How much maintenance does the Trident require?

[Joe31415]

For the last few years I've had a Mastertronic. While I really like it, the inconveniences are starting to make this more work than it's worth. The maintenance, the expensive consumables, everything metal rusting etc. And heaving forbid a vial overflows...it does not handle overflows with grace.

In any case, what I'm curious about is how much work the Trident requires. With the mastertronic it seems like there's *always* something that needs to be done. Is the Trident this bad? For example, the mastertronic has 3 parts that require regular re calibration. You can ignore it, but then you don't get the test results via notification and you get alerted about the maintenance every 12 hours until you do it. In fact, during one of my email exchanges with them, I specifically asked them to allow us to snooze those notifications. There's no reason to wake me up at 3am to tell me a vial is empty or a pump needs to be calibrated.

With everything metal inside this unit, specifically the linear guide rails, rusting, I have a feeling it's on borrowed time. I really like automated testing, but I'm curious if the Trident is going to be a lateral move with just as many issues. Or is there something else out there I should be considering?

 

[Frags 2 Fishes]

The key thing with the trident is keeping up with things. If you let reagent go empty for several days you will likely need to clean the feed lines or you will have sample issues. Periodically checking the tubing is fully inserted in the manifold in the back of the unit is a good practice to prevent leaks and pinch valves from going bad.

We run about 12 of them at my store and haven't had any issues unless it was a unit where we left in an "error" state for multiple days.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Besides calibration at every reagent change, I clean the cuvette once a year. I also test at half the preset minimum frequency, so the wear on the components is half as well. It takes a few months to get comfortable with it, and its quirks imo. But good overall. I have two of them.

 

[Joe31415]

This is probably the route I'll go. As much as I really do like the Mastertronic, it's starting to become more of a headache than it's worth.

 

[reely989]

I always thought the trident was pretty finicky. I'd get failed tests somewhat often and have to troubleshoot. This wouldn't be a big deal, but I feel like they made the thing way harder to access and maintain than needed. It's still a pretty good unit though. If I was still on Apex I'd have another one.

 

[Joe31415]

but I feel like they made the thing way harder to access and maintain than needed.

It can't possibly be harder than it is with the Mastertronic. You can see those two blue pumps, but there's a third one to the right, partially blocked by the plastic case. This whole thing has to be dissembled to access it, as well as some other things. It's bad enough that it's not uncommon for people to remove part of the case with a dremel to get access to that pump from the front. It should've come from the factory with that section notched out. A pump that takes a few seconds to remove and replace shouldn't take an afternoon to gain access to, not in this situation.

 

[Joe31415]

Interestingly, both the fish stores I regularly shop at, which both had shelves of Neptune gear the last time I walked past them, had none yesterday. Both stores, no Neptune gear at all. What's odd is that over the last year or so I noticed both of them increasing their Neptune stock and one (or maybe both) had been integrating Neptune gear into some of their display tanks.

On the plus side, that's a good thing for me since I'm impulsive and if they had it in stock, I probably would've bought it, knowing full well I should probably wait to see if it goes on sale in the next few weeks.

 

[Troylee]

Interestingly, both the fish stores I regularly shop at, which both had shelves of Neptune gear the last time I walked past them, had none yesterday. Both stores, no Neptune gear at all. What's odd is that over the last year or so I noticed both of them increasing their Neptune stock and one (or maybe both) had been integrating Neptune gear into some of their display tanks.

On the plus side, that's a good thing for me since I'm impulsive and if they had it in stock, I probably would've bought it, knowing full well I should probably wait to see if it goes on sale in the next few weeks.

Aqua cave has Neptune products for 20% off currently as a Black Friday sale.. not sure if tridents were on that list.

 

[Joe31415]

Aqua cave has Neptune products for 20% off currently as a Black Friday sale.. not sure if tridents were on that list.

Looks like it's only for the DOS, same as BRS.

 

[Joe31415]

Well, yesterday the Mastertronic annoyed me again, so I went ahead an ordered the Trident and Apex. Should be here tomorrow. I'm half looking forward to dismantling the Mastertronic, but I'm not sure how worthwhile that'll be. It's got the bad pumps that ruin the peristaltic tubing and leak, so I don't have much use for them. The other pump is getting louder, the rails are covered in rust etc. I guess I'm more curious to see how bad some of the problem with it actually are.

On the plus side, I think whole thing is being run by a Raspberry Pi...so, "free" RPi, I guess.

 

[Cliff717]

I have two tridents currently. Two weeks ago I put the DIY rebuild kit into one of them. It was very easy to do, and that was the first time I touched it in probably two years. I religiously make sure I calibrate the trident every time I change reagents. And I make sure That it never stays in error state for more than 24 hours. It needs to continually be doing tests at least once a day. Or else reagent or sample lines dry up in the hose and create a blockage. Most of these blockage can be fixed with a syringe and some RO water. Other than that, both of mine have run flawlessly.

 

[Hossman]

For the last few years I've had a Mastertronic. While I really like it, the inconveniences are starting to make this more work than it's worth. The maintenance, the expensive consumables, everything metal rusting etc. And heaving forbid a vial overflows...it does not handle overflows with grace.

