Use of carbon/resin in planted aquarium?

[Chrona]

I stopped using carbon a while ago because of all the fuss about it striping trace elements plants need, but am using this resin called Purigen now. It's supposed to remove nitrogenous wastes like ammonia/nitrite before they get converted to nitrates. While this stuff has made my water super clean, I was wondering if there are any other forms of waste the resin doesn't pick up (it's made to only attract nitrogenous stuff).

Also, for the people with planted tanks, do you use anything as a carbon replacement? Or just filter floss + biological media. I think I read somewhere that various wastes such as urea (?) can only be removed via activated carbon, certain resins, and water changes (ie it doesn't get nitrfied.)

My goal is to put the purigen in a baggy for when I'm introducing new fish to prevent an ammonia spike, and let the bacteria do the work most of the time, but I wasn't sure if there are fish wastes that can only be picked up by chemical media. Man-made chemicals aren't really a concern with my well water, as we have gotten it tested several times.

[cocoa_pleco]

i just use biological and mechanical in planted tanks

[Sasquatch]

Unless you're introducing a lot of fish to the tank, there shouldn't be an amonia spike, at least not anything important enough to cause problems to fish. Bacteria multiply pretty rapidly and quickly take up the slack. In any case, you're probably better off adding bacteria with the fish rather than a resin, it'll boost the bio filtration.

Also remember that your plants need that nitrogen too. If all your nitrogenous compounds are at 0, including nitrates, your plants probably won't do as well as they could. No nitrogen means no protein production for the plant, and they can't get if from food like fish can, they have to absorb it from the water.

Hope this helps.

[Chrona]

I'm not so concerned about the plant nutrient factor, since most of my plants have their roots wrapped around fertilizer spikes, but I just was wondering if resin/activated carbon picked up any forms of toxic waste that otherwise doesn't get nitrified. Since cocoa uses just biological and mechanical filtration, I'm assuming no, or it's just a small amount that water changes take out.

[cocoa_pleco]

I just had my baby lamp. brichardi in my mediumly planted 20g long tank, and I chucked out the carbon in the canister filter and had just mech and bio filtration. Carbon sucks up all the good stuff plants need

[nikipate]

I just had my baby lamp. brichardi in my mediumly planted 20g long tank, and I chucked out the carbon in the canister filter and had just mech and bio filtration. Carbon sucks up all the good stuff plants need

I have a question about removing the carbon..... I've only ever dealt with my canister filter so I don't know if everyone's is the same or not..... Mine has different baskets inside that stack up so if I take the carbon out do I need to put anything else in place of it or is it okay just to have that space empty?

[Chrona]

I have a question about removing the carbon..... I've only ever dealt with my canister filter so I don't know if everyone's is the same or not..... Mine has different baskets inside that stack up so if I take the carbon out do I need to put anything else in place of it or is it okay just to have that space empty?

I've been using this resin that only absorbs nitrogenous wastes, but apparently, according to the posters here, it's fine if you just fill it with biological media or more filter floss, as long as you do regular water changes.

Btw, heres the response from Seachem about Purigen:

Hello,
Purigen does not absorb ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. Purigen
absorbs nitrogenous waste before it is converted to
ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. Fish produce enough waste to
maintain bacteria populations with the use of Purigen. As
long as you have adequate biological filtration, you
should not have an ammonia issue. Purigen does not remove
enough nitrate to effect the plants. Even without Purigen
you may still need some sort of nitrate and ammonium
supplementation for your plants.
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