I used PurpleUp for a few days....

[d9hp]

I was given a free bottle of this stuff at a frag swap and it sat in the back corner of my stand for a few weeks until I decided to read about it. I scoured this site and reef central in an effort to find conclusive evidence AGAINST using this product. All I found was a very informative post explaining the chemical breakdown of the product, which stated it is essentially no different than pouring aragonite sand into your tank.

 

Regardless of not really believing in the efficacy of these types of products (I quit dosing Kent's phyto and zooplanktons months and months ago after switching to ReefNutrition) I gave it a whirl.

 

I decided that I'd dose half the recommended dosage the night before a water change (which was occuring quite frequently when I did this). Bear in mind that I also dose ESV 2-part but I cut back on the Ca portion during this period because the PurpleUp is essentially just a calcium supplement.

 

I have kept my Calcium levels up (400-420) for a while and there are rocks with coraline already in the tank but none that was growing, at all. I got my nerves up and dumped in about 1mL of this stuff. Immediately regretted it. The tank turned a milky white and I was sure I had just killed everything. Everything. The tank settled and was clear in about an hour and none of the inhabitants seemed to have even noticed. My Calcium level didn't move. I dosed again the following day. 2mL. Same white cloud, same worry. It went away and my Ca level didn't move. After a week of dosing at about 2-3mL my calcium level reached 440ppm and I completely quit the stuff. I hadn't seen any results and I was afraid of what might happen to the tank.

 

I monitored my calcium, alkalinity, and Mg very closely during this period. I assume that most people here would argue AGAINST me doing this. Not even a week after dosing this stuff I began to see coraline growing on everything plastic in the tank and a few random spots on the glass in high flow areas. Now, I can't help but think that points to this stuff working. Obviously my calcium and water changes were helping but I believe that this stuff might not be such a bad idea because my tank had not shown any signs of growth until I used this.

 

Does anyone else have any first hand experience with this stuff? One thing I do not want to hear is "this stuff is bogus water in a bottle" or "waste of money" UNLESS you've used it. Far too many people condemn things in this hobby simply because they 'heard' they sucked a few times. Sometimes that's great but I don't want it here unless it's a useful story or experience.

 

Another reason I wanted to bring this up is because I'd like to see someone cycling a tank (from a ground start) use this stuff from day one. Get your calcium up to ~480ppm from the jump and keep it there before you start stocking the tank. I honestly believe that you'd see coraline before month two instead of the advertised 4-6 month window.

 

That's the final issue with my test. Everyone says that between 4-6 months your tank will just begin to explode with coraline, which coincided with this experiment. I may not be onto anything but this stuff did NOTHING bad to the tank. NOTHING.

 

I have only used it 2-3 times since this one week stent of dosing because I simply don't like my tank being milky white but I believe I'll use it religiously in conjunction with a proven 2-part (ESV) when setting up a new tank to jumpstart coraline growth.

[Formula462]

Dude so many people call it bunk and bring up some science bull#### to prove it. I don't use it now, but I have in the past, sparingly of course, and I always had the nicest coraline of any of my buddys. For the longest time I was using crappy salt too. I don't know what to think of all the speculation, but I have seen the stuff work. I still would not use it very often though, as with any calcium supplement.

[Gort]

....Another reason I wanted to bring this up is because I'd like to see someone cycling a tank (from a ground start) use this stuff from day one. Get your calcium up to ~480ppm from the jump and keep it there before you start stocking the tank. I honestly believe that you'd see coraline before month two instead of the advertised 4-6 month window. ...

...

I have only used it 2-3 times since this one week stent of dosing because I simply don't like my tank being milky white but I believe I'll use it religiously in conjunction with a proven 2-part (ESV) when setting up a new tank to jumpstart coraline growth.

I'm setting up my Solana 34 this weekend; I'd be willing to "use this stuff from day one" - although the first tank inhabitants will be the CUC and a few fish - if that makes any difference to the experiment.

[paneubert]

I used it years ago with no negative results and just a few days ago experimented with putting a few cap fulls from the same years old bottle in my 5 gallon top off water. so far so good.

[Dave9905]

Ive used this stuff for years off and on and i can tell you when i use it consistently i get a ton of growth from my frogspawn and my mushroom population explodes. Ive noticed that when starting a new tank with it, it takes at least two months or so before the coraline spreads but once it starts it explodes and i have the the most purple rock that i have seen anywhere.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

I also received a bottle of this at a Foster and Smith frag swap, and I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it. I used less than the recommended dosage (like you) to be on the safe side.

 

What I've found is it helps growth of that light-purple, surface coraline, esp. on the wall and plastic in the tank- on the rocks, too, but mostly on places where I don't want it. When it grows on the rocks, it gives some nice color variation. It does not do a thing as far as encouraging growth of the darker purple, thick, encrusting type coraline.

[jojoe972]

Interesting.... I would like to see someone start from day one and take pictures of the tank each week to see the coraline growth. As well how the corals grow with it.

