Boyd Chemi-pure Elite

Chemi-pure can be used with all water types as a chemical absorption filter and ion generator and exchange unit to positively keep pH at a perfect constant level. Also fantastic for use with African Cichlids and Discus! Needs replacement only every six months under normal circumstances. Use 1 unit up to 40 gallons, 2 units from 40 to 100 gallons, above 100 gallons add one unit for every 25 gals. 10oz. Contains 1/2 unit enough to treat 20 gallons.

Chemi-pure Elite formula now contains ferric oxide, that helps remove slime and PO4 (phosphates), giving your coral and fish a healthy environment to grow and live.

Soft corals - Crustose Coralline Algaes - Caulerpas - Gorgonias - Seafans - other invertebrates and fish of all species thrive and grow luxuriously with no water change necessary using real seawater or the better imported mixes. This is not a claim, but fact, experienced by thousands of CHEMI-PURE users. In fact, salt water fish have spawned repeatedly in 5 year old water. CHEMI-PURE does not remove trace elements and is the only filter medium which aids in the natural balance of positive and negative charges, with an emphasis on the beneficial negative ion. CHEMI-PURE comes packed in pure polyester filter bags in sealed plastic bottles, called 1 unit, one of which is recommended for up to 40 gallons of water, and which is completely active for 4-6 months with no `regeneration` or cleaning required and is cheaper than carbon or pads. The one filtration product we unreservedly recommend for use with CHEMI-PURE is the Poly-Filter, by Poly-Bio Marine! Use one pad above and one below the CHEMI-PURE bag. We also recommend the use of foam fractionation or ""protein skimmers.""

Does Chemi-pure remove trace element? 
You do not have to worry about Chemi-pure removing trace elements and being a problem. Chemi-pure does contain some carbon and will remove trace amounts of some elements, but not to the extent where you would see any significant effects on any levels in your aquarium.

Will Chemi-pure raise my pH higher than it is now?
Chemi-pure works together with your waters chemistry to safely buffer an improper or low pH. It will not raise your pH from any level, but help keep it at a constant level for your aquarium.

Can I open the bag and separate the product to fit into my filter?
No, you should never cut open the bag and separate the product at all. The product ingredients do not mix evenly. If it is separated, you may not get the full benefits of the product as it is designed to do.

Where in my filter should I place the product?
Anywhere that you can put the product so it has a substantial flow of water going through the bag will do just fine. If you place in a canister filter, put a little bit of filter floss below and above the product to take up some extra room and give a nice fit.

Benefits: 

• LONGER LIFE - Fish often live three to four times longer than in any other closed system, fresh or marine.
• NECESSARY ORGANISMS - Allowed growth with no danger of pollution.
• REMOVES OFFENSIVE ODORS
• REAL SEA WATER OR ARTIFICIAL
• REMOVES TOXIC ELEMENTS - Including Copper & Pheno
• IMMEDIATE ACCLIMATION - with ravenous appetite
• QUICKER RESPONSES - Neurological reactions like fishes in natural habitat
• FRESHWATER FISHES - of all species thrive 
• ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR AFRICAN CICHLIDS & DISCUS 
• NO WATER CHANGE NECESSARY - for at least 5 years (length of test only) PERHAPS NEVER!
• CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER - Always sparkling blue-white water 
• NO CLEANING - Necessary for health of fish.
• CONSTANT pH - Always within the safe range
• NO OSMOTIC SHOCK - 90% eliminated
• NO ION ANTAGONISM
• ECONOMICAL - Replacement only every six to eight months makes initial cost very low - eliminates expensive water changes - fewer losses.

When fresh water or marine fish and invertebrates are taken from their natural habitat and maintained in a captive condition in an artificial closed system, water quality becomes the most critical factor affecting their health, longevity, and survival. Here is where the aquarium`s life support system, consisting of biological, mechanical, and chemical filtration, working together as an integrated unit, becomes all-important. Unfortunately, water clarity, rather than quality, all too often becomes the most important goal of the individual aquarist. Obviously, optical clarity in the aquarium is certainly desirable from an aesthetic viewpoint and also to pass the all important light penetration and spectrum. However, crystal clear water in the fresh water or marine system does not mean that water quality is at an optimum level. We use micro filtration, diatomaceous earth, chemical filtration, sedimentation, ultraviolet sterilization, ozonization - often used at random, and without regard for what is actually being done to the ability of the water to actually sustain animal life. In many instances, the indiscriminate use of these various components of a life support system negate the good done by the other. Again, the only thing we seem to worry about is whether we have crystal clear water. The clarity is nice, but it does not necessarily represent healthy water - in fact, it can be lethal.

