Triton Method, an ongoing study

[ShadowReef]

I don't believe you're supposed to be running GFO or AL99 with the Triton method as your refugium is supposed to be managing your phosphates. I believe they tell you to use it if needed on your ICP results.

Not entirely sure, all I know is I haven't stopped using it, and dont plan to. Taking that out makes me nervous lol. I like to keep my fish nice and full so lots of nutrient input

 

[bar|none]

You might also consider sending an ICP off on your fresh mixed salt.

That way you can actually see what the fresh mix balance is which helps when you inevitably need to do some water changes in the first months.

i have a dose recipe for my fresh mix which aligns with my targets in the tank. Otherwise it can be hard to translate what traces should be dosed and how much when you also add in a water change or two.

 

[ShadowReef]

You might also consider sending an ICP off on your fresh mixed salt.

That way you can actually see what the fresh mix balance is which helps when you inevitably need to do some water changes in the first months.

i have a dose recipe for my fresh mix which aligns with my targets in the tank. Otherwise it can be hard to translate what traces should be dosed and how much when you also add in a water change or two.

It's a good idea for sure. I actually use NSW, but it would be interesting to see what that comes out as. I'm presuming I would need to label that as a different source than my tank so they dont make recommendations assuming there are changes to my reef

 

[Gp!]

Not sure which pack you purchased but can't you use https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/core7-base-elements-5l-set-triton-method.html and get the user friendliness you are after? No mix and dose from the can?

 

[ShadowReef]

Not sure which pack you purchased but can't you use https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/core7-base-elements-5l-set-triton-method.html and get the user friendliness you are after? No mix and dose from the can?

I can, but I still can't dose from the can because all those 5l bottles wont fit in my cupboard below the tank. However, that would solve me not having to mix and it's actually better value so that may be my next purchase! Thanks

 

[bar|none]

It's a good idea for sure. I actually use NSW, but it would be interesting to see what that comes out as. I'm presuming I would need to label that as a different source than my tank so they dont make recommendations assuming there are changes to my reef

just create a new aquarium on triton site and make it the gallons of your fresh mix container and mark the sample against that aquarium.

 

[ShadowReef]

Ok so I have a bit more time to write the next post now.

First ICP test:

This took a little longer than I would have expected, however it was sent the week before Christmas so I'm guessing that was what the delay was. The first time you get the results it takes a few moments to figure out what you're looking at (especially if it's in German) but you quickly figure it out.

You essentially have a few tabs, one for the results of each variable they test (data tab), one for telling you anything that's wrong (help tab), one for telling you what you need to dose (measurement tab) and one tab to show you the trends over time (visual tab).

The results I got back were really interesting, I'd not seen this level of detail before. I had a few things that needed sorting. Below is an example of what you would see:

We have detected a small amount of barium in your aquarium, this can be dangerous for stone corals in higher amounts.
To help you find the source of the error, we have listed the most common sources of barium (sorted in descending order by frequency):
1. Iron-based phosphate adsorber (except RowaPhos or PhosBan)
2. Contaminated salts
3. Contaminated trace elements, especially strontium
4. fish dry food
Observe the value in follow-up analyzes.
We recommend that you use TRITON AL99 phosphate adsorber

It also told me I had too much

Strontium (strange as I never dosed it)
Zinc
Molybdenum
Cobalt
And the real worry....COPPER

This came as a massive shock to me, having never tested at this detail it made me wonder what I had been missing. On the plus side, nothing was high enough that I'm suffering any consequences but it made me realise that without doing this test, if the levels did increase and I had casualties, I would have been scratching my head and holding my wallet!

This also led me to search for the sources, and believe it or not, in my sump I found some rusting hidden away in a back corner from the metal frame holding up a light. I would have never realised otherwise.

So much for no more water changes!

The measurements tabs showed me what I was lacking.

Potassium - which was no big surprise, my tank chomps through potassium faster than anything else. So much so that the dosage required was 100ml day 1 and 78ml day 2!

Manganese
Boron
Iodine
Vanadium
Manganese
Nickel

With the exception of potassium and iodine, these are things I would never think about dosing until now. Especially not Nickel which can be dangerous!

The results come in the following format which tells you what the effect could be:

Mn : We have demonstrated a lack of manganese.
Manganese dosing can have the following advantages for your aquarium:
- can be useful for keeping LPS corals, eg Goniopora react very positively to manganese dosing
- can promote a better polyp
image.
To keep this value, please note our maintenance dosage. To calculate the maintenance dose, please proceed as follows:
4th test: dosing maintenance dose Xml
5th test: old maintenance dose Xml (from the 1st test) + new maintenance dose (from the 2nd test) dosing Xml.
6th test:: dose the old maintenance dose Xml (from the 1st test) + the old maintenance dose Xml (from the 2nd test) + the new maintenance dose Xml (from the 3rd test). After this, the dosage should no longer be increased, even if the analysis shows a value of 0.
Mn : We recommend dosing for a total of 2 days. 5ml should be dosed on the 1st day and 5ml on the 2nd day.
Mn : We recommend a daily maintenance dose of 0.83ml. If this dose is very low, you can also dose it weekly, for example (7x added).

So, after my water change I added the dosages as instructed and I will send another test a week later to see my uptake over that period before doing another water change. This should help me understand more about the chemistry of my reef over time.

First Observations:

Ok, so there obviously arent going to be any huge impacts in such a small period of time however I am seeing some changes worth noting.

