purple up kills shrimp

[fish are life]

i havnt had this happen to me but two of my collegues have had cleaner shrimp die from all the iodine in there. just getting the word out before this happens to anyone els.

[Seajuice]

I've been using PU for over 4 months. My two shrimp (cleaner and blood) have molted and are doing fine! I do notice though that my Euphella (SP) does not like PU. When I stop adding it, it opens up.

[XeniaMania]

Iodine make shrimps molt. LPS do not like excessively high Iodine levels. Actually, the only coral to my knowledge that benefits from excessively high Iodine levels are Xenias. Somebody was telling me that you can make your shrimp molt to death w/ excessive Iodine..:lol:

[Seajuice]

Hmmm, this makes sense bc my xenias are going nuts! and my Elegance is suffering (not euphelia). My shrimp have only molted once.
but I am more concerned with my Elegance. Is there any other additive I can use that's fairly low maintenance without getting into the Kalk. thing.

[XeniaMania]

Well, for coralline, you need Ca, Mg, low nutrients, and Alk. If you're using Purple-Up in lieu of the other necessities, I'm afraid you're inevitably setting yourself up for failure. The reason kalk is so popular is not so much it's ease of use, but it's because you need to top-off your tank anyways, why not use something that 1) Adds Ca&Alk 2) Raises pH 3) binds phosphate? You can use other additives, but the required parameters are there. You can invest in a Calcium Reactor which will also supply the required elements. I guess bottonline line is, once you undestand what is required for coralline to grow, and which additives do what to your system, you can make better choices as to what methodogy works best for you.

[Seajuice]

Just curiosity, and I am planning on discontinuing the PU.
But why if my parameters are good with dosing the PU would I be
"setting myself up for failure"?

[XeniaMania]

Because I do not believe Purple-up is a "All-in-One" for reef systems. Also, aren't you experiencing problems with your LPS coral due to elevated Iodine levels? Now imagine if you increased your coral bioload and your coralline takes off, and now your Ca depletion rate has increased. You would then need to increase your PU dosage to meet the Ca depletion rate, and increasing the Iodine level to toxic levels, no?

Again, not to confuse anybody, but this statement was made based off the idea of Purple-Up being the ONLY supplement added to the tank.

[Boat Racer]

Purple up is just fine.I have used it for over six months and have three shrimp that are double the size they were when I bought them.I have very healthy corals that are growing very well and the coraline has covered my starboard bottom completely.You cant even see any white.I do also dose Calcium hydroxide for calc,Alk and strontium.I use Kent marine TECH-M for Magn.I alternate every other dose the PU and then the Lime water(calcium hudroxide)

[milhouse74]

B Ionic, it is a 2 part additive. Do some searches here on it, I love the stuff.

[twon8]

i have corraline covering the bottom of my starboard, the tank has been set up for six months and i have not added anything but mrs. wages, and rand'ys two part.

[aquaman222]

Purple Up did not kill the shrimp. Good excuse though. Probably poor husbandry killed the shrimp.

[fish are life]

well both of my friends that had their shrimp die only had it after they dosed with PU and they are both very reef savy and never have any troubles. and while i was dosing my shrimp were molting and hiding alot now that i have stopped they are all out and all over the place. i dont know this is just my view on it and my opinion.

[NeilPearson]

Since Purple Up doesn't list its ingredients.... I would never add it to my tank.

I only add stuff that I know the chemical composition of and only when I know my tank has a deficiency in that chemical.

If you don't have a test kit for it, you don't know the chemical composition and you don't know if you need it..... don't add it

[Seajuice]

NeilPearson,
I couldn't agree more. Although somewhat of a hipocrite! I've been using PU for 4 months. Shrimp are fine, Softies are fine but I did notice when I stopped adding it for a week my Elegance coral reacted much more positively. I guess I bought into all of the hype! Can't imagine why I used something that I didn't know what the ingredients are! I would like to min. my mixing and additives, so I am looking for the holy grail of additives. Does it
exist!?

[XeniaMania]

yes, it's called yourself..:D Well, there are those All-in-one products that I've mentioned before, however, each tank will have its own biodiversity resulting in different rates of absorbtion. Like a SPS tank will most definitely need a higher rate of Ca than a softie tank. A good tank owner will respond to his/her tank needs by adding what it needs at the times they're necessary.

[fish are life]

ya but the iodine is what did in the shrimps. and the purple up nearly killed my candy cane coral and now that i have stopped it is better than ever

[reefD]

very interesting thread! never used but will advise customers in futur but first ill read on closely

[XeniaMania]

No need for Purple-Up and I grow these.
http://www.techssentials.com/plating.jpg