Triton Method and Water Changes

[diggers]

Looking at running the triton method on my new build and want to hear from fellow reefers running this method. Are you really achieving no water changes and how long for? If starting from scratch im guessing you still have to do a few after the cycle is complete?

In general if you are running the triton method let me know how its going!

 

[EnterName]

Not running Triton, but you can run a tank without water changes for years with pretty much every system.

For quite some time (5 years or so) I used Balling (3-Part) with no water changes just fine. Right now I'm using All for Reef without water changes.

 

[BryanM]

I run Triton, previously was moonshiners, and previous to that was dosing AFR.

All of these w/o water changes.

 

[Koty]

I run my tank Triton style but use Tropic Marin Balling 3 part fortified with their A and K additives. Have not done a water change for over 5 years. I have an efficient Chaeto refuge and I dose relatively high doses of a carbon source for bacteria. My nitrate concentration hovers always around zero, for phosphate I occasionally use GFO in a reactor and it keeps it between .2 - .3 ppm. Also, my mixed SPS/lps tank has a very high bio load.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t recommend no water changes with any method, but certainly folks can be successful not doing them.

There are things water changes help with that are not addressed by the Triton or other element dosing scheme, such as export of organics and any accumulating toxins (organic or inorganic).

 

[diggers]

Not running Triton, but you can run a tank without water changes for years with pretty much every system.

For quite some time (5 years or so) I used Balling (3-Part) with no water changes just fine. Right now I'm using All for Reef without water changes.

Good to know

 

[diggers]

I run my tank Triton style but use Tropic Marin Balling 3 part fortified with their A and K additives. Have not done a water change for over 5 years. I have an efficient Chaeto refuge and I dose relatively high doses of a carbon source for bacteria. My nitrate concentration hovers always around zero, for phosphate I occasionally use GFO in a reactor and it keeps it between .2 - .3 ppm. Also, my mixed SPS/lps tank has a very high bio load.

I think the fuge is the key point here in having a good way to completely remove nutrients from the tank. What carbon spurce do you dose and how much? Also did you start your fuge woth just chaeto or is it worth adding some other form of algae too?

 

[BryanM]

I think the fuge is the key point here in having a good way to completely remove nutrients from the tank. What carbon spurce do you dose and how much? Also did you start your fuge woth just chaeto or is it worth adding some other form of algae too?

btw, I don't run a fuge, but I do run an oversized algae turf scrubber.

 

[diggers]

I don’t recommend no water changes with any method, but certainly folks can be successful not doing them.

There are things water changes help with that are not addressed by the Triton or other element dosing scheme, such as export of organics and any accumulating toxins (organic or inorganic).

Hey Randy. I am planning to use them as a tool but not planning to do them regularly. Just want to get an idea of if this is realistic while doing my build so that i can make them easier for myself if i will have to do regularly.

What toxins accumulate and how often should i be doing water changes to remove these? Would every 3 or 6 months be ok? I know its highly dependent on the system but just trying to head in the right direction.

 

[diggers]

I think the fuge is the key point here in having a good way to completely remove nutrients from the tank. What carbon spurce do you dose and how much? Also did you start your fuge woth just chaeto or is it worth adding some other form of algae too?

btw, I don't run a fuge, but I do run an oversized algae turf scrubber.

Is that an external fuge though? It serves the same purpose right?

 

[BryanM]

Is that an external fuge though? It serves the same purpose right?

Yeah, its basically a fuge on steroids. Its the Rain8 from santa monica, it only has a 1000 watt light inside it.

I buck the system, I don't run a roller mat or skimmer either.

 

[joroscoe]

My person opinion about water changes is they are valuable as a hedge for the unknown. Maybe your daughter sprays hair spray every morning and some gets in the reef in small amounts. Probably won’t harm but overtime some things can accumulate. Occasional water changes can hedge against these unknown “toxins”

 

[BuffaloLake]

I use the Triton method with MYTE subscription. I started back in January 2026. So far, things are going better. Corals are happier, anemones have more color. Planet Aquariums 310.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey Randy. I am planning to use them as a tool but not planning to do them regularly. Just want to get an idea of if this is realistic while doing my build so that i can make them easier for myself if i will have to do regularly.

What toxins accumulate and how often should i be doing water changes to remove these? Would every 3 or 6 months be ok? I know its highly dependent on the system but just trying to head in the right direction.

Toxins come from various organisms in the tank, such as dinos, cyano, and leather corals. How much is needed depends on what is present, which can be hard to know.

I change 1% daily to help with these and other issues.

 

[diggers]

I use the Triton method with MYTE subscription. I started back in January 2026. So far, things are going better. Corals are happier, anemones have more color. Planet Aquariums 310.

Once I get going I think this is what I am going to do. Did you go straight onto Triton or transition to it with an established tank?

 

[Koty]

I think the fuge is the key point here in having a good way to completely remove nutrients from the tank. What carbon spurce do you dose and how much? Also did you start your fuge woth just chaeto or is it worth adding some other form of algae too?

My refuge is pure Chaeto. In case all limiting factors are eliminated ( light, trace elements, space) It can grow very fast and consume lots of nitrates. The refuse as it is named is the uninterrupted source of many critters that complement feeding the fish and is a key food source for my NPS corals
I use Elimi NP 10 ml / day for a 110g tank. I also dose reef Actif once a week. Major other additive is Tropic Marin Amino Organics

 

[BuffaloLake]

I use the Triton method with MYTE subscription. I started back in January 2026. So far, things are going better. Corals are happier, anemones have more color. Planet Aquariums 310.

Once I get going I think this is what I am going to do. Did you go straight onto Triton or transition to it with an established tank?

I started the tank in September, but just did water changes and All for Reef for the first few months. We lost our house to wildfires last year, part of the rebuild is an 8 foot tank in the living room wall. I wasn’t familiar with the Triton method at that time, which is why I started without it. But my LFS who delivered the tank runs his shop on the method, so I followed his advice. Very happy with it so far.

 

[diggers]

I use the Triton method with MYTE subscription. I started back in January 2026. So far, things are going better. Corals are happier, anemones have more color. Planet Aquariums 310.

Once I get going I think this is what I am going to do. Did you go straight onto Triton or transition to it with an established tank?

I started the tank in September, but just did water changes and All for Reef for the first few months. We lost our house to wildfires last year, part of the rebuild is an 8 foot tank in the living room wall. I wasn’t familiar with the Triton method at that time, which is why I started without it. But my LFS who delivered the tank runs his shop on the method, so I followed his advice. Very happy with it so far.

Geez that would have been a tough time but glad you made the most of it and got a tank upgrade in! triton goes well for me too.

 

[BuffaloLake]

I use the Triton method with MYTE subscription. I started back in January 2026. So far, things are going better. Corals are happier, anemones have more color. Planet Aquariums 310.

Once I get going I think this is what I am going to do. Did you go straight onto Triton or transition to it with an established tank?

I started the tank in September, but just did water changes and All for Reef for the first few months. We lost our house to wildfires last year, part of the rebuild is an 8 foot tank in the living room wall. I wasn’t familiar with the Triton method at that time, which is why I started without it. But my LFS who delivered the tank runs his shop on the method, so I followed his advice. Very happy with it so far.

Geez that would have been a tough time but glad you made the most of it and got a tank upgrade in! triton goes well for me too.

It has been rough, but quite the adventure. The tank was delivered before I was able to get a roof or walls installed. I had two clownfish in the tank for two weeks before I got a roof over it. My son and I had a tent set up so that we could work on the aquascape in the evenings. He is very proud of his work on it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wow, that’s unusual! :)