[map95003]

Hi everyone...I know this is a touchy subject but I would like to open it up for discussion again.

My tank has been cycling for a month now (just LR and LS), I also setup my fuge with 6" LS, a piece of LR and some cheao.

The question is, what should I do next, should I start dripping Calc?

Now for the bigger question, should I use "purple up" get the coraline going? I know I'm gonna get varing responses but could you please give me more than a "yes" or "no", if you have some experience with this please let me know the pros and cons.

Thanks.

[teriyakithunder]

i think purple up consists of Ca and alk. i could be wrong. so if you test for Ca and alk and both are within normal limits i don't think you need to add anymore. i have purple up and my Ca is always high so i never dose my tank anymore.

[map95003]

Eric, do you dose Purple-Up on a regular basis or did you just use it in the beginning when you started up the tank? I don't want to rush things but if using Purple-up would help with the coraline growth and not harm the tank in ANYWAY, I wouldn't mind trying it, especially since I dont' have any live stock in the tank as yet. I read mixed reviews, I just want to make sure I wouldn't be doing some now that would cause me problems down the road.

[teriyakithunder]

Originally Posted by map95003

Eric, do you dose Purple-Up on a regular basis or did you just use it in the beginning when you started up the tank? I don't want to rush things but if using Purple-up would help with the coraline growth and not harm the tank in ANYWAY, I wouldn't mind trying it, especially since I dont' have any live stock in the tank as yet. I read mixed reviews, I just want to make sure I wouldn't be doing some now that would cause me problems down the road.

i used to once a week to try and grow coraline, however i have nitrates/phosphates so i think that is stopping me from having coraline grow and also every time i test my Ca its always high so i stopped. i personally don't see anything wrong with you dosing if you don't have livestock in there yet to try and get it going. hopefully others will put their input on this topic.

[unclejed]

Hello Martin, Purple up is fine. You really wouldn't need to "drip" it though as there isn't anything in there to use it up rapidly. Try dosing it once a day until you get to the target (whatever that is, 380-420 range) and then check your level every 3 days or so and see if it is falling or not and when you determine the fall off rate you will know how often to dose.

[jlombardi29]

I used it in my first reef tank but not in my current one. for me there was no positive in using purple up

[map95003]

Thanks guys. I ordered a 16 oz bottle or purple-up, I'll start using it next week and let you know how it goes...figure it can't hurt too much since I don't have any live stock in the tank yet.

[e_baer]

Just be careful because it will drop your PH. Keep an eye on in a few times a day.

[unclejed]

I never had a PH problem with it but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it anytime you add any calcium product.

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by unclejed

I never had a PH problem with it but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it anytime you add any calcium product.

I am not saying this to be mean or anything but just because you have not had a problem does not mean he wont. If you look around on the forum for purple up testimonys you will see more bad than good.

But you are right, it could never hurt to keep an eye on it.

[unclejed]

Originally Posted by e_baer

Just be careful because it will drop your PH. Keep an eye on in a few times a day.

My response baer about Ph was because of your "blanket" statement that it will drop Ph and that is not true. I didn't take your comment as mean either, I just realize some are locked into a belief whereas, I am not, on many subjects. Others have reported that they tried Tubo Calcium and all heck broke loose....who knows? I would not tell someone not to use Turbo just because I read someone else had a problem with it.

[jimw369]

Add it if you want to spend the money. Get your water params where they should be there is no use for it.

In this hobby you could sell pond scum and people would by it. Catchy slogan and a nice label is all thats needed.

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by unclejed

My response baer about Ph was because of your "blanket" statement that it will drop Ph and that is not true. I didn't take your comment as mean either, I just realize some are locked into a belief whereas, I am not, on many subjects. Others have reported that they tried Tubo Calcium and all heck broke loose....who knows? I would not tell someone not to use Turbo just because I read someone else had a problem with it.

Your right, that was wrong wording on my part. It wont definately drop. I completely agree with you. I should have said....if MAY drop. Thanks for the clarification!

[Tonz of fun]

The only thing that happens quick in this hobby are bad things...

[Jason L]

I dose 2 caps every other day for the last year and half and have had no problems.Works for me.

[jimw369]

Jason could you tell us what your dosing and what amounts your Ca fluctuates between doses. Are you dosing any other Ca supplements besides the PU? What does your Alk and Ph test at?

[Jason L]

2 caps of purple up every other day alk 4 caps aday Seahem 3 caps calcium 6 caps of mag
cal is 420 alk 9 mag 1500 nit 0,
not,0 pho,0

[jimw369]

Thanks for the info!

[Jason L]

no problem i have a heavy sps load. I also do 20 gal h20 change weekly!

[jimw369]

Yeah I knew you did. Thats why I was asking how much The Ca fluctuated between dosing. I slow drip mine right now at close to 16oz of Bionic 2 part a day. Soon to get the Ca reactor hooked up! Ive used PU for Ca dosing but kinda ran past the amount I thought was prudent and kept increasing the 2 part.

[Jason L]

yea it is not a cure still agree need to add cal.

[unclejed]

Jason, watch your Mag, you are at the high end.

[jimw369]

What happens if mag goes higher than 1500?

[map95003]

Well, I got the PU I ordered....with all the responses on this thread, I decided to do some additional reading before using the product. The bad news is, after all the additional reading I'm still not convinced the product is good nor bad for a tank...still mixed feelings.

Now the good news, all my parms have been stable for the last few weeks, I could actually see coraline starting to grow on my LR....so I decided not to use the PU. I'll wait another month or 2 and see how it goes.

All I have in the tank right now are some snails, crabs and I added 2 false perc clowns yesterday.

Parms I'm testing:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.2
SG: 1.024
Cal: 380 (guess I need to bring this up a bit?)
Temp: 78.6 F

[LReefer]

I had a problem with Bryopsis algae and heard that if I cranked my Magnesium it would take care of it.

Sure enough it worked. The other thing that happened shortly after was that I got a crazy outbreak of that damn coraline algae all over my glass

Don't know the chemistry but check your Magnesium, get it up to 1300ppm and see what happens.

I used Kent-M