Purple Up

ILLBEEDAT · 04/16/2006, 09:36 AM

A friend of mine said I should get some Purple up to increase coralline growth but thought I should get some advice from RC tell me what you think.

ozzmosis · 04/16/2006, 10:00 AM

I have been using purple up in my tank for about two weeks now and I immediately noticed a change results. Now, I would say that my coraline algae has more than doubled. I don't know what makes that little bottle work, but it does. I don't even think that I am giving a full recommended dose each night either.

Paintbug · 04/16/2006, 10:31 AM

i think its another gimmick product. if you are having problems getting coralline to grow, check your alk, calc, and magnesium levels for start. they all play a part in coralline growth. too much flow, and bright lighting will also slow it down a little. basicly Purple Up is aragonite sand and some calcium buffer. aragonite will not disolve until its in water at about 6.5 PH. this means you wont have any of the aragonite disolve. thus not get the elements they clam come from it. i started using B-ionic 2 part myself. 2 parts are much more effective at delivering calcium. they also keep your alk levels balanced. for most tanks water changes will handle magnesium levels. but you may need to add some from time to time. for the price you will spend on purple up you can get B-ionic or another 2 part, and it will last longer. i make my own 2 part now using Randys Recipe. cost me about $4-$5 per gallon for both parts. just my 2Ã‚Â¢

PatMayo · 04/16/2006, 11:54 AM

I agree with paintbug.

If you keep your alk, calk and mag in line it will grow. You can see it here.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=780206

All I dose is magnesium, alkalinity and calcium. Grows like mad. Once you get corals you most likley will have to dose anyway so you might as well learn how to do it now.

Look at the last pages on the thread and you will see the growth. Tank has been up about 80 days or so.

Regards,

Pat

keithntracy · 04/16/2006, 12:11 PM

just found this spot of pink coralline this am, there's about 10 of them on the back of my tank.we have green and purple on the rocks but thats the first pink. btw our tank is 8 weeks old with no purple up!

bertoni · 04/16/2006, 12:40 PM

I wouldn't dose Purple Up because it's a mix of various ingredients, and your tank might need only some of them. Just watch your basic water parameters, IMO.

XeniaMania · 04/16/2006, 12:44 PM

I've often thought of using Purple-Up myself, but I couldn't swallow the $19.95 price tag that I see in almost every LFS. If you research what it takes the grow coralline, the parameters are 1) Seeds (from rock, scrapings, watever) 2) Pristine water conditions (low-no phosphate, high Ca, Alk,Mg etc). You can grow it, but like the DSB, Refug, Denitrate for nitrate reductions, there are always multiple ways of acheiving the same results. So I say if Purple-up is working for some ppl, good for them(you), but you can save yourself a few bucks since most of us are also able to acheive the same results w/o it. My .02

Cinderblock · 04/16/2006, 04:39 PM

I agree. I am trying it just to see if it increases the time to get the "purple" going. Time, water quality and lighting are the 1st things to get in line.

dots · 04/16/2006, 11:01 PM

I agree, keep your alk,mg,ca up and stable. get a seed rock with lots on it. Lighting does factor into it. I couldn't get the stuff to grow well under PC. But, with MH, I can see it will become a problem, most of my rock is purple now.

Alaskan Reefer · 04/16/2006, 11:58 PM

Purple up is a waste of bucks. With nutrient free water that has the right levels of ALK, CA, and MAG, coraline will spread quickly. High flow and lower light help, although not as important as water parameters. You also have to have seed rock that's nicely purpled, etc. Personally, I have a diadema (black longspine) urchin, and he spreads it like CRAZY by eating it. My back and side glass are about 40-50% covered now in a 3 month old tank.

04/16/2006, 09:36 AM	#1
ILLBEEDAT Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 84	Purple Up A friend of mine said I should get some Purple up to increase coralline growth but thought I should get some advice from RC tell me what you think.

