Large Triton Reef

[CapAquaATX]

Hey ya'll!

We recently redid this 650 gallon bowfront reef to include a whole new filtration setup and starting using the Triton method. The tank's algae issues have all disappeared, coral growth and color is great, and I'm incredibly pleased with the fuge. We are currently dosing 506mL of solution daily (spread over 23 separate doses) with weekly additions of Manganese, Iodine, and Vanadium.

Attached is a pic of the reef and two of the refugium. The fuge is 105 gallons, lit by (3) Kessil A360 Tuna Blue fixtures, and has a miracle mud substrate. Flow is handled by a return from the sump and supplemented by a Maxspect Gyre. The life in the fuge is astonishing and we have species of Caulerpa (which has taken over currently), chaeto, dragon's breathe, and gracilaria.

I have loved my experience with Triton professionally and will try to keep ya'll updated!

John

 

[Jonty]

Is that Calerpa in the filter, what will you do when it goes asexual???

 

[Chrisboling]

that looks cool, I am fixing to redo my sum and fug looking for ideas

 

[CapAquaATX]

@Jonty I'm never particularly worried about Caulerpa, it seems to only go sexual if you do something to force it (temp is a big one). If it every got to that point I can take the refugium off the system, pull whatever I need to, and waterchange it 100%. The chaeto is growing but incredibly slow comparatively.

I also know people run their lights 24/7 to try to prevent it but I feel like a dark period is incredibly important. My lights run 18 hours on, 6 hours dark (in the middle of the day to minimize pH swing)

 

[gpwdr]

 

[Tim@Triton]

Is that Calerpa in the filter, what will you do when it goes asexual???

Caluerpa tends to go sexual as a final hoorar when things are not favourable for it, this can be things like zero nutrients, over crowding or other unfavourable conditions, a healthy algae bed given everything if needs will perform great and over in Europe we have been running this way for many years with no problems.

 

[CapAquaATX]

Sorry if I wasn't clear earlier but same idea as Tim said. Going sexual is akin to coral bleaching and is a species saving mechanism. The constant addition of phosphate and nitrate (this tank has a lot of fish) plus the elements in Core7 grow algae like crazy. If I ever saw the algae declining I might debride it to a manageable point.

Miracle mud also recommends Caulerpa.