Now, what undoes this natural balance in the aquarium? Excess food, overcrowding, natural contaminants in the air, and a complete misunderstanding of the functions of filtration systems and, especially, a misapplication of those systems and materials.

As we pointed out earlier, we often use various filtration materials without regard for what is actually being done to the ability of the water to sustain animal life. The only thing we seem to worry about is whether or not we have crystal clear water - the latter not necessarily being synonymous with healthy water. It is now generally agreed upon, that a redox/reading within the parameters of 350-400 is the healthiest for invertebrates as well as fishes.

While and empirical approach to aquariology can, to some degree, be successful, a knowledge of the changing conditions in the closed system, based on sound scientific principles and theory, are of utmost importance to the health of your aquatic animals. The closed aquatic system can deteriorate rapidly and, there are always causes and effects of this deterioration. You cannot remedy the cause by concentrating to the exclusion of all else on the effect rather than on the factor, or factors, which cause these effects.

Let`s assume a hypothetical condition wherein we place ourselves in a similar situation as our aquarium inhabitants where we are dependent upon a life support system for our existence. For example, suppose that 100 of us were placed aboard a nuclear submarine for an extended underwater cruise. Here, where there is little room for living quarters, where oxygen must be conserved and unnecessary actions restricted to as great of a degree as possible, we would be expected to be in perfect health at the outset, then we would be totally dependent upon a continuous source of purified air, fresh water, proper food to meet our nutritional requirements, a highly efficient waste disposal system, and proper medical supplies. Given this hypothetical condition, where we have now, for all intents and purposes, changed places with our aquarium in habitants, we are totally dependent upon the life support equipment for our ability not only to stay alive, but to remain healthy. Now, let us take a further hypothetical example, where a small amount of poisonous radioactive contamination is constantly being introduced into the air we are breathing on that submarine. The air may appear to be fresh and pure but the poisonous medium is still there, whether or not we can see it, taste it, or smell it. Now let`s assume that we are being kept alive by the simple expedient of waiting until most of us showed signs of stress and exhaustion and even illness and then changing a portion of the fresh, pure air. We might survive, but our resistance would be depleted slowly but surely, until the continued periods of stress and exhaustion finally led to illness and death. Wouldn`t it have been better to have removed the radioactive contamination from the air before it had these effects upon our health?

The indiscriminate use of various filtration techniques combined with partial water changes can create the same effect upon the inhabitants of our aquariums. And, one of the greatest problems with keeping fresh or salt water fishes and invertebrates in a closed system aquarium is not even recognized by the average aquarist nor, indeed even by the many so-called professionals as existing. This little known condition is called ion antagonism.

Living organic matter, or protoplasm, is able to expand or shrink when under the influence of negative or positively charged ions. Expanded protoplasm is usually under the influence of a negative charge-and is shrunk by a positive charge.

Upsetting this natural negative positive ion balance can have disastrous effects on living organisms in any body of water. Fish eggs and plants are especially sensitive to either fresh or salt water. Fishes tend to be on the verge of shock when the positive ion outnumbers the negative - they are more irritable, restless, nervous, finicky eaters, have shorter life spans - in short, they are not happy fish!

Whereas medical research has termed the positive ion the ""suicide"" or ""unhappy"" ion, they have found the negative ion properly termed the ""happy"" ion. The natural balance between both negative and positive ions are present in air as well as water. In the medical research mentioned, patients were actually subjected to major surgery - using no anesthetic except a flood of almost all negatively charged ions through a regular anesthetic mask. They were completely awake, yet felt no pain whatsoever! Conversely, volunteers were isolated in a room which had an excess of positive ion circulated though the air. These subjects reported extreme melancholia, feelings of depression, and even a desire to suicide. When the positive was switched to negative ions, a feeling of elation was experienced, worry and doubt was cast aside, and everyone in the room felt wide awake and happy as though the room was flooded with fresh air. And that is exactly what happened. Have you ever walked outside after a thunder and rainstorm and noticed the exhilarating feeling - the marvelous odor of clean fresh air? The air is heavy with the negatively charge ions produced by the lighting. These ionized oxygen molecules are also present in water under the right conditions. And, no matter how hard we try to undo the balance Mother Nature creates, if left alone long enough, a body of water outdoors, under the influence of sun and air, will eventually grow enough algaes and natural micro-organisms to bring back into perfect balance the equilibrium which nature insists upon - if left alone by man. Now, this equilibrium is represented by the balance between the negative and positively charged oxygen molecules or, is brought into balance by these ""magic"" ions.

