First off, let me say a big “Thank you!” to everyone who participated in the “Endangered” thread…Thanks to your interest, this thread has been re-distributed and discussed all around the internet. Donations have begun to flow into PIJAC in their effort to work on the legislation. Awareness is at an all time high, especially because guys like Andrew Rhine, Ret Talbot, and Matt Pedersen are out there writing and blogging way more factual, informative pieces about this topic than I ever could. Please read, understand, and share their articles with everyone in the hobby that you know- and maybe even those outside the hobby.
Although my rant was lacking in more solid detail on the bill- and a bit misinformed about the actual details, actually- because little detailed factual information was readily obtainable at the time- we accomplished something that I knew we could- raising awareness and interest in a vital issue affecting our hobby/industry, and the wild reefs. With one notable exception- a fellow vendor, (highly opinionated, and, IMHO sadly ignorant, irrelevant in the industry, frustrated, and misinformed) who felt I was using this and my other rants to trash talk the industry, market Unique Corals as THE one vendor who is doing everything correctly, and hypocritically make the industry look bad- everyone was civil, and understood the rant for what it was…a kick in the backside to each and every one of us to wake up and smell the frag glue! (note- the vendor was civil- just astonishingly off base, IMHO).
Anyways, I felt it would be nice to bring up some other topics today…Not to forget or leave behind the ESA topic at all, but to discuss some other stuff as that discussion continues…
We’ll start with what we feel is a truly exciting, potentially game-changing approach to coral husbandry. It dovetails well with the need -enhanced by last week's ESA announcement- that it's really important for us to all be successful at keeping and propagating corals in captivity for indefinite terms. We need to examine and embrace many techniques to get there. This is one such technique. The hardest part is understanding the thought behind the technique, and freeing your mind from the confines of what we’ve been doing for so long.
That’s not easy, believe me.
As I may have discussed previously, Joe, Dave and I have been emersing ourselves in the “Triton Method”, which originated in Germany. It’s taking Europe by storm, and for good reason. The results we’ve seen thus far have been amazing. Triton Labs was started by reefer/scientist Ehsan Dashti of Dusseldorf, Germany to provide super-detailed water chemistry analysis using an advanced, above-research-grade inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) machine to analyze aquarium water with a level of detail and precision never before applied to aquarium keeping. By applying this technique, called high precision liquid chromatography, the concentration of*Na, S, K, Br, Ca, Mg, Sr, B, As, Sb, Pb, Cu, Zn, Sn, Mo, Si, Li, Mn, Al, I, P, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Fe, V, Ni, Ti, Hg, Cd and Se can be determined using ICP-OES.
The data about your reef gleaned by the very affordable test is on a level never before seen in the hobby. By knowing exactly what is deficient or excessive in your water chemistry, adjusting becomes a simple matter of adding or removing the trace elements in question, so that the concentrations in your system mimic those found in natural seawater. No guesswork, no vague additions of equally vague supplements- simply the addition of pure trace elements in the proper concentration for your system.
Woah! High school chemistry flashback...Sorta?
In short, it’s a quantum leap forward in reef aquarium management. We like to call it “Empowered Reefkeeping” - making husbandry decisions for your reef solely on factual data- and it’s changing the way we are thinking about keeping corals in our aquariums. Triton’s “method” requires us to let go of some long-held preconceptions, such as the need for regular water changes as a primary means of nutrient export and trace element replenishment. That’s a HUGE thing for an old salt like me to let go of..If you read my writings and attend my lectures, you KNOW I’m pretty much obsessed with water changes.
The Triton thing is changing my mind..
"What? Has Fellman fallen victim to a fad- a cult- the 'next big trend?' " Well, the “next big thing" you could call it, perhaps…But I assure you that I’m just as cranky, skeptical, and objectively engaged as ever.
But spending time with Eshan after MACNA got me thinking.
Why do we change water in our reefs? Well, to export nutrients, metabolites, and replenish trace elements. At least, that’s what we’ve grown up to believe. Eshan proffers that water changes create- get this- variables that can potentially negatively impact our reefs. Why? Think about it. Every time you change water, you’re actually changing the chemical characteristics of your reef- forcing corals to make adaptations. Trace elements contained in salt mixes are being “replenished”, or, in some cases, removed, through changes. We don’t really even know in what proportions. We had Triton test some commercial salt mixes, and were stunned to find many of them were utterly defficient- or even lacking some of the trace elements they were purported to have in the mixed samples we sent. Some had trace elements considered potentially detrimental at levels that were way over natural reef levels. Inconsistency was high, at the very least. Yikes.
