G'day fish keepers! Cam here from The Fish Room, and today I’m excited to share with you a hands-on test of the amazing product Seachem Purigen. We often get asked if this stuff really works, so instead of just telling you, I decided to show you in action. Spoiler alert: it’s freaking brilliant.
Table of Contents
- Setting Up the Test Aquarium
- Introducing Seachem Purigen
- Day 1: Purigen Gets to Work
- Day 2 and 3: Steady Improvement
- Day 4 and Beyond: Crystal Clear Results
- Final Thoughts: Why Seachem Purigen Is a Must-Have
- FAQ About Seachem Purigen
- Summary
Setting Up the Test Aquarium
For this experiment, I used a 150-litre Blue Planet aquarium. It was almost empty, with just a couple of mystery snails living in it. The key here was to start with water that was far too clear to really showcase what Purigen can do, so I removed some water to make room for treatment.
To simulate bad water conditions, I season the tank with a generous dose of Sera Aquatan syrup. I went a bit overboard with it — way too much, actually — to create that thick, filthy brown tint. Usually, you could achieve this effect with driftwood or Catappa leaves, but I needed faster results for this test.
After swirling the water around to distribute the Aquatan, the tank’s water was visibly dark and murky, a perfect baseline to test Purigen’s effectiveness.
Introducing Seachem Purigen
Next step: I took the Purigen out of its packaging and gave it a quick rinse under cold water to remove any dust. Then I simply dropped it into the filter to start working its magic on the water.
The initial water color was a deep golden-brown — not exactly what you want in a display tank. The plan was to check back every 24 hours to monitor the transformation.
Day 1: Purigen Gets to Work
After just over 24 hours, I noticed a visible difference. Although the camera struggled to fully capture the change, to the naked eye it was clear that the water was beginning to lighten. Purigen was already starting to clear the Aquatan tint from the aquarium.
To compare, I did a side-by-side test with water samples taken before and after swirling the Purigen around. The treated water was definitely less tinted, confirming that Purigen was doing its job.
Day 2 and 3: Steady Improvement
Another 24 hours later, the water was noticeably clearer. Again, the camera didn’t quite do justice to the improvement, but I could see the difference clearly. Starting with such a dark tank was a bit extreme — most hobbyists wouldn’t begin with water this dark — so the fact that Purigen was making visible progress this quickly was impressive.
By the third day, the water clarity continued to improve. The treated water was significantly lighter in colour compared to the untreated baseline. Even now, the water was darker than what many people might be trying to tackle, but if you’re aiming for a blackwater aquarium, you’d likely be happy with this level of tint.
Day 4 and Beyond: Crystal Clear Results
By day four, I added a few plants to the aquarium to prevent them from drying out. The water clarity was striking — a huge improvement from the murky brown start. No water changes or other interventions were made during this time; it was purely Purigen doing the work.
Purigen continued to absorb discoloration, leaving the water sparkling clear and the glass gleaming. This product is phenomenal for anyone dealing with discoloured or stained aquarium water.
Final Thoughts: Why Seachem Purigen Is a Must-Have
After about a week, the tank was crystal clear — a complete transformation from the black, heavily tinted water we started with. Purigen isn’t snake oil; it does exactly what it promises. For anyone struggling with water discoloration, I can’t recommend it enough.
“Purigen is an amazing product. It’s taken this water from what essentially was completely black to crystal clear. You will not regret your decision to buy Purigen.”
If you're interested, you can purchase Seachem Purigen from The Fish Room website, especially if you're in New Zealand, where we stock it.
FAQ About Seachem Purigen
What exactly does Seachem Purigen do?
Purigen is a synthetic adsorbent that removes organic impurities from aquarium water, improving clarity and quality by absorbing tannins, waste, and other discolorations.
How quickly does Purigen work?
As demonstrated, Purigen starts working within 24 hours, with noticeable water clarity improvements day by day. The speed depends on the level of discoloration and organic load.
Can Purigen replace water changes?
Purigen is a powerful water clarifier but should complement regular water changes and maintenance, not replace them entirely.
Is Purigen safe for all aquarium inhabitants?
Yes, Purigen is safe for freshwater and marine tanks and does not alter water chemistry when used as directed.
How do I maintain and regenerate Purigen?
Purigen can be regenerated by soaking it in a bleach solution and then thoroughly rinsing it before reuse, extending the product’s lifespan.
Summary
Seachem Purigen is a game-changer for aquarium enthusiasts dealing with stained or murky water. From my test with a heavily tinted 150-litre tank, Purigen cleared the water to crystal clarity within about a week, without any water changes or additional treatments. Whether you’re managing tannin-stained water from driftwood or just want clearer water, Purigen is a product worth adding to your aquarium toolkit.
This article was inspired from the video Does Seachem Purigen work? #seachem #purigen #tropicalfish | Drop a like and subscribe to show your support!
