Does Purple Up Work?

Joshsmit56001 · 05/05/2009, 08:24 PM

Thoughts?

SeanT · 05/05/2009, 08:52 PM

Complete waste of money even if it did work.
If you keep your calcium and alkalinity in check and don't have rampant phosphates, coraline will spread with ease.

I personally hate coraline.

It severely inhibits your rocks filtration ability.

firemedic0135 · 05/05/2009, 09:07 PM

IMHO it is good for boosting Ca+ . Sure it increases coraline algea as its just Ca. IMO its good for all corals needing Ca+. Not that you cant get it from water changes. But sometimes I need a boost and add a capfull to my topoff H2O.
I agree about coraline being a PITA also. At first its cool but later you really get tired of scraping it off of the glass.

davewbush · 05/05/2009, 10:18 PM

When used as a cal supplement, it raises cal very fast. I have used it but it is not worth the price. A good salt mix and weekly water changes, plus the addition of cal, alk, and Mg will give you the same effect.

Aquarist007 · 05/05/2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by davewbush
When used as a cal supplement, it raises cal very fast. I have used it but it is not worth the price. A good salt mix and weekly water changes, plus the addition of cal, alk, and Mg will give you the same effect.

+1 on this. true with most of the supplements

Ehaze · 05/05/2009, 10:42 PM

Purple up seems like something for new people, that get suckered in.
Stable tank, with 400-450calc 8-10 kh.

SeanT · 05/05/2009, 10:47 PM

Dear God capn_hylinur you have almost 30 posts a day!

You may need a hobby to break the RC addicition.

rendogg · 05/05/2009, 11:11 PM

I like it because I run an aquarium maintenance business and my customers are not hobbyists, they are people who want a beautiful thriving aquarium with minimal work. Purple Up is easy to use and I have seen great results, not only with coralline but with growth of stony corals and Tridacnid clams.

I was skeptical at first but I needed a solution. My customers would not add the two part additives I supplied them with on a consistent basis, water changes alone don't cut it if you want stonies and clams, reactors are too high maintenance for most, and Kalk doesn't last very long in a reservoir.... so I tried Purple Up. My customers are happy because it's easy and their tank looks good and I'm happy because their tanks look good.

I couldn't supply and endorse this product without trying it first, so tried it at home. I shut off my reactor, discontinued kalk for top off on my established reef, and tried it out. I went through the bottles quite quickly but it supplied the demand and my corals, clams, and coralline without interruption.

Overall, I'm happy with the results and happy I found a solution for my customers.

reefscape15 · 05/06/2009, 05:09 PM

I use it and like it. It does what it adveratises. It's nice not having to do a 2 part, and I love coraline! I don't know why people dont like it. If you want to keep coraline off your glass, you need to mag-float at least a few times a week. I like everything covered except for the front glass

SeanT · 05/06/2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefscape15
and I love coraline! I don't know why people dont like it.

I don't, because as coraline covers up the pores of the rock, it greatly reduces the rocks ability to act as a filter.

ludnix · 05/06/2009, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SeanT
Dear God capn_hylinur you have almost 30 posts a day!

You may need a hobby to break the RC addicition.

Of most of the users here who could have 30 posts a day I'm glad it's the captain.

rendogg · 05/06/2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SeanT
I don't, because as coraline covers up the pores of the rock, it greatly reduces the rocks ability to act as a filter.

I would argue that saying, the amount of unexposed rock surface area, where ammonia and nitrite consuming bacteria live, is still greater than the area occupied by the coralline. The bacteria inside the rock should be anaerobic denitrifying bacteria. Beneath coralline encrusted areas, creates an anaerobic zone, in which these bacteria can thrive and turn nitrates into nitrogen....the main function of live rock, or we'd still be using undergravel filters or bioballs.

Besides, I think we all want, and eventually it happens, our rock to be totally encrusted with coral so the unexposed surface area and the anaerobic zone within is all we have for filtering anyway!

SeanT · 05/06/2009, 08:11 PM

I think you unknowingly aided me in this discussion.

Inside the rock is where the action happens.
How does the water get there if it is covered in coraline...

rendogg · 05/06/2009, 08:34 PM

No, I don't think you understood me correctly.

The respiration happens on the unlit areas of the rock, which is the majority of your rock, your lit areas get encrusted with coral after they are encrusted with coralline.

Mopar Reefer · 05/06/2009, 08:40 PM

Purple up is hit or miss IMO, but I use it as a Cal sup if i can't perform my weekly water changes.

reefscape15 · 05/07/2009, 04:09 AM

+1 rendogg! If i can't have my rock totally encrusted with coraline, i'd like it to be encrusted with SPS!

thomasp123 · 05/07/2009, 06:11 AM

I have a similar question what about the product liquid reactor? does this product work?