Trace elements are vital to coral health and growth. I’m not talking about calcium here- I’m talking about stuff like Zinc, Manganese, Vanadium, etc. Some stuff is actually toxic or detrimental to corals- and it’s coming in and accumulating with water changes. We sent Ehsan samples of our propagation systems’ water for analysis, and quite frankly, were shocked by the results. Utterly lacking in some vital trace elements- too high on others. And we feel that we practice above-average husbandry technique on our systems- particularly water changes.
I am not- and will not-make damaging and dismissive statements about commercial reef salt mixes, so don’t look for that poop here. We are not blaming the salt mixes. This isn't an alarmist, "anti-salt-mix-rant" (I can hear a certain detractor now...). That’s not the point. I’m not qualified, trained, nor interested in making such a statement. In fact, our information was gleaned by only a test or two on each of the salt mixes we used- hardly sufficient to draw conclusions. The results could have been skewed by a bad batch of salt, storage, the way we mixed them, or any number of factors. Nonetheless, it got our attention. In order to make statements about any mix, detailed, professionally administered and constructed long-term trials under strict scientific controls would need to be conducted. I’m simply telling you what we found out in a few tests.
The major point here is that by changing water with any brand of salt mix, you’re creating some potential variables that can affect your corals’ health, especially if you jump from brand to brand. Here’s a case for brand loyalty if I ever saw one. Triton suggests that trace elements need to be maintained at NSW levels, and I see their reasoning. The idea is that you can utilize any brand of salt mix you like, but also utilize an initial “base” of trace elements in the proper NSW ratios to “get things going”, then have regular water tests conducted for the first few months as you “fine tune” your trace elements to achieve NSW levels in your system.
Time for me to part ways with my beloved siphon hose? hmm..at least time to rethink the relationship...
Magic potions? Crazy claims? That’s what I thought at first, until I got my head around it, and saw the results. It’s hard to argue with fact- and that’s what Triton does. It's a certain leap of faith to jump into something simply because it makes sense to you. Triton is sort of evolved simplicity, really. It eliminates guesswork and vagueness, focusing solely on the “real time” parameters in your reef. It’s basically doing what we FELT that we were doing all of these years with water changes, “combined trace element solutions”, and additives- but in the correct amounts necessary to make our individual systems thrive. The neat thing is, you’re not subscribing to an endless repertoire of water tests, and purchasing endless quantities of vague solutions or dozens of trace elements to create success. You're merely giving your reef exactly what it needs, and removing what it doesn't....nothing more, and nothing less.
Yes, Triton performs the tests for a fee. They're a business. You will need to test more frequently while your getting your parameters dialed in, add only the pure trace elements in amounts that are dictated for your system as a result of the test, and then you follow some basic husbandry procedures, monitoring water parameters less frequently. You likely will only need to add a few trace elements from the twenty-something Triton tests for. And yeah, if you can find lab grade Vanadium, Manganese, etc, you can utilize them from any source. Triton does happen to sell them, of course, which makes it easy. The money and energy saved by NOT having to throw random additives into your system, making water changes, etc. more than makes up for the modest fees for testing the water periodically.
Obviously, the next question is- “How do you export nutrients, then?”
Easy. Triton espouses utilizing the time-honored concept of the macroalgae-based refugium, coupled with the continuous use of protein skimming, chemical filtration media, such as activated carbon and GFO (both aluminum and iron base- as these can affect water chemistry!). You top off with RO/DI water like you always have. You keep a hefty population of fishes in your reef, and feed them heavily. You use one food that you're comfortable with, as multiple foods can introduce varying levels of - you guessed it- trace elements, minerals etc- all of which can potentially affect water chemistry.
Is it time for the rebirth of the macro algae refugium?
The theory is that once you get things dialed in, the corals will utilize all of the metabolic waste products of the fishes more efficiently for food, as well as whatever is produced in the refugium. Metabolic waste is consumed efficiently by the macro algae, skimming, and chemical filtration. Yes, trace elements will also be consumed and/or change, but at measurable rates, far less than what you'd see under “traditional” husbandry regimens involving water changes, additives, etc.
