Purple UP

[Anonymous]

I was neglecting my tank a bit earlier in the year. So since May or June I have upped the water changes and began dosing Purple Up in the last two weeks, along with the usual dosing of Kalkwasser. My increase in coralline algae is insane. I am shocked that in just two weeks that my coralline has more than doubled. I know that the water changes have helped, but the purple up definately has made a difference.

If you had any doubts about Purple Up, dispell them now.

 

[Ben1]

Whats in it?

 

[Anonymous]

If I remember correctly, iodine for the most part.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought it also had a glucose based calcium supplement which coraline uses but corals don't... I might be thinking of another product as well (or different terminology for glucose)

 

[Anonymous]

IIRC, the Ca in Purple Up isn't really all that soluble in seawater, and there are many reports of it not working at all.

To know if the purple up did anything, we would need a control tank running next to yours. Since there are many things that could have contributed to the boost in coralline (water changes, tank maturity, ca levels, mg levels, stability, coralline reaching 'critical mass'), I don' think we can credit purple up with the change.


Once coralline get going, hit 'critical mass' it can grow surprisingly quickly.

 

[Anonymous]

I looked it up and meant to post it but then I realized I hadn't checked my KH/Alk Ca levels in my tank so I did that and promptly forgot to put the info here

...from Marine Depot's website:

Purple Up has a unique dual method approach to coralline algae acceleration:

Ionic calcium—Immediately raises dissolved calcium levels in your aquarium water.
Ten micron aragonite—targets the live rock surface, where it dissolves in situ (in place), delivering calcium, strontium, magnesium and carbonate right where it is needed.

Features:
Iodine Replenishment: PurpleUp replenishes iodine, an essential element for coralline algae tissues that quickly becomes depleted in closed systems.
Easy to use. One bottle of Purple Up replaces the typical multi-product recipe for successful coralline algae growth favored by advanced aquarists.
Contains Super Sea Calcium, a natural calicum derived from pristine tropical oceans.
Treats up to 4730 gallons.
Instructions:
Shake well before use. Add 1 capful (5ml) per 50 gallons, no more than once daily. Place in the sump, near a powerhead outlet or any high flow area of the system for rapid dispersal. Some temporary cloudiness will appear. Check calcium levels regularly, adjust dosage to maintain calcium levels between 380 ppm and 420 ppm.

Do not exceed 420 ppm on a regular basis or significant precipitation will occur.

Important!! Wait at least one hour after using this product to test calcium levels or erroneously high calcium levels may be indicated.

 

[Anonymous]

There is a huge thread on another forum where Randy and Boomer go back and forth with a guy from Kent. At the end they are still unconvinced that the product will do much, and that there are better ways to add Ca, Alk and Mg.

Essentially, it a three part additive, with a largely insoluble ingredient.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I think his recent coraline growth is probably due to good maintenance and correct Ca dossing

I've always stayed away from stuff like this for some reason.

B.

 

[Anonymous]

I was dosing nothing but kalkwasser and iodide before I started using the purple up. I am sure the water changes helped, but since I started using the purple up the coralline has taken off like a bat out of hell.

 

[Anonymous]

Once coralline get going, hit 'critical mass' it can grow surprisingly quickly.

This.


I've had nano's that I totally neglected the hell out of that got to be a right pain in the butt keeping the coralline off the front glass enough to see into the tank here and there.

Depending on the rock I picked, some would tend toward deep, thick layers of rich purple to thin, pale green.


But as pointed out above, maturity or 'critical mass' is the big key.

 

[Anonymous]

I like coralline algae, but I'm not sure I'd spend money on increasing it...

 

[scifi_3d_zoo]

Hmm... PurpleUp is unproven. I think it's just more junk additives that they try to sell. If you bought every "additive" they try to sell you there'd be nothing in your tank but a 100 diff. bottles of crap and no livestock, maybe even no corals b/c all your money would go to stuff like this. If you ever look at the TOTM at ReefCentral or here at AA you won't find anybody using this stuff.

And what you are trying to say is what scientists call "anecdotal evidence". Or simply a personal account. It's not science. It doesn't prove anything. Like somebody said you'd have to have 2 identical tanks, one the control, and do your test under scientific conditions before you can make any claims. It's sorta like somebody saying... magnetics work b/c I put one on my wrist and now it doesn't hurt anyway. Not only is nothing scientific about this but... it might be pure "power of suggestion" too.

 

[Anonymous]

And what you are trying to say is what scientists call "anecdotal evidence". Or simply a personal account. It's not science. It doesn't prove anything. Like somebody said you'd have to have 2 identical tanks, one the control, and do your test under scientific conditions before you can make any claims. It's sorta like somebody saying... magnetics work b/c I put one on my wrist and now it doesn't hurt anyway. Not only is nothing scientific about this but... it might be pure "power of suggestion" too.

Its more of post hoc ergo proctor hoc - it happened after, therefore was caused by.

 

[Anonymous]

I was neglecting my tank a bit earlier in the year. So since May or June I have upped the water changes and began dosing Purple Up in the last two weeks, along with the usual dosing of Kalkwasser. My increase in coralline algae is insane. I am shocked that in just two weeks that my coralline has more than doubled. I know that the water changes have helped, but the purple up definately has made a difference.

If you had any doubts about Purple Up, dispell them now.

i can send you a weiss catalog as well, if you're interested :lol:

ANY tank with proper parameters can't help but grow gobs of coralline-the 'critical mass' issue is central, and one most hobbyists don't have the patience to wait for

i've seen too many tanks plate out in a matter of months to even think it's a good use of pocket change

it's often a lack of magnesium , or an imbalance in the alk/Ca/Mag ratio, that keeps it from developing at 'speed' (coralline algae can suck up what it demands right quick, often leading to chronic low levels of any of the above, predicating proper monitoring/correcting of those levels)-think of coralline as the main competitor for the above with your corals

water flow is also a key factor-i 'seasoned' some 'junk' rock from work by leaving it in our coral/invert system sump for about a week-it has a considerable turnover/flow rate-the amount of coralline that developed in that one week was fairly amazing

i've also never been convinced that 'artificially' accelerating the growth rate of anything, corals, coralline, or otherwise is a desired thing, or that it should be

besides, it will eventually become a pita if encouraged to grow like wildfire, it has no bearing on being a system health indicator, and while it's pretty, there's always the trade off of having to scrape it off glass, power cords, impellers, etc

and if your tank is acrylic, kiss your visibility goodbye!

 

[Anonymous]

Different strokes for different folks. I don't dose much except Kalk in the way of additives. Partly because my tanks are usually on the low tech/easy keeper side, and partially because of a disasterous outcome after trying to dose iodine for some reason or another a few years ago