of seachem prime to my water with water changes. I don't use GFO but I have a GFO reactor incase of a major phosphate spike. But it would need to be placed in my display area of tank as my filter area is out of room. Unless i removed something like my skimmer or bio ball chamber.

Is this a viable strategy long term? Or are there any negative effects I am not aware of?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There's no big drawback to using a high quality carbon (like ROX 0.8) but a cheap carbon that isn't acid washed may have drawbacks (possibly contributing to HLLE).

I see no drawback to Purigen except expense.

GFO is fine as long as you do not drive phosphate too low (which it can do).

I use both GAC and GFO 24/7.

 

[Lenny_S]

I run GAC, GFO, and Purigen 24x7, haven't had any problems. Phosphate stays around 0.02 to 0.03 and I dose trace, iodine, and strontium at around 1/4 the recommendation of the manufacturer. Everything seems fine