It all sounds very weird- very regimented, right? Sounds like some of those other "systems" we've loved to read and ridicule over the years, right? Well, it is different than what we are used to. But on the other hand- it’s not THAT different from what we’re trying to achieve with all of the husbandry elements we’ve been doing for the past three decades of reef keeping: Attempting to achieve environmental stability for our animals, high water quality, and maintenance regimens that make OUR lives easier, too. It’s merely a “deconstructed”- or should I say- “reconstructed” -way to achieve the goals we’ve all been striking for using more “traditional” techniques. The results we have seen have been stunning.
One of Ehsan's reefs. Easily replicated through his methods?
It’s predicated upon removing as many variables as possible. Actually, by making reef keeping LESS complicated.
There are obviously more subtleties, more questions, more to learn. We are embracing this technique in our own systems, both for growing corals, and in several display tanks in our facilities. Our corals can speak for themselves, and our display tanks, which are just getting underway, will serve as further testbeds. We believe that this concept makes a lot of sense, and that the stunning results we’ve seen in Europe can readily be replicated here. It’s not THE way to be successful…it’s A way to be successful. Joe and I are traveling to Germany next week to see the results in person. We will have a lot more to report in the coming months.
We're going to Germany to see for ourselves.
And yes, soon we will be making Triton's tests and other products available in the U.S. for hobbyists to work with. We really believe in this stuff. It starts by grasping the concepts, doing some water testing, and evolves from there. A big part of it will be getting a grasp on what it's all about..freeing your mind from what you know to be “the way” as it stands. There will be a learning curve, controversy, debate, and people who want to “modify” or “ad lib” the system, employing “fusions” of methodologies…which may or may not vary the results you'll see being accomplished by others- and make things complicated- something that this method tries NOT to do. So we aren’t going to deviate from the methods that work so well for many in Europe. We're going to walk the walk.
We believe that the best reef keepers are informed ones, empowered by factual information, not trends - and that Triton can be a major step forward for many reefers- an evolution, not a fad. We are excited about the idea, not just because it’s another thing to sell. It’s because it’s a mindset- a methodology that is in line with our values of “conscientious, sustainable, responsible.” Surprisingly simple, undeniably elegant, and utterly outside of our hobby “comfort zone.” Unlike many who have proffered the concept of “easy! No water changes, etc. etc.!” in the past, this methodology is grounded in fact, and has proven itself out in practice.
This is just the start...We look forward to sharing and discussing more about this in the coming months.
The future is here. We figure that we just need to run with it.
Stay empowered. Stay skeptical. Stay engaged.
and..
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
Although my rant was lacking in more solid detail on the bill- and a bit misinformed about the actual details, actually- because little detailed factual information was readily obtainable at the time- we accomplished something that I knew we could- raising awareness and interest in a vital issue affecting our hobby/industry, and the wild reefs. With one notable exception- a fellow vendor, (highly opinionated, and, IMHO sadly ignorant, irrelevant in the industry, frustrated, and misinformed) who felt I was using this and my other rants to trash talk the industry, market Unique Corals as THE one vendor who is doing everything correctly, and hypocritically make the industry look bad- everyone was civil, and understood the rant for what it was…a kick in the backside to each and every one of us to wake up and smell the frag glue! (note- the vendor was civil- just astonishingly off base, IMHO).
Anyways, I felt it would be nice to bring up some other topics today…Not to forget or leave behind the ESA topic at all, but to discuss some other stuff as that discussion continues…
We’ll start with what we feel is a truly exciting, potentially game-changing approach to coral husbandry. It dovetails well with the need -enhanced by last week's ESA announcement- that it's really important for us to all be successful at keeping and propagating corals in captivity for indefinite terms. We need to examine and embrace many techniques to get there. This is one such technique. The hardest part is understanding the thought behind the technique, and freeing your mind from the confines of what we’ve been doing for so long.
That’s not easy, believe me.
As I may have discussed previously, Joe, Dave and I have been emersing ourselves in the “Triton Method”, which originated in Germany. It’s taking Europe by storm, and for good reason. The results we’ve seen thus far have been amazing. Triton Labs was started by reefer/scientist Ehsan Dashti of Dusseldorf, Germany to provide super-detailed water chemistry analysis using an advanced, above-research-grade inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) machine to analyze aquarium water with a level of detail and precision never before applied to aquarium keeping. By applying this technique, called high precision liquid chromatography, the concentration of*Na, S, K, Br, Ca, Mg, Sr, B, As, Sb, Pb, Cu, Zn, Sn, Mo, Si, Li, Mn, Al, I, P, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Fe, V, Ni, Ti, Hg, Cd and Se can be determined using ICP-OES.
