Adding purpleup

[randy4083]

I just got to the stage of diatoms in my tank from cycling and I've heard of people dosing purpleup to create corralline algae and strontium and molybdenum and I was wondering if this stuff is a good thing or a bad thing to use and also when should I start dosing it because like I said I'm at the point of the cycle to where I'm getting diatoms??

 

[marine2463]

Don't dose anything !!!!!! Specially on a new tank . The diatoms will go away when your parameters balance out. Just keep doing routine maintenance and water changes and you will get coralline algae.if you started with live rock with some coralline on it already it will eventually spread just give it time. Just keep parameters in check specially ph,kh,cal,ammonia,nitrate and nitrite . With nothing in the tank i.e. Corals and inverts you should have enough trace elements with just your salt mix to get coralline

 

[marine2463]

Also ounce your diatoms run out of a source they will die off

 

[randy4083]

Someone told me that I could add livestock now can I order should I wait longer because yesterday was 6 weeks

 

[randy4083]

I just put my test on from the tank so can someone please tell me what I need to do now

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

While purple Up may be an OK product to use for certain reasons, just do not assume that it is adding useful calcium and alkalinity.

The fine aragonite in it does not dissolve in seawater, and when still suspended in the water, it will give false high calcium and alkalinity readings.

 

[randy4083]

So you're basically saying not to use it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I wouldn't, but some folks do think it helps speed coralline. It may do that by sticking to surfaces and providing new sand surfaces for coralline to grow on.