Starting with Triton advice please

[Magicmuggle]

Hi Guys,

I have just set up a new tank and it is currently going through a cycle via Red Sea Mature kit and I would like to transition to full Triton method when this cycle is finished but I'm unsure as to the next steps? I should be finished my cycle next week in which I plan on adding the following live stock,

1 x ball of chaeto algae
2 x Clown fish
8 x blue leg hermits
4 x Red leg hermits
10 x various snail species
1 x emerald crab

I plan on slowly increasing the livestock to 6 fish in total over the next 6-12 months and won't be adding any corals till atleast the 6 months mark as I am aiming for stability first, so I am looking for the following advice, do I start full Triton straight away eventho I won't have any corals for atleast 6 months? How often should I test icp when only fish only for 6 months? Any other advice is appreciated.

System
Red Sea Reefer 200xl Deluxe
Dumped modified for triton
20kg dry rock
10kg Red Sea Live Sand
Return Pump TMC reef 4000l, set at 3000lph
Wave maker TMC reef tide 8000
Skimmer-Bubble Magus Curve 5
refugium Light- Tunze Echo Chic

 

[Righteous]

Sounds like the perfect plan to me. I wouldn’t start dosing triton until coral is added. Although if you do start to see coralline algae growth you might want to start checking your alkalinity.

As for ICP I would always start off with one, make sure there’s nothing funky in your water that you might struggle with later. I’d probably then do another right before adding coral. If you have active chaeto growth you may find some elements need replenishing, sometimes potassium drops out, though it seems to vary tank to tank.

And I think it’s a good idea to get a couple of hardy stony corals when you start, and then monitor alkalinity daily. You should start to see it drop, and that’ll give you a starting point in your dosing.

When you do start dosing, avoid the temptation to dose the parts in different quantities. It may look like alkalinity is dropping faster than calcium, but that’s almost always an illusion. Stick to stead doses of all parts evenly based on your daily alkalinity drop, and you’ll be golden.

 

[Righteous]

I’ll also add that if you’ve started with a lot of live rock, in my experience you could get some hardy LPS to start as soon as the cycle is complete. I love starting with something like a meteor shower Cyphastrea, or a leptoseris even. In my experience they’re almost bullet proof.

 

[K7BMG]

Hold off on the chaeto it wont grow or most likley die off.
There will not be enough nutrients in the tank for it to grow and thrive.

If you follow the Triton method per instruction you should be dosing now.
Obviously in small starting amounts that is.

If your having trouble finding the information the best Triton documents can be found on BRS website on the Trident product page.

These documents from Triton give clear directions on starting up.
I have no idea why they are not more readily available on the Triton website.

By the way I have started two tanks with the Triton method.

 

[Righteous]

Hold off on the chaeto it wont grow or most likley die off.
There will not be enough nutrients in the tank for it to grow and thrive.

If you follow the Triton method per instruction you should be dosing now.
Obviously in small starting amounts that is.

If your having trouble finding the information the best Triton documents can be found on BRS website on the Trident product page.

These documents from Triton give clear directions on starting up.
I have no idea why they are not more readily available on the Triton website.

By the way I have started two tanks with the Triton method.

I have to disagree with a lot of this.

First off, if he adds small amount of chaeto along with 2 clowns and feeds them well, I would not expect a lot of die off. In fact it’s a perfect method for establishing his refugium.

Second, please do not dose without measuring your alkalinity. The goal is to maintain your alkalinity between 7-8dkh. If you have zero coral and no coralline there’s nothing that will be utilizing the calcium and carbonate. If you blindly start dosing Triton even small amounts you might find yourself with sky high levels in a short amount of time.

 

[lafarrow]

My red ogo was introduced after cycle to suck up nitrates and it is going gangbusters and doing as anticipated. Nitrates and phosphate dropping. Did a water change for the last bit and getting ready for fish. I’m looking for triton as well and not dosing until I add corals and see depletion

 

[Magicmuggle]

Thanks for all your input guys, I must say I'm inclined to still add the chaeto when I add the first fish and CUC, then just conduct regular water changes of 10% per week till I decide to add corals and then implement full triton, I will of course do ICP test prior to adding any corals and adjust accordingly. That's my thinking at the moment anyway whether it turns out right or wrong.
I think Triton could have a lot better instructions and video advice for there products as most competitors do and there website is extremely poor to navigate.

 

[Righteous]

I noticed you also said you started with mostly dry rock. Especially early on the dry rock can be a big phosphate sync (some actually come with Phospate already bound in the outer layer). If you didn’t do a acid wash of the rocks, I’d also start off running GFO if you’re chaeto isn’t keeping your phosphates on the very low side (aim around 0.03ppm). Dry rock is notorious for having hair algae problems early on.

 

[lafarrow]

Thanks for all your input guys, I must say I'm inclined to still add the chaeto when I add the first fish and CUC, then just conduct regular water changes of 10% per week till I decide to add corals and then implement full triton, I will of course do ICP test prior to adding any corals and adjust accordingly. That's my thinking at the moment anyway whether it turns out right or wrong.

as long as you understand your reason for doing you’ll be fine. Or at least willing to accept the consequences of the lesson learned, right?