The data about your reef gleaned by the very affordable test is on a level never before seen in the hobby. By knowing exactly what is deficient or excessive in your water chemistry, adjusting becomes a simple matter of adding or removing the trace elements in question, so that the concentrations in your system mimic those found in natural seawater. No guesswork, no vague additions of equally vague supplements- simply the addition of pure trace elements in the proper concentration for your system.
Woah! High school chemistry flashback...Sorta?
In short, it’s a quantum leap forward in reef aquarium management. We like to call it “Empowered Reefkeeping” - making husbandry decisions for your reef solely on factual data- and it’s changing the way we are thinking about keeping corals in our aquariums. Triton’s “method” requires us to let go of some long-held preconceptions, such as the need for regular water changes as a primary means of nutrient export and trace element replenishment. That’s a HUGE thing for an old salt like me to let go of..If you read my writings and attend my lectures, you KNOW I’m pretty much obsessed with water changes.
The Triton thing is changing my mind..
"What? Has Fellman fallen victim to a fad- a cult- the 'next big trend?' " Well, the “next big thing" you could call it, perhaps…But I assure you that I’m just as cranky, skeptical, and objectively engaged as ever.
But spending time with Eshan after MACNA got me thinking.
Why do we change water in our reefs? Well, to export nutrients, metabolites, and replenish trace elements. At least, that’s what we’ve grown up to believe. Eshan proffers that water changes create- get this- variables that can potentially negatively impact our reefs. Why? Think about it. Every time you change water, you’re actually changing the chemical characteristics of your reef- forcing corals to make adaptations. Trace elements contained in salt mixes are being “replenished”, or, in some cases, removed, through changes. We don’t really even know in what proportions. We had Triton test some commercial salt mixes, and were stunned to find many of them were utterly defficient- or even lacking some of the trace elements they were purported to have in the mixed samples we sent. Some had trace elements considered potentially detrimental at levels that were way over natural reef levels. Inconsistency was high, at the very least. Yikes.
Trace elements are vital to coral health and growth. I’m not talking about calcium here- I’m talking about stuff like Zinc, Manganese, Vanadium, etc. Some stuff is actually toxic or detrimental to corals- and it’s coming in and accumulating with water changes. We sent Ehsan samples of our propagation systems’ water for analysis, and quite frankly, were shocked by the results. Utterly lacking in some vital trace elements- too high on others. And we feel that we practice above-average husbandry technique on our systems- particularly water changes.
I am not- and will not-make damaging and dismissive statements about commercial reef salt mixes, so don’t look for that poop here. We are not blaming the salt mixes. This isn't an alarmist, "anti-salt-mix-rant" (I can hear a certain detractor now...). That’s not the point. I’m not qualified, trained, nor interested in making such a statement. In fact, our information was gleaned by only a test or two on each of the salt mixes we used- hardly sufficient to draw conclusions. The results could have been skewed by a bad batch of salt, storage, the way we mixed them, or any number of factors. Nonetheless, it got our attention. In order to make statements about any mix, detailed, professionally administered and constructed long-term trials under strict scientific controls would need to be conducted. I’m simply telling you what we found out in a few tests.
The major point here is that by changing water with any brand of salt mix, you’re creating some potential variables that can affect your corals’ health, especially if you jump from brand to brand. Here’s a case for brand loyalty if I ever saw one. Triton suggests that trace elements need to be maintained at NSW levels, and I see their reasoning. The idea is that you can utilize any brand of salt mix you like, but also utilize an initial “base” of trace elements in the proper NSW ratios to “get things going”, then have regular water tests conducted for the first few months as you “fine tune” your trace elements to achieve NSW levels in your system.
Time for me to part ways with my beloved siphon hose? hmm..at least time to rethink the relationship...
Magic potions? Crazy claims? That’s what I thought at first, until I got my head around it, and saw the results. It’s hard to argue with fact- and that’s what Triton does. It's a certain leap of faith to jump into something simply because it makes sense to you. Triton is sort of evolved simplicity, really. It eliminates guesswork and vagueness, focusing solely on the “real time” parameters in your reef. It’s basically doing what we FELT that we were doing all of these years with water changes, “combined trace element solutions”, and additives- but in the correct amounts necessary to make our individual systems thrive. The neat thing is, you’re not subscribing to an endless repertoire of water tests, and purchasing endless quantities of vague solutions or dozens of trace elements to create success. You're merely giving your reef exactly what it needs, and removing what it doesn't....nothing more, and nothing less.
