9% Refugium Size w/ Kessil H380

[Andy G]

Hi Tim@Triton, and other Triton Experts.

I want to start Triton Method.

I have have a RedSea 350, total 90gal - 73 display and 18 gal sump.

My refugium is about ~9% of display tank volume (not considering live rock), once I take off the socks.

The minimum 10% Triton requirement considers the DT size, or do we extract the aprox. volume of the rocks?

I splited my original sump central space in two.

Placed the refugium first with a Kessil H380, and then the skimmer in the back. Afterwards comes the return chamber with carbon/gfo reactor and UV.

Do you think this will work considering that I have such a powerful refugium light? I'm worried by being a bit lower on the refugium size %.

Will I need to have an oversized skimmer? My current skimmer is rated for a 90g heavily stocked, which might be borderline.

Really want to give Triton Method a try, and be successful.

Thanks so much in advance!

Andy

 

[Andy G]

No one? Any comments suggestions please?

 

[justingraham]

I would love to help u but I don’t know that answer I mean sure u can do the triton method but u might be better off using the “other methods” as 10% is the min and I also see u have a ur light

My thoughts as I do not have a Red Sea tank

Ur light is nice I will say that and it should grow chetto

For the Skimmer I went bigger with a dc pump ran on 3 instead of 5 so I wouldn’t have to upgrade my Skimmer if I needed more out of it.

Have u searched triton method on a Red Sea tank? I know the Red Sea aquarist are great at telling everyone what they do


Either way good luck
Justin

 

[Teddyboy16]

Andy,
Refugium size is approximate. They are guidelines and not etched in stone. 10% of 73 gallons is 7.3 gallons. If your at 9%, that would give you 6.57 gallons to work with. 1% shy of the minimum isn't going to make you not be successful with it. You can also use a Algae reactor in addition to your refugium. Use gfo as needed on your tank and not continually. Consider introducing the algae and halving the gfo then in another couple of weeks after the algae has established remove it completely.

The skimmer you have should be fine if you plan on heavily stocking the tank with fish. Your tank doesn't look heavily stocked with fish as they are the ones that will produce a lot of waste from feeding. If you correctly sized the skimmer for the tank to start with, then it should be ok. Do a test before starting the core 7 supplements. Start with the recommended dosing and observe how the tank looks. Test again after you've started using core7 to see where consumption is at.

Your H380 is a great refugium light. Just know that your sump is going to look really messy after a while.

 

[Andy G]

Andy,
Refugium size is approximate. They are guidelines and not etched in stone. 10% of 73 gallons is 7.3 gallons. If your at 9%, that would give you 6.57 gallons to work with. 1% shy of the minimum isn't going to make you not be successful with it. You can also use a Algae reactor in addition to your refugium. Use gfo as needed on your tank and not continually. Consider introducing the algae and halving the gfo then in another couple of weeks after the algae has established remove it completely.

The skimmer you have should be fine if you plan on heavily stocking the tank with fish. Your tank doesn't look heavily stocked with fish as they are the ones that will produce a lot of waste from feeding. If you correctly sized the skimmer for the tank to start with, then it should be ok. Do a test before starting the core 7 supplements. Start with the recommended dosing and observe how the tank looks. Test again after you've started using core7 to see where consumption is at.

Your H380 is a great refugium light. Just know that your sump is going to look really messy after a while.

Thanks so much for taking the time to guide me. I really appreciate it.
Re-my sump looking messy - you mean because of excess grow? I had the H80 and upgraded to this because the other did not make chaeto grow.

Also one of my main questions is how do you keep a clean sump with Triton - even now that I'm doing water changes every 2 weeks my sumps walls get full of hair algae.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ReefingwithO]

I think you'll be fine especially with that light. I have the same tank, the Red Sea Reefer 350 running full Triton.

I use a Pax Bellum reactor which holds less than a gallon and I use the ATO container as a Refugium which is about 2.5 gallons. I tried using the H380 above the refugium on the right and I burned the cheato, I didn't have the room to put the light more than 4 or so inches above the cheato. The light was too strong. I got a H80 instead. The photo below is when I was using a UFO grow light.

My parameters are within Triton recommendations and I have 16 fish in my tank so I'm heavily stocked.

I also oversized my skimmer. I'm using a Vertex Omega 180i. But it will take a lot of room. Those Nyos skimmers are nice and a lot slimmer.

 

[Teddyboy16]

Sump refugiums just get messy from all the growth and dertritus that tends to collect in them. Not that that is a bad thing.

Hair algae likes the light you have on it. The refugium algae will usually out compete the hair algae for light and nutrients as they start to establish themselves. You just set it up so you need to get some chaeto in there to start it off. The hair algae will start to subside after a while. Clean up the sump area and consider getting some chaeto to see if you can get it established for a week or two before starting core7. It looks like you have enough light and nutrients for the hair algae so the chaeto should start to dominate if everything else is in line.

 

[Andy G]

Sump refugiums just get messy from all the growth and dertritus that tends to collect in them. Not that that is a bad thing.

Hair algae likes the light you have on it. The refugium algae will usually out compete the hair algae for light and nutrients as they start to establish themselves. You just set it up so you need to get some chaeto in there to start it off. The hair algae will start to subside after a while. Clean up the sump area and consider getting some chaeto to see if you can get it established for a week or two before starting core7. It looks like you have enough light and nutrients for the hair algae so the chaeto should start to dominate if everything else is in line.

Thanks so much.

I do have a big chaeto ball, it was half the size about 6 weeks ago when i set up the refugium.

The problem is that it's turning white, I've read that is due tos too much light, or it needs more nutrients?

I just took of the filter socks today to see if i get more nutrients.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Andy G]

Just trimmed the chaeto, and cleaned the sump.
Now it looks happy [emoji3], no more white.

 

[teller]

Just trimmed the chaeto, and cleaned the sump.
Now it looks happy [emoji3], no more white.

That is a perfect ball.;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[Joe Batt]

Hi Andy,

It looks like you are running a Reefer 350? I am in the process of also converting to the Triton method on the Reefer 350. I looked at your layout myself and decided to get a sump built with a larger refugium (it works out at 15% for me with the new sump). I am looking at putting the Kessil H380 over the refugium also but have a few concerns that maybe you could help me with.

The space I will have above the refugium waterline is 38cm (15 inches). I am worried with hanging the 380, that it will be getting close to the water and might burn the cheato. Could you tell me how far to the bottom of the H380 from the ceiling in the cabinet, please. I am assuming you are just hanging it from a hook? Alternatively just the size of the H380 from bottom to top including the hanging ring.....I have looked but can't find the dimensions

Thank you so much