 

I have never needed to dose my tank. Just water changes so I have never used it.

[d9hp]

I have in the past

I always had the nicest coraline of any of my buddys.

I have seen the stuff work

I still would not use it very often though

 

Sorry for breaking up your quote (not much lost context) but THIS is exactly what I want to see. Thanks Form...great information. Glad to know it worked well for you! How bad was the milky look?

 

I'm setting up my Solana 34 this weekend; I'd be willing to "use this stuff from day one" - although the first tank inhabitants will be the CUC and a few fish - if that makes any difference to the experiment.

 

That makes no difference for this particular experiment Gort. I'd love to follow that if you'd be willing to document it. Will you also have a calcium & alkalinity test kit? I really do think you'd see some serious coraline far sooner than not using it even if you weren't using a two-part solution. I would honestly dose this aggressively before you add anything to the tank (monitoring calcium and alkalinity) just to see if it did anything. Then make sure you have your levels in check before adding any inhabitants. This may create more work for you though, so it might not be something that is really feasible right now.

 

Great choice with the Solana, btw. Great tank.

[Formula462]

I also received a bottle of this at a Foster and Smith frag swap, and I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it. I used less than the recommended dosage (like you) to be on the safe side.

 

What I've found is it helps growth of that light-purple, surface coraline, esp. on the wall and plastic in the tank- on the rocks, too, but mostly on places where I don't want it. When it grows on the rocks, it gives some nice color variation. It does not do a thing as far as encouraging growth of the darker purple, thick, encrusting type coraline.

 

 

you ever seen what happens when you scrape off that light purple and leave it floating? it spreads/reinforces all the other coraline. at least for me it seems to.

[d9hp]

I used it years ago with no negative results and just a few days ago experimented with putting a few cap fulls from the same years old bottle in my 5 gallon top off water. so far so good.

 

Can you update in this thread as well? Glad to hear the old bottle isn't hurting anything, but it doesn't seem like it would go bad...simply solidify.

 

Ive used this stuff for years off and on and i can tell you when i use it consistently i get a ton of growth from my frogspawn and my mushroom population explodes. Ive noticed that when starting a new tank with it, it takes at least two months or so before the coraline spreads but once it starts it explodes and i have the the most purple rock that i have seen anywhere.

 

That's essentially what I'm seeing. Growth on the glass and plastic pieces of equipment in the tank...

 

I want the back wall covered in coraline so this isn't an issue for me! Two months for a new tank is way less than the 4 it took me to see a single spore on the glass.

 

I also received a bottle of this at a Foster and Smith frag swap, and I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it. I used less than the recommended dosage (like you) to be on the safe side.

 

What I've found is it helps growth of that light-purple, surface coraline, esp. on the wall and plastic in the tank- on the rocks, too, but mostly on places where I don't want it. When it grows on the rocks, it gives some nice color variation. It does not do a thing as far as encouraging growth of the darker purple, thick, encrusting type coraline.

 

I haven't seen the thick type grow either...simply the surface type you speak of. I guess that's half the battle.

 

Interesting.... I would like to see someone start from day one and take pictures of the tank each week to see the coraline growth. As well how the corals grow with it.

 

I have never needed to dose my tank. Just water changes so I have never used it.

 

I think pictures would be great as well. I also dose ESV two part so this is certainly not my only added chemical.

 

-D

 

you ever seen what happens when you scrape off that light purple and leave it floating? it spreads/reinforces all the other coraline. at least for me it seems to.

 

I have seen this as well. I started scraping it off the side and front glass and it seems to encourage growth throughout the tank.

[Gort]

..That makes no difference for this particular experiment Gort. I'd love to follow that if you'd be willing to document it. Will you also have a calcium & alkalinity test kit? I really do think you'd see some serious coraline far sooner than not using it even if you weren't using a two-part solution. I would honestly dose this aggressively before you add anything to the tank (monitoring calcium and alkalinity) just to see if it did anything. Then make sure you have your levels in check before adding any inhabitants. This may create more work for you though, so it might not be something that is really feasible right now.

 

Great choice with the Solana, btw. Great tank.

 

As long as the dosing wouldn't be "negatory" to the early inhabitants or delay the stocking, I don't think monitoring Ca and alkalinity will be a big deal. I hadn't planned to start dosing quite so soon until I begin to add corals, but it would be cool to see if coraline growth could be accelerated.

 

I'm jazzed to get the Solana going - waiting for the woodworker to finish the semi-custom stand.

[pmcaree19]

i use purple up in my BC14 and in my opinion it works!

[paneubert]

Can you update in this thread as well? Glad to hear the old bottle isn't hurting anything, but it doesn't seem like it would go bad...simply solidify.

