Full Triton Method?

[esther]

How many of you out there are doing the full Triton Method? Have you been documenting your experience in a thread? If so, drop the link here. Curious as to everyone's experience. How long into your tank did you start the method?

 

[csb123]

I did the Triton method for a year. I found that I would intermittently get high levels of metals, and have to do prescribed water changes. After looking at my notes that, averaged over a year, I was doing 20% per month water changes. I switched to automatic water changes and it turned out to be a bit cheaper, more stable, and my corals are happier. Subsequent Triton tests never showed any elevated metal levels.

 

[esther]

I did the Triton method for a year. I found that I would intermittently get high levels of metals, and have to do prescribed water changes. After looking at my notes that, averaged over a year, I was doing 20% per month water changes. I switched to automatic water changes and it turned out to be a bit cheaper, more stable, and my corals are happier. Subsequent Triton tests never showed any elevated metal levels.

Why do you think that was? (the high metals) Did you ever figure out the culprit?

 

[csb123]

Never figured out the culprit, and I real tried...

 

[bar|none]

See my build thread Linked on my profile.

i have not done a water change in over 1.5 months and tank has never been better. That said I am starting continuous automated water change program starting this weekend but it will be quite low volume. I am thinking 10 gallons a month. When you start full triton it takes a bit to figure out trace dosing and solve maybe problems with contaminants like metals. But after a period of months you can really dial it in and water changes are either not needed, or done less frequently. I am only doing continuous low volume to make sure nothing is building up that does not show up in icp test.

 

[csb123]

I would check out the BRS video from this week, BRS 160 update “How we failed.” It includes a discussion of why the Triton method failed for them.

 

[bar|none]

Thats good advise ^^^. I think that every method you need to think through whether it resonates with your personality. Does it make sense to you? Will you do it?

Triton is fairly complex because you need to maintain the refugium, which to me is easy because it makes sense to me, and I've learned to basically not touch it except for removing excess macro as it grows.

I also think you need to do the following which is not obvious.

1. Pick a salt mix that is very reliable params (especially traces).
2. ICP test your fresh mix to figure out what to dose to make that mix your target
3. Follow the Triton directions on weekly dosing (The downside here is that to make it simple, you need to use Triton products (There is no translation given to other products) )

That said...I'm 8 months in and just finishing my first CORE 7 batch.

 

[esther]

See my build thread Linked on my profile.

i have not done a water change in over 1.5 months and tank has never been better. That said I am starting continuous automated water change program starting this weekend but it will be quite low volume. I am thinking 10 gallons a month. When you start full triton it takes a bit to figure out trace dosing and solve maybe problems with contaminants like metals. But after a period of months you can really dial it in and water changes are either not needed, or done less frequently. I am only doing continuous low volume to make sure nothing is building up that does not show up in icp test.

How often are you doing ICP tests? Gonna go check out your build thread now. Thanks!

 

[bar|none]

How often are you doing ICP tests? Gonna go check out your build thread now. Thanks!

First 6 months once a month. Every two months now.

 

[myakuel]

I ordered the 220 waterbox in nov 2019, and it will be arriving this week. im trying to think it out as much as possible before i get water in the tank. I have previously used 2part solution to maintain cal and alk but am thinking about doing the triton method for this new build. do you think the refugium in the sump is large enough for the method or are you running a pax bellum or some other type of reactor? can i use a klir 7 and do triton?
appreciate your advice
thanks
Michael

 

[bar|none]

Triton specifies fuge area for macro that is at least 10% of total water volume. Can you reserve that? From my experience you can downsize your skimmer and lose the filter socks as well to optimize room for macro grow area. Im not sure about macro reactors. I have heard on this forum that algae scrubbers are not really a complete replacement for a true macro fuge area. Would reactors work the same? Running without filter socks for instance means that a lot of organics end up breaking down in the macro grow area of the fuge. You will probably love how concentrated the triton reagents are compared with two part. Just some thoughts.

 

[myakuel]

i have seen the pax bellum reactor running with triton core 7 on my lfs tanks and they look great. from what i have seen, that specific reactor is made to work with the triton method. honestly i like keeping a refugium( had a nice sized one for about 10years on my last tank) but i am not sure if the section in my new waterbox 220 will be big enough for what i need. i was thinking about using the klir auto roller as well, can i run that and still do the triton method? do i use the other methods bottles?