Ok hobbiest, is purple tech something yall use in ur tanks?? And if yes why? And if no why?

I use it and it works. I started getting coralline in about 3 days after I started using it.

No, because it is just calcium. Achieve the same results using a 2 part solution.

Also, a 2 part solution adds alkalinity (carbonate/bicarbonate) which is necessary for coralline algae and stony corals to form their skeleton. Purple tech is no different than purpleup, which a simple search will show is an incomplete form of dosing.

Other things to consider:
Don't dose what you're not testing for.
Only dose what you need to dose; check your water change water to see what the water changes are adding.
Coralline algae growth is normally limited in a new tank because there are nutrient and tank stability issues, which no amount of purple up or purple tech will be able to counteract.

Read this to learn about reef tank supplementation:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

It's snake oil. GARBAGE. My fingers are tired from explaining this so I'm not going over it again, but trust me... If you build it it will come. You dont' need to "dose" coraline.

It also has finely ground aragonite, which does not dissolve in seawater under normal circumstances. If anything, they act as nucleation sites for calcium carbonate deposition, potentially inducing precipitation of calcium and alkalinity already in solution.

...which is "an incomplete form of dosing".

when I first started I used purple up on a 10G and had positve results even thou it is not complete IT IS NOT SNAKE OIL

on another note calcium hydroxide work's great too even thou it's not complete

there are better way's of course but regular 10% weekly water changes will grow coraline

just depends on how many sps/lps you have or how thick of coraline u want

Certainly, not to mention counterproductive.

Edit: To clear any potential misunderstandings that I think may be occurring, I mean the product itself counterproductive--in that if the particles of aragonite cause precipitation, you've just lost the calcium and alkalinity that you already have or already added. That could result in a net drop of both parameters, especially if the conditions are right, like high levels of both calcium and alkalinity, along with pH. There are just better ways to get it done without adding powdered sand that is barely soluble.

silly.... silly

Amphiprion1: How would the aragonite particles in purple up be any different than the already present aragonite/calcite sand or even live rock?

They don't have an established biofilm like your sand and rock have, which is largely what prevents the already small solubility of aragonite sand (except where the pH is much lower). You are adding fresh, uncoated seed crystals, in other words. That's like adding fresh, dry sand to a tank can and sometimes will lower both parameters. Now, I'm not saying this happens 100% of the time, but for those who keep their levels relatively elevated and/or have a high pH, it is much more likely to happen. At best, Purple-Tech does nothing, but at worst, it will lower the levels you've worked to raise and/or keep high.

Where do you get this stuff? Can you prove what you're saying? What is the chem behind your statements?

Here's a good article that discusses calcium carbonate supplements and their efficacy: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

I've read all those articles. I want to know more about this biofilm preventing soluability and "seed" crystals.

I was looking for a few quotes from Randy Holmes-Farley, but after looking at that article more, it mentions all that in there, as well.

The word bio nor seed is in that entire article.... (Just did a quick search)

Read deeper . Those words aren't there verbatim, but the conclusion is the same. Organics, phosphate, and bacteria coating the sand all prevent its solubility. And a seed crystal is a general term for a pre-established nucleation site for crystallization--aka abiotic precipitation. It's all there--you'll see it when you read it.

It is true that adding something like fresh sand to your tank will drop your Alk, (not calcium) because it will bind to the new surface area provided by the sand and strip it from the water column, but it is also temporary. As a biofilm coats the sand the effect can reverse. If you add fresh sand to your tank slowly (small amounts), you will not experience the effect.

That being said, the amount of fine particles in Purple-up would provide an insignificant amount of fresh surface area to experience the effect unless you grossly overdosed. If you want to dose purple-up, go ahead, just dose Alk as well.

You will experience a small drop, even with small amounts. Depending on the amount added, that may or may not even be measurable. The precipitation effect is only temporary in that it eventually halts. It doesn't necessarily reverse to an appreciable extent in seawater, though, unless the pH drops until it does. The main point is that it does cause this to one degree or another, which to me, is counterproductive to normal dosing schemes. Why would you concentrate on raising calcium and alkalinity, only to have a supplement drop some of it back out? That's just my view though. Some people seem to swear by it, but I just don't see how it will do anything really positive. I had bad results in the past with its predecessor, Aragamight. Kent released a similar product not terribly long after Aragamight came on the market that was no different.

abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate is a real thing man
thats why a snowstorm strips your tank