have you ever used these Chemicals?

Question
Hi Karen,
What do you know about Chem-Pure,or Nitra-Zorb?
Today I changed some of my filter media in my Fluval 204 and put a bag of Chem-Pure in, so far my Ammonia has dropped to 0ppm and has been holding there all day, but my Nitite is still 5.0ppm, pH 7.4 and nitrate 20ppm. Could you tell me about this product that boast so much..

                           Thanks..TSL

Answer
Dear Tony,
Hmm... honestly I never mess with all those bags of filter media which claim to remove everything from your system. Relying on the better alternative, water changes, for any water quality problems.

Chem-pure is OK. But I cannot see how it can truly make fish healthier. Perhaps it is so. For all my years of fishkeeping water changes have been the life support as it is for all fish. Filter media like Chemi-pure will act as a good support for some water quality issues, but what I dislike about filter media is it simply cannot remove the pollutants from the system. Typically it absorbs it but then it cannot go anywhere from there and ors of carbon being known to release what they had absorbed when it has absorbed all it can. This can be avoided if the filter media is changed regularly.
Nitra-zorb-- if nitra-zorb was the cause of your ammonia levels dropping to 0ppm that is great! But it did nothing for the nitrite...which is claims to remove also.

Overall, many of these filter media are created and claimed to be the best--some may be, some may not be all that they've turned out to be. My method is simply the easiest and no trouble and the all-around stand-by--water changes. There is no replacement for water changes after all!

I know this probably didn't help much. But I am just not that much of a fan of all those products that claim they remove everything. With your high nitrite and all, you'll need to do at least a 30-50% water change to dilute it.

You're getting there with cycling though. Hang in there!

Best wishes, may God bless you,
Karen~