1. Polyp extension on my sps is notably better (I will try and add some photos if I can get a good example on my phone). I have a very large acro colony that was a rescue from someone else's tank and for weeks its sat there barely showing any polyps and now I can see them without squinting and pressing my face against the glass

2. My goniopora (which in all fairness has always looked pretty good and I have had over a year now) looks bigger. Its definitely extended more but no difference in coloration.

3. My long term lack of potassium has always had an effect on the colour (color for the US folk) of some of my green acros. I've seen them go a bit pale but healthy none the less. I'm beginning to see that green return to my smaller frags. Hopefully this will continue!!

4. As a mainly sps dominant tank I am really trying to cater to their needs but I do have some nice LPS too. The effects dont seem as positive here. A couple of them look a little deflated and not as glorious as they once did but I'm not sure of this is them adjusting or it is other factors. My wall frog spawn does keep suffering a fountain of sand from my pistol shrimp and goby etc. So o have moved the unhappy lps' to some more suitable areas to see if that was the problem.

I will keep this up to date as I get more test results and more observations. Hope this is useful

 

[ShadowReef]

So top photo is now (with better polyp extension)
Bottom photo (which is better quality photo lol) is before dosing with less polyp extension.

 

[steve bergmann]

I have been running the Triton system for quite some time now. I don't use Triton chemicals due to the packaging leaking and cost. I prefer using powder and mixing it myself it is cheaper and more controllable. Right now I use BRS for Calcium and ALK and add Tropic Marin Trace Element C. I then do a ICP test quarterly to check my water parameters. I find this to be less expensive and no product leaking in delivery process. Here is a video of my tank which is 10 years old. 4 Years using the Triton method:

 

[Mortie31]

It also told me I had too much

Strontium (strange as I never dosed it)
Zinc
Molybdenum
Cobalt
And the real worry....COPPER

When you were using REDSEA I’m guessing you were using there trace elements, the iron bottle has zinc copper and cobalt in it... I changed to iron DIY when I saw the levels I got in my ICP’s

 

[ShadowReef]

I have been running the Triton system for quite some time now. I don't use Triton chemicals due to the packaging leaking and cost. I prefer using powder and mixing it myself it is cheaper and more controllable. Right now I use BRS for Calcium and ALK and add Tropic Marin Trace Element C. I then do a ICP test quarterly to check my water parameters. I find this to be less expensive and no product leaking in delivery process. Here is a video of my tank which is 10 years old. 4 Years using the Triton method:

Wow, beautiful tank! Some lovely colours and colonies! I've only had one delivery so far and it was so well packaged there was no way it was breaking but appreciate that would be annoying! I think once I have everything stable and I understand what my tank in using (trace elements) I will go to quarterly testing too

 

[ShadowReef]

When you were using REDSEA I’m guessing you were using there trace elements, the iron bottle has zinc copper and cobalt in it... I changed to iron DIY when I saw the levels I got in my ICP’s

Correct, I was! I thought it was quite a good program until I got the ICP results. The problem with their program, and it's also their selling point, is that they have bundled multiple elements into one bottle. So if you're lacking in one area you cant dose just that one thing!

 

[Mortie31]

Correct, I was! I thought it was quite a good program until I got the ICP results. The problem with their program, and it's also their selling point, is that they have bundled multiple elements into one bottle. So if you're lacking in one area you cant dose just that one thing!

Absolutely, The trouble is all of the companies selling there various balling products marketing is king! Their all based on very sketchy and unproven claims and are all essentially the same thing, just packaged differently...

 

[bar|none]

You do end up with a trace bank of potions like mine below. The cost of buying them at first is a bummer, but then they last forever. Well at least with a small tank they certainly do.

The White OXO containers (can get on BRS or wherever) are kind of the bomb. They push to seal with a large button on top.

Most of what I dose goes into the fresh mix salt water. After that my weekly dosing is just a small amount of

Manganese
Iodine
Zinc

And also dosing weekly Chaetogrow.

 

[bar|none]

Since we are talking Triton. Another reefer @Lasse just uploaded this awesome tidbit in another thread.

Triton ICP gives you all the macro elements of Salt Water but not a measurement of overall salinity.

This site allows you to calculate it and also lets you do it by uploading your ICP.

Calculate Salinity from Macro Elements

 

[Omgitsjoe]

Following

 

[Kevinkmk]

I have been running the Triton system for quite some time now. I don't use Triton chemicals due to the packaging leaking and cost. I prefer using powder and mixing it myself it is cheaper and more controllable. Right now I use BRS for Calcium and ALK and add Tropic Marin Trace Element C. I then do a ICP test quarterly to check my water parameters. I find this to be less expensive and no product leaking in delivery process. Here is a video of my tank which is 10 years old. 4 Years using the Triton method:

Outside topic question: what kind of cameras do you use for the video?

 

[Jason mack]

Following...I'm on triton other methods ..have been for a couple of years now ..here's my tank

 

[Terri Caton]

It's a good idea for sure. I actually use NSW, but it would be interesting to see what that comes out as. I'm presuming I would need to label that as a different source than my tank so they dont make recommendations assuming there are changes to my reef

I can't wait to get back to S. FL. Totally going to use NSW! Besides, it's free if you live by the beach

 

[ShadowReef]

I can't wait to get back to S. FL. Totally going to use NSW! Besides, it's free if you live by the beach

I'm not sure you can use it straight from the beach or not due to potential contamination and pollutants. The company I use collects it from further out and 3 different depths (or so I am told)