Using Chemi Pure?

[justahobby]

I found a link to this thread on RC while doing some homework avoidance and thought it should be shared:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1705322&highlight=chemi+pure

Here's the core to what he wrote when asked about using chemi pure:

"The so called synthetic media is a ion exchange resin like in a RO/DI unit. So, it is useless in seawater. ..................
Do you know how you regenerate a DI resin that removes ammonium ? You use table salt and seawater is 85 % table salt. So, how is that going to work by magic ?" - Boomer

[Europhyllia]

Interesting. I use Polyfilter and was actually quite happy with it. I believe that's a ion exchange resin as well isn't it?
Looking forward to what corruption has to say about this.

[justahobby]

I believe poly filters are absorbents

[FireWater]

Interesting. I am really wanting to look into this alot more. Any ideas where to start more research? I know how I am going to waste away some time at work tomorrow

[justahobby]

At the beginning of the softening cycle, sodium ions occupy the resin's exchange sites. As water passes through it, the resin's stronger attraction for the hardness ions causes it to take on the hardness ions and give up its sodium ions. Iron and manganese are considered hardness and they are removed also, provided they are in solution. Ion exchange cannot remove suspended matter.

As water flows downward through the resin bed, the resin at the top of the bed gives up its sodium first. The exchange process is not instantaneous, so exchange occurs in a band called a "reaction zone". The reaction zone's depth depends on incoming water hardness and TDS, flow rate, water temperature and resin particle size. When the reaction zone's leading edge reaches the bottom of the resin bed and hardness passed into the service line, the resin has become "exhausted" and it must be regenerated before it can remove hardness again.

The regeneration cycle starts with backwash, an upward flow that loosens the resin bed and flushes out suspended particles. Backwash usually lasts about 10 minutes.

Regeneration occurs when a solution of sodium chloride (salt) brine is passed through the resin in a downward direction. An eductor draws concentrated brine from a storage tank and dilutes it to the right concentration. Brine draws lasts from 10 to 30 minutes depending on salt dosage (weight of salt per volume of resin). A large excess of sodium ions causes the resin to release its hold on hardness ions picked up during the preceding service cycle and returns the resin to its sodium state.

Excerpt taken from here:
http://www.culliganmiami.com/pf7.html

I'm still in the beginning stages of learning chemistry but my take on it is this:

Chemi pure starts out with a saturated sodium state. Submersing the media into an (and I qoute boomer) "85% table salt" solution saturates the media causing it to re-release everything that has been taken up including ammonia, etc. To the SW hobbyist it is useless since the media never has a chance to absorb ammonia, metals, etc before becoming over-saturated.

[corruption]

I can't say that I disagree with any of the assertions in that thread -- except that theres not a readily available assay of ALL components within Chemi-Pure. I have had good luck with it -- even if it simply becomes biological media by the time I change it out. As others have posted in the thread, the convenience is nice to me. My preferred filtrant for anything specific is Poly-Filter -- its got a long, well documented history of benefits -- but I tend to use Chemi-Pure as well. I don't really consider them along the same lines -- I see Chemi-Pure as a convenient way to polish the water, whereas Poly-Filters are known to have a wide range of adsorbant qualities.

-Justin

[Big_Pun]

i dont know about all that fluffed up writing from culligan. i was having a hard time keeping my water clean and clear when i re setup my tank this went on for a month or 2 i really hate using fillter fiber, to me it just traps and holds on to stuff, also some of my levels where a lil high. i ask a local FS what would help and he handed some chemi pure elite, after 3 days of runing this my levels dropped and my water is crystal clear, also my corals seemed happier and where fully opening. i try to minimize any mechanical filtering i can in my tank so the only thing in my fuge is 2 bags of chemi pure elite, to me my tank and its inhabitants seem very happy. anyone is welcome to stop by and take a look

[Europhyllia]

just wanted to mention when we say 'Polyfilter' we don't mean the regular polyester fiber pads but rather Poly Filter by Poly Bio Marine (link)

[Big_Pun]

oh yea i know what polyfilter is, i just cant comment on it because i havent used it

[txmaverickmh]

+1 for Chemi Pure Elite, I have it in my seahorse tank and reef tank, and it seems to do something great!!!! Not sure what it really does, but I have seen great results with crystal clear water ever since! I also think it just had to do something with clearing up all the cyano in my seahorse tank...I didnt change anything except adding that little bag in the compartment of my Biocube after gabe told me to get it, and now there is no cyano anywhere!

MH