Serk · 05/07/2009, 09:11 AM

IMHO it works, but why would you wanna encourage coralline growth beyond what it does through having a stable tank? That just means you'll be scraping the glass that much sooner and that much more...

Anemonebuff · 05/07/2009, 09:39 AM

My coralline was dying back and I tried it along with some water changes and my coralline popped back pretty fast. I was not really doing my water changes and was neglecting the tank for a few months, so I am sure the water changes helped as well.

I think that not only is there Ca in PU, but there is also iodine. I do not use the PU any more. I would recommend it to someone who is starting out and would like the coralline to spread or catch on in the tank.

Pawky · 05/07/2009, 10:12 AM

I bought a bottle of it when I first started my tank. It worked well but I am going to try a 2 part when I am finished with the bottle.

yakfishin · 05/07/2009, 02:24 PM

I don't think that coralline acts as much of a barrier towards the rocks filtration ability. I have read both that it does and doesn't, but I tend to think that it doesn't, at least not to any large extent. It is an algae, and as such it isn't that much of a barrier against water and nutrients from flowing throught it. It also only grows where light hits it, so there is still plenty of rock surface that wouldn't have coralline growth no matter how much you may have. Also, since it sort of 'smooths out' the rock surface a bit, food bits and fish waste tend not to stick to it, so it helps in the filtering of detrius that might otherwise settle into the rocks pores and crannies. In my own opinion, rocks covered with pink and purple, while certainly pretty, just don't look natural. However, I will take a good growth of coralline over hair algae any day.

redfishsc · 05/07/2009, 04:13 PM

Someone like Randy or Bertoni will need to confirm this with me, but I am sure that Purple Up is mostly calcium carbonate suspended in solution.

It may actually cause your calcium test kits to show that you have higher calcium, but calcium carbonate isn't all that useful as a calcium supplement. I believe that it isn't actually dissolved in the water so much as it is "suspended" in the water.

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that calcium carbonate (ie, Purple-up, Aragamilk, etc...) doesn't provide much actual free calcium for corals to use for calcification.

For what it's worth, I can buy a LOT more calcium by buying dry calcium chloride pellets (www.bulkreefsupply.com) than what you'll ever get from a bottle of liquid calcium carbonate--- and a lot cheaper.

3rotorFD · 05/07/2009, 05:36 PM

nope it didn't

mg426 · 05/07/2009, 06:55 PM

Its sand in a bottle.

Amp2020 · 05/08/2009, 04:01 PM

I think its funny that those who have it, don't want it. And those who want it, don't have it so they buy a bottle in hopes that it will work. The product looks like something that is for marine tank owners who would like to try something new but not invest the time and money for a proper setup.

View Poll Results: Does Purple Up Work?
Yes it worked great	15	15.63%
Kind of worked	32	33.33%
Didn't work at all	49	51.04%
Voters: 96. You may not vote on this poll

05/05/2009, 08:24 PM	#1
Joshsmit56001 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Crystal, MN Posts: 654	Does Purple Up Work? Thoughts? __________________ PBITAWA Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Reef

05/05/2009, 08:52 PM	#2
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Complete waste of money even if it did work. If you keep your calcium and alkalinity in check and don't have rampant phosphates, coraline will spread with ease. I personally hate coraline. It severely inhibits your rocks filtration ability. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/05/2009, 10:42 PM	#6
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	Purple up seems like something for new people, that get suckered in. Stable tank, with 400-450calc 8-10 kh. __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

05/05/2009, 10:47 PM	#7
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Dear God capn_hylinur you have almost 30 posts a day! You may need a hobby to break the RC addicition. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/05/2009, 09:07 PM	#3
firemedic0135 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: East Tx. Posts: 147	IMHO it is good for boosting Ca+ . Sure it increases coraline algea as its just Ca. IMO its good for all corals needing Ca+. Not that you cant get it from water changes. But sometimes I need a boost and add a capfull to my topoff H2O. I agree about coraline being a PITA also. At first its cool but later you really get tired of scraping it off of the glass.

05/05/2009, 10:18 PM	#4
davewbush ... Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California Posts: 739	When used as a cal supplement, it raises cal very fast. I have used it but it is not worth the price. A good salt mix and weekly water changes, plus the addition of cal, alk, and Mg will give you the same effect.

05/05/2009, 11:11 PM	#8
rendogg Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Abbotsford, B.C. Posts: 578	I like it because I run an aquarium maintenance business and my customers are not hobbyists, they are people who want a beautiful thriving aquarium with minimal work. Purple Up is easy to use and I have seen great results, not only with coralline but with growth of stony corals and Tridacnid clams. I was skeptical at first but I needed a solution. My customers would not add the two part additives I supplied them with on a consistent basis, water changes alone don't cut it if you want stonies and clams, reactors are too high maintenance for most, and Kalk doesn't last very long in a reservoir.... so I tried Purple Up. My customers are happy because it's easy and their tank looks good and I'm happy because their tanks look good. I couldn't supply and endorse this product without trying it first, so tried it at home. I shut off my reactor, discontinued kalk for top off on my established reef, and tried it out. I went through the bottles quite quickly but it supplied the demand and my corals, clams, and coralline without interruption. Overall, I'm happy with the results and happy I found a solution for my customers.