Healthy water is only brought about by the ""proper application"" of these artificial means which man has produced to replace the natural forces from which our aquariums are isolated. Now, all of these artificial means can be used to great advantage, if they are used in the right combination to enhance the natural forces at work even though the aquarium is isolated indoors. The most important of all these natural forces, indoors or out, is the negative-positive charged ion. Provided enough time, a given aquarium will obtain its own natural ionic balance, with a slight excess of negative ions however, the time required for this with all our misapplication of modern day filtration techniques is usually longer than the unfortunate inhabitants can tolerate.

Over the years, the most commonly used chemical filtration medium for cleaning water has been plain carbon filtration. Unfortunately, however if we use activated carbon strong enough to do any good for any length of time, it will also produce enough positive ions to throw the tank inhabitants into ion antagonism (shock).

Carbons, which are advertised as stabilized to not raise the pH are generally washed in phosphoric acid and will leach phosphate into your water. Also, almost all coconut shell carbons leach phosphate.

Dick Boyd, one of the nations most experienced marine aquarists, having been actively involved in the salt water hobby for over 50 years, began development of chemical filtration medium 40 years ago to solve the problems inherent in the marine aquarium. This ionic carbon filter medium acts mechanically as well as chemically, absorbing all the various elements of decomposition which would otherwise tend to pollute and eventually break down the comparatively delicate balance of either real or artificial sea water. During the past years Dick Boyd has continuously improved the compound to it`s present form so that the use of Chemi-Pure filtration does away with the necessity of waiting for a natural ionic balance, it does not interfere with any of nature`s processes but enhances the natural forces at work in the system.

The ionic exchange resins used in Chemi-Pure, are designed for a specific purpose. They exchange with the alkali excess from the extremely strong activated carbons used in Chemi-Pure and produce a majority of negatively charged electrons (ions). They remove excess acids and replace them, in effect, with a time-release alkali. They also remove ammonia, but only the excess beyond that which will promote nitrification.

The activated carbons used in Chemi-Pure are the finest most powerful, and longest lasting that money can buy, designed specifically to absorb and absorb any contaminants in solution up to an unbelievable 50% of their total weight. In fact, these are the same highly expanded and super activated carbons, which remove radioactive contamination from the air fro re-breathing by personnel of US Navy nuclear submarines. On a scale from 1 to 10, the carbons used in Chemi-Pure would have to rate a 10 whereas many of the activated carbons available in ""across the counter"" sales in tropical fish stores or pet shops around the country would rate a maximum of 3. The plain animal bone charcoal sold for aquariums would barely rate a 1 on such a scale.

Chemi-Pure is not a copy, or imitation, of any other product available on the market. Originally conceived and formulated for the marine aquarium, Chemi-Pure has also proven invaluable to the serious fresh water aquarist who desires the finest and purest water available for fish, such as Discus and expensive African Cichlids, etc., as Chemi-Pure removes the ammonia and other nitrogenous waste products so harmful to the fish. For the salt water aquarist, soft and stony corals, algaes, caulerpas, gorgonians, sea fans, plus invertebrates and fishes of all species, thrive and grow luxuriously when Chemi-Pure is used in conjunction with a top grade sea mix, or natural sea water.

Chemi-Pure is unlike any mechanical or chemical filtration material you have used before. Whether you are a fresh water or salt water enthusiast, it is something you will have to use, see, and test for yourself in order to believe the results. Chemi-Pure comes already packed in pure polyester filter bags in sealed plastic bottles which are termed one unit each also available in ½ units of 50oz. One unit is recommended for up to 40 gallons of water and which remains completely active for 4 to 6 months with no regeneration or cleaning required. We recommend that, in cases of heavy bio-load, that each unit of Chemi-Pure be replaced within 3 to 4 month period. Each bag of Chemi-Pure is simply removed from the plastic bottle and installed directly in your filter. It is pre-moistened and should be rinsed prior to use.