Question about Purple Up

A good source for more info on speeding up coraline growth is found on garf.org under the how to pages... cook book method... This gives light requirements and what to dose with.

 

Don't know about Purpleup but yes you can overdose with iodine. I was maintaining a tank for someone and had her adding S/M and Iodine according to Kent directions. I would stop by and check the tank once a week. I noticed some die-off and started testing. Everything tested fine. I did large water changes but after a few weeks almost 1/3 of her corals were dead. I began intensive interrogation of her and found out instead of adding drops daily she was adding capfuls of iodine. Lots of carbon put everything back on track. Needless to say she is now very careful about following directions.

 

You can overdose almost any thing, Mg++, Sr++, Mg++ or iodine. It is a function of how it is formatted chemcially. There is no need for Sr or iodine sups'. Purple-Up has caused some serious problems with ALk anc Ca++ for quite a few reefers.. Here is the take on Sr ++ and Iodine

Strontium and the Reef Aquarium
Chemistry and the Aquarium

Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I
Chemistry and the Aquarium

If you are dealing with allot of Macro's

Iodine in Reef Tanks 2: Effects on Macroalgae Growth
Chemistry and the Aquarium

 

I setup a QT tank 4 weeks ago. Established filter, bare bottom with some bleached, dead corals. One regular 40 watt bulb over the top. Coraline is starting to grow on it already. All ive added to the tank was saltwater and formalin. Other than that, instant ocean salt. There is a high flow rate in the tank.

 

The first pic was taken 08-06-08 and the second last night, Granted, there was some good coraline attatched from the beginning, but for 2 weeks it has accellerated greatly under PC 50/50, strong current and kent supplements.
In a 240 I set-up and am maintaining over the past 2 months I can see heavy coraline growth each week I check on the tank. Again Kent additives.
In the 240-Kent liquid calcium and in the 20nano-Kent Nano Reef sup.


I am by no means an expert, but have had excellent results with kent calcium supplements.
Here's an old 75gl tank fed Kent Iodine, Stro/moly, liquid calcium only. No kalk.

I got some Purple-up yesterday and am planning on using it in 1/4 dose in the 240. Make sure you keep a check on your alk. I did a sample test in a bucket of saltwater and this morning the alk tested 12 meq.

 

I'm finished with my first bottle of Purple-up and can honestly say that it didn't do much. By looking at my signature, does it look like my lighting is sufficient? I keep them on for 5.5 - 6 hours a day. I use RO water. I don't over feed, I skimmed (although it WAS a JEBO), I've used phosphate sponge and carbon...what gives?

 

I'm with Boomer- some of the worst tank problems I've expierienced were accidental overdosing with "supplements"- I find that for best results less is usually best!

 

I got and started using it in the 20 nano and think I am already seeing some purple brightening up. I haven't stoped using calcium, strt/mag and iodine supp. As long as my Alk stays below 10 I think I'll be OK. The corals seem to be happy. I'll keep using it.

 

Coralline grows best under low lighting and when alk/ca/mag levels are kept steady at the proper levels.

 

Well, I've been using purple-up for about 2 weeks now and can see different colors of Coraline intensifying on the rock. As far as the original question of whether to continue use of iodine, strot/moly and calcium I am using kalk in top-off water and Kent's Nano Reef A/B according to directions and corals, fish and inverts are all looking happy and well. Couldn't say whether to continue use or not really. Might be best to keep testing each until you know for yourself as each reef probably uses different amounts.