Trident vs Alkatronic vs KH Director vs kh guardian

[Darrell Brady]

This is all the more reason I feel the mindstream will be so much better even if you have to spend more for the Disc every month. instead of reagents.

 

[leepink23]

Might have one for sale. Don’t need the hassle really.

It definitely is discouraging!

 

[leepink23]

If there is possibly air in the line, what it the purpose of it priming when you change reagent?

Good point, I definitely have no idea.

 

[Silver14SS]

This is all the more reason I feel the mindstream will be so much better even if you have to spend more for the Disc every month. instead of reagents.

It may be or it may have a whole new set of unexpected challenges. They've had the better part of a decade to figure it out, hopefully it's as good in practice as in theory.

I'm biased because I have an Alkatronic, but my thoughts are to stick with pH titration for automated testing until more data is available on the performance and longevity of the new products. Ca and Mg testing would be nice for piece of mind, but the few times I've tested it this year, it's right where I expected.

I dose ATI Essentials in equal parts, Ca and Mg automated testing may be more important to those using other methods.

 

[Darrell Brady]

Did anybody see the video of Mr Saltwater Tank Trident vs Alkatronic.

 

[Water Dog]

Did anybody see the video of Mr Saltwater Tank Trident vs Alkatronic.

Just checked his channel and didn’t see anything... Got a link?

*Edit - just found it on the Saltwater Tank (store) channel.

 

[Darrell Brady]

My Thoughts exactly. An I don't own any one of them. you got to hand to them apex marketing is good but its at the expense of the consumer.

 

[Silver14SS]

My Thoughts exactly. An I don't own any one of them. you got to hand to them apex marketing is good but its at the expense of the consumer.

A+ to them on generating interest for the Trident. It speaks volumes if Mitch is cutting ties with it already, I think he's likely to be one of the more impartial opinions we see at this time.

 

[leepink23]

A+ to them on generating interest for the Trident. It speaks volumes if Mitch is cutting ties with it already, I think he's likely to be one of the more impartial opinions we see at this time.

I agree Mitch is giving great input and has nothing to gain, his input definitely makes me think about the alkatronic. The trident should be easy to sale. I am next up on a list for the trident, I definitely would be slow with giving it any control. They released an update today reducing the sound on the trident which is a huge plus for me.

 

[User1]

Oh man, that video is so biased and had many wrong points that was pointed

Every hobbyist has bias especially what they use to be fair.

With regards to when it was released or created it doesn't matter if he was part of the beta group. There are some well known hobbyists that are not part of the business side or youtube generation who provided input via participating in the beta. One of whom uses it at a known public aquarium / scientific study.

I've said this a few times when posts like this come up. It will be the hobbyist who can only decide what works for them. This isn't one is better than the other it is about what works for the hobbyist and what requirements we have.

 

[User1]

Sure, providing incorrect information be it youtube or a forum same rules apply. It has been a while since I watch that video but I think the general rule of thumb is that the trident is about $0.10 or so cents per test if you use the minimum. I don't recall what the other came out to.

There will be no apples to apples across any of the automated tests because most are choosing a different route to get there. Disks or regents both will have a cost and at the end of the day it more than likely will come down to two things I believe.

Cost to enter.
Cost per test.

The rest is all noise in my opinion because it will either fit in your current ecosystem or you will chose to run standalone if possible or convert. Thus the entry point cost and subsequent cost per test.

And yes, I am biased also - I run a neptune apex so the obvious choice would be to run a trident. However, since the trident fairy hasn't blessed me with her or her presence this does allow other things to maybe be released. If that happens then I would take an honest look and see what would or would not work.

Time will tell but to your point about factual information. Sure, everyone should. Sadly the world isn't ready for this. Just look at the political climate or media. No more honor among content it is all about likes and subscribe

 

[DivingTheWorld]

A couple questions for those using an Alktronic with Apex:

• How does it connect to Apex?
• Does it require the 2016 Apex, or can it connect to Classic?

 

[vangvace]

From what I understand they are two separate systems completely.

 

[Water Dog]

A couple questions for those using an Alktronic with Apex:

• How does it connect to Apex?
• Does it require the 2016 Apex, or can it connect to Classic?

My understanding is that it takes the Alk readings off of a pH probe. So I don’t see how it wouldn’t work with an Apex Classic. So either ditch the ORP probe and replace it with pH probe used in the Alcatronic, or get a PM1 module to connect the probe to.

 

[Silver14SS]

A couple questions for those using an Alktronic with Apex:

• How does it connect to Apex?
• Does it require the 2016 Apex, or can it connect to Classic?

