When your nitrate starts creeping back up, the resin is full and it’s time to recharge. All it takes is salt and water. No bleach.
You’ll need
- 250g plain salt with no additives, such as water-softener tablets or pool salt. Avoid table salt with iodine or anti-caking agents.
- 2 litres of hand-warm water (under 40°C)
- A tub big enough for the bag to lie flat and stay fully under the brine
The same mix works for both the 400g and 200g bags.
How to recharge
- Make the brine. Dissolve 250g of salt in 2 litres of hand-warm water.
- Soak. Lay the bag flat and fully submerged for 4–6 hours, ideally overnight. Squeeze it now and then so the brine gets right through the resin.
- Rinse well. Gently swish and squeeze the bag in three changes of clean tap water, then return it to the filter.
Brown brine is normal. That’s the trapped organics coming out, and it means it’s working. If it’s very dark, give the bag a second soak in fresh brine before rinsing.
If you have a TDS meter, you can check the final rinse water reads close to your tap water.
Treating your fish? Take the bag out
Remove the bag from your filter before adding any fish medication, and leave it out until the treatment has finished and you’ve done your water changes. Resin can absorb some medications and stop them working. Keep the bag clean and damp while it’s out, then recharge it before putting it back.
Deep clean every 6 months
Every 6 months, or sooner if recharging stops working as well, give your bag a deep clean to restore full capacity.
Full deep-clean instructions are coming soon. In the meantime, email hello@discus-switch.com and we’ll send them to you.
How long will it last?
Like all resins, capacity drops slowly over many recharges. That’s normal. When a recharged bag no longer holds your nitrate down for long, it’s time for a fresh one.
Questions?
Email hello@discus-switch.com.
Aquarium ion exchange resin. Not for human consumption. Keep away from children and pets.