04/16/2006, 10:00 AM	#2
ozzmosis Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 118	I have been using purple up in my tank for about two weeks now and I immediately noticed a change results. Now, I would say that my coraline algae has more than doubled. I don't know what makes that little bottle work, but it does. I don't even think that I am giving a full recommended dose each night either. __________________ If you want time to spare, then travel by air. If you want more time yet, then travel by jet! I love the smell of Jet fuel burning in the morning! In this hobby, you have to be careful not to catch AIDS (Aquarium Induced Divorce Syndrome)! Current Tank Info: My tank is in the middle of a rebuild right now. I built this system over 2.5 years ago and just wasn't pleased with the outcome. So, this time around I'm improving things that I did poorly (aka "cheap") last time.

04/16/2006, 10:31 AM	#3
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	i think its another gimmick product. if you are having problems getting coralline to grow, check your alk, calc, and magnesium levels for start. they all play a part in coralline growth. too much flow, and bright lighting will also slow it down a little. basicly Purple Up is aragonite sand and some calcium buffer. aragonite will not disolve until its in water at about 6.5 PH. this means you wont have any of the aragonite disolve. thus not get the elements they clam come from it. i started using B-ionic 2 part myself. 2 parts are much more effective at delivering calcium. they also keep your alk levels balanced. for most tanks water changes will handle magnesium levels. but you may need to add some from time to time. for the price you will spend on purple up you can get B-ionic or another 2 part, and it will last longer. i make my own 2 part now using Randys Recipe. cost me about $4-$5 per gallon for both parts. just my 2Ã‚Â¢ __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

04/16/2006, 11:54 AM	#4
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	I agree with paintbug. If you keep your alk, calk and mag in line it will grow. You can see it here. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=780206 All I dose is magnesium, alkalinity and calcium. Grows like mad. Once you get corals you most likley will have to dose anyway so you might as well learn how to do it now. Look at the last pages on the thread and you will see the growth. Tank has been up about 80 days or so. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

04/16/2006, 12:40 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I wouldn't dose Purple Up because it's a mix of various ingredients, and your tank might need only some of them. Just watch your basic water parameters, IMO. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/16/2006, 12:11 PM	#5
keithntracy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: winter park, fl Posts: 1,078	just found this spot of pink coralline this am, there's about 10 of them on the back of my tank.we have green and purple on the rocks but thats the first pink. btw our tank is 8 weeks old with no purple up!

04/16/2006, 12:44 PM	#7
XeniaMania Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 1,627	I've often thought of using Purple-Up myself, but I couldn't swallow the $19.95 price tag that I see in almost every LFS. If you research what it takes the grow coralline, the parameters are 1) Seeds (from rock, scrapings, watever) 2) Pristine water conditions (low-no phosphate, high Ca, Alk,Mg etc). You can grow it, but like the DSB, Refug, Denitrate for nitrate reductions, there are always multiple ways of acheiving the same results. So I say if Purple-up is working for some ppl, good for them(you), but you can save yourself a few bucks since most of us are also able to acheive the same results w/o it. My .02

04/16/2006, 04:39 PM	#8
Cinderblock Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Hermosa Beach, CA Posts: 93	I agree. I am trying it just to see if it increases the time to get the "purple" going. Time, water quality and lighting are the 1st things to get in line.

04/16/2006, 11:01 PM	#9
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	I agree, keep your alk,mg,ca up and stable. get a seed rock with lots on it. Lighting does factor into it. I couldn't get the stuff to grow well under PC. But, with MH, I can see it will become a problem, most of my rock is purple now. __________________ ~Doug

04/16/2006, 11:58 PM	#10
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	Purple up is a waste of bucks. With nutrient free water that has the right levels of ALK, CA, and MAG, coraline will spread quickly. High flow and lower light help, although not as important as water parameters. You also have to have seed rock that's nicely purpled, etc. Personally, I have a diadema (black longspine) urchin, and he spreads it like CRAZY by eating it. My back and side glass are about 40-50% covered now in a 3 month old tank. __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress