Kent Purple Tech

Chris C · Oct 23, 2015

Hi I just got a Purple Tech and I was wondering when I should dose it. The parameters of my tank is currently as follow:
Calcium 500
Alkalinity 11 dKH
pH 8.4
Everything seems to be ok or slightly on the high side. Should I wait until the numbers gone down a bit or put a smaller dose in anyway? (Tests were conducted during the day)
Cheers

D maul · Oct 23, 2015

I wouldn't bother your calcium is already high. What's your magensium level? Really no need for products like this.

melypr1985 · Oct 23, 2015

+1 there's no need for that. It's just a calcium supplement and as you can see, yours is already high enough.

Tahoe61 · Oct 23, 2015

There is no indication for use of this product.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 23, 2015

Tahoe61 said:
There is no indication for use of this product.

I agree, I cannot think of a situation where this would be the optimal product.

Chris, can you do me a favor and pour a little out and see if it has a lot of fine white stuff suspended in liquid?

If so, this is a product like Purple Up which has fine aragonite sand in it. Aragonite CANNOT dissolve in seawater under normal reef conditions, so isn't a useful supplement for calcium and alkalinity, but it can mislead tests if the solids stay suspended in the water because they will be dissolved during alkalinity and calcium testing.

Chris C · Oct 24, 2015

Oh wow. I guess I bought the wrong product then. So I really don't need to do anything and the Coralline algae would just grow?
What would be a good and cheap way of adding calcium? Calcium Chloride from BRS? I'm planning on having mostly LPS's and wana try a SPS or two. Thanks.

Chris C · Oct 24, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Chris, can you do me a favor and pour a little out and see if it has a lot of fine white stuff suspended in liquid?

I'm not at home currently. I'll get back to you on that in a few days.

Chris C · Oct 24, 2015

D maul said:
I wouldn't bother your calcium is already high. What's your magensium level? Really no need for products like this.

The LFS ran out of the Mg test kit. So I don't know at the moment, but I assume it shouldn't be low

? Cos I only have one clam in my tank.

Tahoe61 · Oct 24, 2015

Your current values are on the high side of normal currently. When the consumption of your tank is such that you see a consistent drop in those values then you can choose supplementation via a two part methods, a calcium reactor....

Yes coralline just happens eventually. You can speed up the process by taking an already encrusted rock and scraping the coralline off into the water column. Coralline is over rated and in my experience becomes a nuisance.

I would not assume the mag is low. Mag consumption is very slow.

Typically water changes with a quality salt mix are all you need to maintain Calcium, Alk and Mag. Once the tank matures and you have significant coral growth and clams then you will eventually have to supplement.

D maul · Oct 24, 2015

Chris C said:
The LFS ran out of the Mg test kit. So I don't know at the moment, but I assume it shouldn't be low ? Cos I only have one clam in my tank.

Always know your parameter don't assume magensium is good just because your calcium is high test for alkalinity,calcium, and magensium. Put a rock with coraline algae in your tank and keep your water parameters
At the right levels and it seed your tank it's that easy

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 24, 2015

While I do not know if it is true or not, it has been suggested by some folks that one explanation for why some people may see more rapid coralline with a product like this or Purple Up (besides a placebo effect

) is that the fine sand gets onto the rocks and such and provides a fresh surface for coralline to colonize which is not already occupied by something else.

So if that is true, it works by providing a place for coralline to grow, not the calcium and alkalinity that it uses.