 

Yeah......the old bottle just takes some shaking. I think I probably bought it around 2007-2008? Like you have said, it is pretty much just 10 micron sand suspended in water

My only update would be that after adding 2 full caps (which I think is probably around 10 ml) to about 4 gallons of top off/RO-DI water (so a majorly high dose compared to water volume), it clouded for about 12 hours, then settled to the bottom. Almost like you would expect to see in a jug of super saturated kalk. I figure as long as I am not sucking up the sludge into my ATO, then it is all good and the sludge will just continue to saturate the water with some calcium. I do have the issue where I did not see much Coraline growth and so I suppose this will be a good test for me to see if it does anything for my growth. I know it is not the same as me dosing directly into the tank.....but hey....it is something right?

[Formula462]

Yeah......the old bottle just takes some shaking. I think I probably bought it around 2007-2008? Like you have said, it is pretty much just 10 micron sand suspended in water

My only update would be that after adding 2 full caps (which I think is probably around 10 ml) to about 4 gallons of top off/RO-DI water (so a majorly high dose compared to water volume), it clouded for about 12 hours, then settled to the bottom. Almost like you would expect to see in a jug of super saturated kalk. I figure as long as I am not sucking up the sludge into my ATO, then it is all good and the sludge will just continue to saturate the water with some calcium. I do have the issue where I did not see much Coraline growth and so I suppose this will be a good test for me to see if it does anything for my growth. I know it is not the same as me dosing directly into the tank.....but hey....it is something right?

 

that's interesting i bought mine in 2009 or so, i was wondering about it expiring as well. it seems exactly the same it always had. i like Caribsea products for the most part like Arag-Alive sand and purple up. i do not dose regularly or anything, i use a little Kent essential elements if i'm late on wc's though.

[paneubert]

If anyone is interested in what I have found in my various PurpleUp research over time....

 

1. Some people claim it is lame because of the type of calcium used. They say it contributes phosphates by design.

2. The only difference between PurpleUp and aragaMILK is that PurpleUp doses iodine as well as calcium. Other than that you are going to see the same exact results if using aragaMILK.

[ermartin]

does this stuff expect Coraline to be present in the first place ? or are there traces of Coraline in the bottle ?

 

The reason i ask is that im rebuilding a tank and i had to cook my rocks to get rid of some bad stuff that wouldn't die I had planned on seeding the tank but if this contains seed I might give it a try

[paneubert]

does this stuff expect Coraline to be present in the first place ? or are there traces of Coraline in the bottle ?

 

The reason i ask is that im rebuilding a tank and i had to cook my rocks to get rid of some bad stuff that wouldn't die I had planned on seeding the tank but if this contains seed I might give it a try

 

No coralline in the bottle. It literally says that on it. All it is....is calcium and iodine.

 

"Purple Up does not contain coralline algae. Some coralline algae must already be living on rocks or aquarium glass. "

[Gort]

No coralline in the bottle. It literally says that on it. All it is....is calcium and iodine.

 

"Purple Up does not contain coralline algae. Some coralline algae must already be living on rocks or aquarium glass. "

 

 

So if I try to start my tank with zero live rock I won't likely see any coraline growth regardless..

[anemone fan]

I use raw sea water from the New England coast and my coralline had been sporing since week 2. There is probably something missing in your salt mix that this is adding. Now if I didn't have those damn coralline munching Asterinas

[paneubert]

So if I try to start my tank with zero live rock I won't likely see any coraline growth regardless..

 

Right. I would not want you to start with 100% dead rock anyway.....worse comes to worse I will give you some of mine. Even a pound or 2 is enough to get it going. Or some scrapings from somebody's glass.

[Gort]

Right. I would not want you to start with 100% dead rock anyway.....worse comes to worse I will give you some of mine. Even a pound or 2 is enough to get it going. Or some scrapings from somebody's glass.

 

That sorta makes the case - in addition to the scoop of sand from an existing tank I'll also start up with a couple small chunks of live rock to seed the Vida Rock.

[kgoldy]

I'm setting up a larger reef , about 100 gallons between display and sump... I'll use the stuff and post what happens. First step is getting my 300 lb custom cabinet home from my shop first... (see 75RR thread).

 

 

Edit: I used Nano-Reef Part A&B (which some would say is about the same thing as purple-up), pretty religiously when I set up my BC29, and I saw coraline growing rapidly from the start.

[TinyGiant]

if you want purple rock there is one trick that will out do any product on the market.

 

buy one small live rock covered in purple coraline algae. Also buy a brand new steel or brass brush..

 

scrub the rock completely off.. so that no coraline is left.. the trick is.. do this under water in the tank. The coraline will settle all over the tank and grow rapidly.

 

thats all you need to do. its an algae.. just spread it.

[shadowninja]

This stuff works. Theres nothing wrong with it. I used it with a past tank which I don't have anymore but it was a 10 gal and brand new setup. I just poured a cap in like every other day and 2 1/2 weeks after setting it up it was full of coraline algae.

[TinyGiant]

This stuff works. Theres nothing wrong with it. I used it with a past tank which I don't have anymore but it was a 10 gal and brand new setup. I just poured a cap in like every other day and 2 1/2 weeks after setting it up it was full of coraline algae.

 

 

just watch your alk levels.. they will plummet with this stuff