Does Purple Up Work?

[yakfishin]

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]

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]

nope it didn't

 

[mg426]

Its sand in a bottle.

 

[Amp2020]

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.

 

[Joshsmit56001]

I asked this question because I had mixed responses from people around my area. Some people had corraline go crazy after adding this stuff and others had little to no effect. I guess it is like everything else in this hobby!

 

[Anemonebuff]

I think that it may only enhance the things that are lacking, like Ca and iodine. If your levels are where they should be there should not be a need to use it.

 

[John Rambo]

Purple up is junk

Purple up is junk

i have now had my tank set up for two years and added purple up from about 9 months in. Every night faithfully for a solid year and i bought snails covered in corline algae (2 dozen turbos) and yet not one spot of coraline algae anywhere in my complete system right down to my sump or powerheads!!!! Total junk

 

[wesamazmy]

It actually support the growth, yes works for me

https://www.reefamorous.com/en/catalogue/caribsea-purple-up-coralline-algae-accelerator-500ml_115/