The unofficial "Triton Method For Dummies" - a great read!

[Sangheili]

I'm not having ant luck downloading this guide via my iPad. Is it anywhere else?

Try this: http://1drv.ms/1DNXcr7

 

[Fishinwall]

Can Kalk be used with the Triton method in a 65 gal tank?

 

[Oscaror]

no water changes?!
ARE YOU TELLING ME I DON'T NEED TO DO WATER CHANGES?!
Count me in

 

[Fishinwall]

Can Kalk be used with the Triton method in a 65 gal tank?

Hello, anyone?

 

[twilliard]

Kalk is not needed with the triton method when dosing the Elementz

 

[Fishinwall]

If you don't do water changes with the Triton Method, how does one remove detritus buildup without removing water as well?

 

[twilliard]

You can use a pump to suck it up and spit it into a filter sock

 

[gpwdr]

 

[Fishinwall]

Hmm I'd like to see photos of what others use.

 

[lexinverts]

If you don't do water changes with the Triton Method, how does one remove detritus buildup without removing water as well?

It's not like you cannot, ever, do water changes if you are using the Triton Method. You just don't need to do use them for replenishing trace elements. If you want to suck out detritus once every couple of weeks, go for it. Replace the water with some new water prepared with the recommended Fauna Marin Pro Reef salt and you are good to go.

As another example, I use ChemiClean once in a while in my Triton Tanks if I see any spots of cyano, and I have to do a water change to get the Chemiclean out of my system when it has run its course. Same thing when you need tank water for drip-acclimating new fish and corals. Avoid doing large water changes, and avoid using untested salt mixes, but just do what you have to do to maintain your reef.

 

[gpwdr]

If you don't do water changes with the Triton Method, how does one remove detritus buildup without removing water as well?

Water changes aren't needed with this method.
However, I siphoned out the detritus in the refugium once in the last eight months. So the water siphoned out would be a water change.
I had some excess chemicals in my test so I needed some water changes with Pure salt.
A week ago I put a pump in the refugium to suspend the detritus in the water column as coral food.
Now I'm going to take the pump out and put a lot of star serpents in the refugium, because when I'm snorkeling in a reef and I flip a big rock over I always see a bunch of star serpents and brittle stars under the rock where the detritus settles.
Maybe with the star serpents I won't even have to siphon out the excess detritus once every eight months.

I started Triton last December. These corals where frags nine months ago.

 

[Fishinwall]

Water changes aren't needed with this method.
However, I siphoned out the detritus in the refugium once in the last eight months. So the water siphoned out would be a water change.
I had some excess chemicals in my test so I needed some water changes with Pure salt.
A week ago I put a pump in the refugium to suspend the detritus in the water column as coral food.
Now I'm going to take the pump out and put a lot of star serpents in the refugium, because when I'm snorkeling in a reef and I flip a big rock over I always see a bunch of star serpents and brittle stars under the rock where the detritus settles.
Maybe with the star serpents I won't even have to siphon out the excess detritus once every eight months.

I started Triton last December. These corals where frags nine months ago.

Nice.
How big is your tank?

Ok if it isn't as often I guess that will be ok. I just don't want to buy expensive salt just to keep making it in order to suck out detritus.

Certainly I forgot I'll need some for acclimation.

 

[gpwdr]

120 gallons

Not all water is replaced with "Pure" brand of salt. Triton recommends Tropic Marine Pro for most salt water replacement.
I'm a dummies and I'm able to grow beautiful corals with this method. The other reef keeping methods I used over the years haven't worked as well.
Gene

 

[Fishinwall]

120 gallons

Not all water is replaced with "Pure" brand of salt. Triton recommends Tropic Marine Pro for most salt water replacement.
I'm a dummies and I'm able to grow beautiful corals with this method. The other reef keeping methods I used over the years haven't worked as well.
Gene

Thanks
Mine is a 65 gal. So I wonder if I could really go 8 months before siphoning. I started with Tropic Marin but switched to Red Sea Pro to save some cash. I'm running low on Red Sea now. Not sure what I'll buy next but I do hate to keep changing brands. Although besides a torch coral And anemone and some zoa. I don't have much to lose right now.
I just bought an Apex to control my tank temp.

 

[klp]

I could not get the Triton basic to save either. When I saved it originally to my desktop it opened blank so I copied the text into MSWord. I had to copy the figures 1, 2 etc. into paint and then cut and paste them into Word. Bit of work but it got done.

 

[jam583]

I am intrigued by this and sending tests in for 2 of my tanks. I read this basic guide, thank you. But, I do have another basic question and it may sound silly. I use about 5 gallons of top off RODI water per week. If I did no water changes, I would still be topping off. Wouldn't over time (say like a a year) it would be hard to keep my salinity in check? I know the "salt" doesn't really evaporate, etc., but it does creep out and so fourth. Just curious on this.

 

[twilliard]

I use the skimmer to keep salt in check.
I watch it closely
If I run too wet I have to add salt to the tank.

Also @Triton US my last ICP shows almost perfect numbers but can over skimming pull out the elements that my refugium is providing that ICP doesn't show? (Orphek helix 5000 on 80 gallons volume)
I have declining health of sps and chalices and lost as to why.

 

[Fishinwall]

I'm getting close to starting Triton. Question. I'm low on Red Sea Pro salt. Should I stick with it, or is that a bad idea?

 

[Tim@Triton]

Hi guys

Just catching up, not been on here for a while.....

Some of the questions that have popped up hopefully I can assist a little....

Ref. Elementz and it effecting your topup, yes once you start adding larger doses of the 3 elementz they can cause your salinity to rise, however as previously mentioned wetter skimming is usually enough to counter act this. If however it isn't enough or you want to run a drier skim then you can use this calculator here which will tell you how much tank water you should remove to maintain.

Detritus in the sump is quite an interesting one, personally I leave it to settle in the algae chamber, although I do have a small PH in there which keeps some of it in suspension. It's worth saying that in my 2 years of running the method the only problems I have had were caused by me messing with the algae, whether that be syphoning the detritus out are cleaning the algae itself. From now on I leave it well alone.

As for which salt to purchase I would bow down to which one is recommended over your side of the pond, over here in the UK TM Pro is the salt of choice as it's levels are close to what we would like to achieve, I believe it is available in the US too? Also I have seen that many of you have already tested the most popular brands there so whichever comes out with the best numbers really.

Cheers for now Tim

 

[twilliard]

I'm getting close to starting Triton. Question. I'm low on Red Sea Pro salt. Should I stick with it, or is that a bad idea?

Once you get the full triton system in action you won't need much salt.
I use Brightwell for when I over skim and catch SG up.