Yes, Triton performs the tests for a fee. They're a business. You will need to test more frequently while your getting your parameters dialed in, add only the pure trace elements in amounts that are dictated for your system as a result of the test, and then you follow some basic husbandry procedures, monitoring water parameters less frequently. You likely will only need to add a few trace elements from the twenty-something Triton tests for. And yeah, if you can find lab grade Vanadium, Manganese, etc, you can utilize them from any source. Triton does happen to sell them, of course, which makes it easy. The money and energy saved by NOT having to throw random additives into your system, making water changes, etc. more than makes up for the modest fees for testing the water periodically.
Obviously, the next question is- “How do you export nutrients, then?”
Easy. Triton espouses utilizing the time-honored concept of the macroalgae-based refugium, coupled with the continuous use of protein skimming, chemical filtration media, such as activated carbon and GFO (both aluminum and iron base- as these can affect water chemistry!). You top off with RO/DI water like you always have. You keep a hefty population of fishes in your reef, and feed them heavily. You use one food that you're comfortable with, as multiple foods can introduce varying levels of - you guessed it- trace elements, minerals etc- all of which can potentially affect water chemistry.
Is it time for the rebirth of the macro algae refugium?
The theory is that once you get things dialed in, the corals will utilize all of the metabolic waste products of the fishes more efficiently for food, as well as whatever is produced in the refugium. Metabolic waste is consumed efficiently by the macro algae, skimming, and chemical filtration. Yes, trace elements will also be consumed and/or change, but at measurable rates, far less than what you'd see under “traditional” husbandry regimens involving water changes, additives, etc.
It all sounds very weird- very regimented, right? Sounds like some of those other "systems" we've loved to read and ridicule over the years, right? Well, it is different than what we are used to. But on the other hand- it’s not THAT different from what we’re trying to achieve with all of the husbandry elements we’ve been doing for the past three decades of reef keeping: Attempting to achieve environmental stability for our animals, high water quality, and maintenance regimens that make OUR lives easier, too. It’s merely a “deconstructed”- or should I say- “reconstructed” -way to achieve the goals we’ve all been striking for using more “traditional” techniques. The results we have seen have been stunning.
One of Ehsan's reefs. Easily replicated through his methods?
It’s predicated upon removing as many variables as possible. Actually, by making reef keeping LESS complicated.
There are obviously more subtleties, more questions, more to learn. We are embracing this technique in our own systems, both for growing corals, and in several display tanks in our facilities. Our corals can speak for themselves, and our display tanks, which are just getting underway, will serve as further testbeds. We believe that this concept makes a lot of sense, and that the stunning results we’ve seen in Europe can readily be replicated here. It’s not THE way to be successful…it’s A way to be successful. Joe and I are traveling to Germany next week to see the results in person. We will have a lot more to report in the coming months.
We're going to Germany to see for ourselves.
And yes, soon we will be making Triton's tests and other products available in the U.S. for hobbyists to work with. We really believe in this stuff. It starts by grasping the concepts, doing some water testing, and evolves from there. A big part of it will be getting a grasp on what it's all about..freeing your mind from what you know to be “the way” as it stands. There will be a learning curve, controversy, debate, and people who want to “modify” or “ad lib” the system, employing “fusions” of methodologies…which may or may not vary the results you'll see being accomplished by others- and make things complicated- something that this method tries NOT to do. So we aren’t going to deviate from the methods that work so well for many in Europe. We're going to walk the walk.
We believe that the best reef keepers are informed ones, empowered by factual information, not trends - and that Triton can be a major step forward for many reefers- an evolution, not a fad. We are excited about the idea, not just because it’s another thing to sell. It’s because it’s a mindset- a methodology that is in line with our values of “conscientious, sustainable, responsible.” Surprisingly simple, undeniably elegant, and utterly outside of our hobby “comfort zone.” Unlike many who have proffered the concept of “easy! No water changes, etc. etc.!” in the past, this methodology is grounded in fact, and has proven itself out in practice.
This is just the start...We look forward to sharing and discussing more about this in the coming months.
The future is here. We figure that we just need to run with it.
Stay empowered. Stay skeptical. Stay engaged.
and..
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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