In any case, what I'm curious about is how much work the Trident requires. With the mastertronic it seems like there's *always* something that needs to be done. Is the Trident this bad? For example, the mastertronic has 3 parts that require regular re calibration. You can ignore it, but then you don't get the test results via notification and you get alerted about the maintenance every 12 hours until you do it. In fact, during one of my email exchanges with them, I specifically asked them to allow us to snooze those notifications. There's no reason to wake me up at 3am to tell me a vial is empty or a pump needs to be calibrated.

With everything metal inside this unit, specifically the linear guide rails, rusting, I have a feeling it's on borrowed time. I really like automated testing, but I'm curious if the Trident is going to be a lateral move with just as many issues. Or is there something else out there I should be considering?

I've had the Trident now for about three years. the maintenance and Testing solution seems to work pretty good. every two months you swap out three Reagents. Monthly you do the alkalinity reagent. pretty easy to do when you swap them out every two months it comes with recalibration solution. the only thing I've noticed is the last week or two the levels could start to drift a little bit and in your head, you know That it's either a little lower or a little higher than what it says. Pretty easy maintenance wise. the only issue I've had during that three year. I did have to buy a rebuild kit one of my hoses started to leak and the reagent froze up one of my solenoid valves. So when I when I rebuilt the Trident with the new hoses I also put it in the printed reef trident case. this makes it so much easier to work on and change reagents. i'm looking now to get the Trident MP so I can test nitrate and phosphates daily. I hope this helps, I've been super happy with it.

 

[Trave]

I've had the Trident now for about three years. the maintenance and Testing solution seems to work pretty good. every two months you swap out three Reagents. Monthly you do the alkalinity reagent. pretty easy to do when you swap them out every two months it comes with recalibration solution. the only thing I've noticed is the last week or two the levels could start to drift a little bit and in your head, you know That it's either a little lower or a little higher than what it says. Pretty easy maintenance wise. the only issue I've had during that three year. I did have to buy a rebuild kit one of my hoses started to leak and the reagent froze up one of my solenoid valves. So when I when I rebuilt the Trident with the new hoses I also put it in the printed reef trident case. this makes it so much easier to work on and change reagents. i'm looking now to get the Trident MP so I can test nitrate and phosphates daily. I hope this helps, I've been super happy with it.

It sounds like you've had a good experience with the Trident.

 

[Joe31415]

I've had it now for, what, almost a month and so far I like it. I haven't spent much time with it, so all it's doing right now is testing the water a few times a day and monitoring some parameters, but right now I haven't played with it beyond that.
It certainly seems like it should be a lot more reliable than the Mastertronic though.

I think the only downside I've noticed so far is that it emits a really high pitched whine when it's testing. Luckily, I have it in a different room from me, so just closing the door makes it a bit less piercing, but I can still hear it running and it runs for a long time. I'm considering lining a box with sound deadening material that I can set over the Trident, but I'm not sure that'll cut down on such high frequency noises.

 

[DanC40]

For the last few years I've had a Mastertronic. While I really like it, the inconveniences are starting to make this more work than it's worth. The maintenance, the expensive consumables, everything metal rusting etc. And heaving forbid a vial overflows...it does not handle overflows with grace.

In any case, what I'm curious about is how much work the Trident requires. With the mastertronic it seems like there's *always* something that needs to be done. Is the Trident this bad? For example, the mastertronic has 3 parts that require regular re calibration. You can ignore it, but then you don't get the test results via notification and you get alerted about the maintenance every 12 hours until you do it. In fact, during one of my email exchanges with them, I specifically asked them to allow us to snooze those notifications. There's no reason to wake me up at 3am to tell me a vial is empty or a pump needs to be calibrated.

With everything metal inside this unit, specifically the linear guide rails, rusting, I have a feeling it's on borrowed time. I really like automated testing, but I'm curious if the Trident is going to be a lateral move with just as many issues. Or is there something else out there I should be considering?

My experience manual testing is cheaper and easier. It's been nothing but errors on a trident I have 2 Had one it broke less than 3 months bough another. One. Seems like they are more of a hassle than worth. Accuracy is hit and miss could be running fine then all of a sudden u get a fail and you have to take it apart and clean the lines. So for me the money spent would have been better put. To use. Over apex as a whole is not worth it. It's a great idea just poor quality built. Just do search on how many ppl are looking for answer for a multitude of issue. You solve one and then another one pops up. I have two a2 1 a3 pro a classic and an el. Sensors will go bad quickly. Nothing seems to last past two years. In order to fix you have to spend more. Oh and Reagant ongoing expense. I never done old school low tech but seems like it's less work and more peace of mind as long as you have good husbandry skills. But if u want to be high tech be prepared to spend countless hours troubleshooting errors or failures. Overall experience a D for dang should of saved my money and not believe the hype. Nothing worth it is easy so the illusion that it will make it easier is just not true. My 2 cent and I hope Neptune see this cause I been trying to reach them to get them to help fix a broken apex. All I get is automated message talking about we haven't heard from you so we gonna close the ticket. Trash.