Alkatronic outputs the dKH as a pH reading through a BNC port. Connect a BNC cable between the Alkatronic and a pH port on your controller, and you'll see the dKH. Your controller should let you rename it Alk, dKH, whatever if you don't want it to say pH.

I've had mine hooked up to both an Apex and Profilux, they work the same way.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

lab

Alkatronic outputs the dKH as a pH reading through a BNC port. Connect a BNC cable between the Alkatronic and a pH port on your controller, and you'll see the dKH. Your controller should let you rename it Alk, dKH, whatever if you don't want it to say pH.

I've had mine hooked up to both an Apex and Profilux, they work the same way.

Awesome, thanks. My classic has a pH port which I'm currently using for a pH probe, but I also have an ORP port. Could I use the ORP port for the Alktronic?

 

[Water Dog]

These are instructions copied and pasted from a discussion on how to reassign the BNC port that reads an ORP probe to read a pH probe...

“Connect your 2nd pH probe to the ORP/pH2 port and then go to the display module and do these steps:

Main Menu> Setup> pH Setup> pH Enable (now it will display pH first and use the arrow pad up & down to select pH2 and then enable this probe)...
back out of the programming to Setup page and then do these steps:

Setup> ORP Setup> ORP Enable (now select the ORP probe and then disable this probe)
again back out of the programming to Setup page and then do these steps:

Setup> pH Setup> pH Calibrate (now it will display pH first and use the arrow pad up & down to select pH2 and then calibrate this probe remember to have the correct calibration fluid on hand because for ca reactor you would need 4.0 & 7.0 and of course for tank pH you would need 7.0 & 10.0)

Last step is to rename the probe and to do this just go back to the Setup> pH Setup> pH Name (now it will display pH first and use the arrow pad up & down to select pH2 and then rename this probe)...

This can also be done through the Classic Dashboard”

 

[Silver14SS]

lab


Awesome, thanks. My classic has a pH port which I'm currently using for a pH probe, but I also have an ORP port. Could I use the ORP port for the Alktronic?

Yep, I had mine connected to the ORP port of my WiFi Apex.

 

[ACF930]

O kso quick update, over the weekend I changed out reagent A. Unit has been testing since then and the numbers are completely out of whack. Nothing changed but changing out reagent A in the Trident. Will need to run some comparison test against salifert and Hanna, but there is no way I will trust the numbers right now from the Trident.

Alkatronic:

Trident:

Either I have had an amazing amount of growth or something isn't right with the Trident. Which do you think? Magnesium doesn't drop from ~1500 to 1186 in a few days. No water changes and running a CaRx.

I just had this exact same problem. I switched out Reagent A (for the first time) and my numbers immediately went out of whack. I then re-calibrated (for the first time too after getting the Trident a month ago) twice to be sure. However, my numbers still look off.

You can see that my Alk was reading consistently up until I changed Reagent A and then it dropped:

With my Salifert kit, I tested after the reagent A change:

Alk 9.1
Ca 445
Mag 1455

However, the Trident showed:

Alk 8.03
Ca 425
Mag 1431

I’ve always had about a 0.5 dkh difference in Alk between Trident and Salifert. I slowly raised my Alk back up this week but don’t know now if I’m really 9.0+ dkh.

Also, currently, the difference in CA between Trident and Salifert is about 35 ppm, but CA has always been all over the place with Trident for me.

I’m really concerned now and
am about to contact Trident Support.

The only good thing is that the Trident readings are staying pretty consistent (even if the readings might be inaccurate) and I can use it to monitor trends.

 

[MnFish1]

I just had this exact same problem. I switched out Reagent A (for the first time) and my numbers immediately went out of whack. I then re-calibrated (for the first time too after getting the Trident a month ago) twice to be sure. However, my numbers still look off.

You can see that my Alk was reading consistently up until I changed Reagent A and then it dropped:

With my Salifert kit, I tested after the reagent A change:

Alk 9.1
Ca 445
Mag 1455

However, the Trident showed:

Alk 8.03
Ca 425
Mag 1431

I’ve always had about a 0.5 dkh difference in Alk between Trident and Salifert. I slowly raised my Alk back up this week but don’t know now if I’m really 9.0+ dkh.

Also, currently, the difference in CA between Trident and Salifert is about 35 ppm, but CA has always been all over the place with Trident for me.

I’m really concerned now and
am about to contact Trident Support.

The only good thing is that the Trident readings are staying pretty consistent (even if the readings might be inaccurate) and I can use it to monitor trends.

Did you recalibrate it? From what I read (from Neptune) - you shoudl be calibrating (verifying) the trident with the calibration routine - not a Salifert (or other) test kit.