Product Review: Chemi-Pure Elite

When I considered writing a review for Chemi-Pure Elite... I thought to myself, "that would be a very short review!" Namely because the product is so simple and effective, but then I began realizing that this product does SO MUCH that I can talk about... so I decided to give it a go.



BOYD is willing to make some VERY outrageous claims with this product, and while I cannot put a stamp of approval on many of these, I am willing to say that this is a valuable product that will work very well in your system. Here's a list of their claims and my thoughts on each:

• LONGER LIFE - Fish often live three to four times longer than in any other closed system, fresh or marine.
  My system has only been up a short time. There's no way I could measure this claim.
• REMOVES OFFENSIVE ODORS
  This I can comment on. I run a rimless tank that is NOT taller than a typical adult that looks at my system, so everyone who checks on my tank stands right above it. The only comment I've ever received about my tank's smell is that "it smells like the ocean!" which was an excited statement. My tank does not, and has never had a bad odor.
• REAL SEA WATER OR ARTIFICIAL
  They claim the product works with both... I can attest that it works with artificial. Specifically Reef Crystals (which I'll write a review for in the future as well).
• REMOVES TOXIC ELEMENTS - Including Copper & Phenol
  I've never had either in my system.
• IMMEDIATE ACCLIMATION - with ravenous appetite
  I do seem to have better acclimation luck than most. Perhaps this product is why?
• QUICKER RESPONSES - Neurological reactions like fishes in natural habitat
  No idea! Someone get a marine biologist and check the Neurological reactions in my tank quick!!! I've had no sicknesses thus far in my young tank (which says two things, a young tank is more likely to have problems but I haven't had any... and also that I while I have had no sickness, this is far from a mature setup without a sickness for years).
• NO WATER CHANGE NECESSARY - for at least 5 years (length of test only) PERHAPS NEVER!
  I'll never know if this is true. Not only do I still do water changes, but I do them often and don't plan on stopping. 5% twice a week, 20% once a month.
• CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER - Always sparkling blue-white water
  My tank always has crystal clear water. I've received compliments and been asked "how do you get your water so clear?" I consider Chemi-Pure Elite as the primary reason.
• CONSTANT pH - Always within the safe range
  Absolutely 0 pH swing. I run a fuge light over chaeto 24 hours a day and a 12 hour display light cycle and cannot measure a pH swing of even .1. My tank is rimless with quite a bit of surface agitation, so I attribute this to great oxygen transfer and some help from Chemi-Pure Elite
• ECONOMICAL - Replacement only every six to eight months makes initial cost very low - eliminates expensive water changes - fewer losses.
  In a hobby where nothing is cheap... Chemi-Pure Elite is! Only needing replaced once every 6 months is a plus as well. If your LFS doesn't sell Chemi-Pure Elite, order it online... shipping is cheap because it can be shipped ground by choosing "dry goods" on most websites.

Chemi-Pure Elite is a product I was recommended to try by a friend of mine who has an amazing tank. I took his advise and could not be happier with my current tank's chemical filtering. While some of the claims of this product are outrageous... it just may do many of them. However, even if Chemi-Pure Elite doesn't take away the need for water changes, even if it doesn't make acclimation easier and give your tank inhabitants a ravenous appetite as they claim (but I have no way of testing)... it still does MANY things that are valuable for our small ecosystems. Stabilizing pH could be the only function of this product and it would be worth it's price. Water clarity, not an issue until the day you don't have it. Odor removal... flee stinky tank syndrome... seriously... have you ever walked into someone's house and immediately thought, "oh, they have a fish tank. Gross!" Don't be that guy. Finally, the ferric oxide that helps remove slime and PO4 (phosphates), reducing algae growth. At a price cheaper than carbon... it seems to me that you can't go wrong with this stuff.

One final note before sending you off... make sure you rinse rinse rinse this stuff. More than your typical media. The ferric oxide that is added to Chemi-Pure Elite needs a large amount of rinsing before being added to a tank. After rinsing very well, add this media to your tank or reactor for a few minutes and then remove (or shut off the reactor) for 15 minutes or so. Let it run for a few more minutes again, and shut off. Slowly reduce the amount of time the media is out of the system until you let it fully run. A media such as this may make quite a few chemical changes to our tanks, and if those changes take place too quickly... well... you know the deal. ;-)

Happy Reefing,
Matt
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