05/06/2009, 05:09 PM	#9
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I use it and like it. It does what it adveratises. It's nice not having to do a 2 part, and I love coraline! I don't know why people dont like it. If you want to keep coraline off your glass, you need to mag-float at least a few times a week. I like everything covered except for the front glass __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

05/06/2009, 08:11 PM	#13
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	I think you unknowingly aided me in this discussion. Inside the rock is where the action happens. How does the water get there if it is covered in coraline... __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/06/2009, 08:34 PM	#14
rendogg Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Abbotsford, B.C. Posts: 578	No, I don't think you understood me correctly. The respiration happens on the unlit areas of the rock, which is the majority of your rock, your lit areas get encrusted with coral after they are encrusted with coralline.

05/06/2009, 08:40 PM	#15
Mopar Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fort Walton Beach Posts: 465	Purple up is hit or miss IMO, but I use it as a Cal sup if i can't perform my weekly water changes.

05/07/2009, 04:09 AM	#16
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	+1 rendogg! If i can't have my rock totally encrusted with coraline, i'd like it to be encrusted with SPS! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

05/07/2009, 06:11 AM	#17
thomasp123 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hadley MA Posts: 345	I have a similar question what about the product liquid reactor? does this product work?

05/07/2009, 09:11 AM	#18
Serk Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Rowlett, TX Posts: 52	IMHO it works, but why would you wanna encourage coralline growth beyond what it does through having a stable tank? That just means you'll be scraping the glass that much sooner and that much more... __________________ --Never ask a geek 'why'... Just nod your head and slowly back away. -Rob Malda Current Tank Info: 300 gallon AGE Custom tank w/ 90 gallon sump, 55 gallon prop tank and 55 gallon refuguim

05/07/2009, 09:39 AM	#19
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	My coralline was dying back and I tried it along with some water changes and my coralline popped back pretty fast. I was not really doing my water changes and was neglecting the tank for a few months, so I am sure the water changes helped as well. I think that not only is there Ca in PU, but there is also iodine. I do not use the PU any more. I would recommend it to someone who is starting out and would like the coralline to spread or catch on in the tank.

05/07/2009, 10:12 AM	#20
Pawky Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Texas formally Michigan Posts: 107	I bought a bottle of it when I first started my tank. It worked well but I am going to try a 2 part when I am finished with the bottle. __________________ ____________________________ Kris Down but not out! Current Tank Info: JBJ Nano Cube 24 - Vortech(s) - Skimmerless - Odyssea 150 Metal Halide - Bare Bottom Current Tank Info: Currently a nano

05/07/2009, 02:24 PM	#21
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	I don't think that coralline acts as much of a barrier towards the rocks filtration ability. I have read both that it does and doesn't, but I tend to think that it doesn't, at least not to any large extent. It is an algae, and as such it isn't that much of a barrier against water and nutrients from flowing throught it. It also only grows where light hits it, so there is still plenty of rock surface that wouldn't have coralline growth no matter how much you may have. Also, since it sort of 'smooths out' the rock surface a bit, food bits and fish waste tend not to stick to it, so it helps in the filtering of detrius that might otherwise settle into the rocks pores and crannies. In my own opinion, rocks covered with pink and purple, while certainly pretty, just don't look natural. However, I will take a good growth of coralline over hair algae any day.

05/07/2009, 04:13 PM	#22
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	Someone like Randy or Bertoni will need to confirm this with me, but I am sure that Purple Up is mostly calcium carbonate suspended in solution. It may actually cause your calcium test kits to show that you have higher calcium, but calcium carbonate isn't all that useful as a calcium supplement. I believe that it isn't actually dissolved in the water so much as it is "suspended" in the water. I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that calcium carbonate (ie, Purple-up, Aragamilk, etc...) doesn't provide much actual free calcium for corals to use for calcification. For what it's worth, I can buy a LOT more calcium by buying dry calcium chloride pellets (www.bulkreefsupply.com) than what you'll ever get from a bottle of liquid calcium carbonate--- and a lot cheaper. __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.

05/07/2009, 05:36 PM	#23
3rotorFD Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: federal way WA Posts: 330	nope it didn't

05/07/2009, 06:55 PM	#24
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Its sand in a bottle. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

05/08/2009, 04:01 PM	#25
Amp2020 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Richmond near A.A. Posts: 1,203	I think its funny that those who have it, don't want it. And those who want it, don't have it so they buy a bottle in hopes that it will work. The product looks like something that is for marine tank owners who would like to try something new but not invest the time and money for a proper setup. __________________ Victor Current Tank Info: None.