Triton Method Users // Do you maintain your dKH @ 8 or higher?

[anth]

Randy's article is excellent. But it says that Alk anywhere between 7 - 11 is fine (provided the Ca is appropriate). So I don't see where it answers @anth 's questions nor why you are choosing 7-8. Anth's questions are essentially the same one's I asked a few posts back, which are:

1) What (exactly) has led you to the 7-8 dKH recommendation? And, what is the disadvantage of maintaining it above 8? (You answered: "Higher than 8 may result in a reduction in growth and/or colour for aquariums running the TRITON Method". So, specifically, what is it about the Triton method that leads you to this recommendation? (There have been so many reports stating that corals grow faster at higher alkalinity levels along with higher pH). (And this leads to Anth's next two questions):

2) Is the reason for that (7 to 8 range that you recommend) because of the lower nutrients that a tank running the triton method usually has?

3) If so, would raising nutrients allow for a higher alkalinity?

Thanks for that, i have been trying to find time to reply to tritons answer all day but u have hit the nail on the head.

@Julian@Triton

 

[Julian@Triton]

Randy's article is excellent. But it says that Alk anywhere between 7 - 11 is fine (provided the Ca is appropriate). So I don't see where it answers @anth 's questions nor why you are choosing 7-8. Anth's questions are essentially the same one's I asked a few posts back, which are:

1) What (exactly) has led you to the 7-8 dKH recommendation? And, what is the disadvantage of maintaining it above 8? (You answered: "Higher than 8 may result in a reduction in growth and/or colour for aquariums running the TRITON Method". So, specifically, what is it about the Triton method that leads you to this recommendation? (There have been so many reports stating that corals grow faster at higher alkalinity levels along with higher pH). (And this leads to Anth's next two questions):

2) Is the reason for that (7 to 8 range that you recommend) because of the lower nutrients that a tank running the triton method usually has?

3) If so, would raising nutrients allow for a higher alkalinity?

Apologies if my answer did not suffice.

In answer to your specific questions:

1) Ehsan explains it this way. You can work with a dKH higher than this but there are more potential side affects. Through experimental testing over the past decade, for natural growth, form and coloration this alkalinity range has been assessed to be the most successful. Please keep in mind that, as the only company with an N-DOC lab that can determine inorganic carbon (true alkalinity), we at TRITON possess a clearer viewpoint and more detailed understanding of this relationship. Home tests of alkalinity are just a measure of the buffering potential of the water being tested and as such are a proxy test (subject to greater interference) and potentially not truly indicative of the usable carbonates available to corals which is the real measure of alkalinity in the home reef aquarium.

2) The TRITON Method aims for natural nutrient levels and our latest upgrade "TRITON Habitats" caters to the variance between different environments that aquarists attempt to replicate in the home reef aquarium. According to these new recommendations, we aim for lower nutrient levels in an outer reef SPS system while, in a soft coral habitat, we aim for higher levels. Both are TRITON Method and both work best at an alkalinity ranging between 7 and 8 dKH.

3) I believe that this has already been answered above in (2). In our opinion there is more to the equation than simply running higher alkalinity in aquariums with higher nutrient levels. Everything would be much easier if the relationship was so simple but there are too many factors at play to work on this proviso.

 

[ReefPig]

I run at 8.5.

This wasn't my intention starting out, I did target 8, but I found that sometimes the Hanna reagent's change between batches, and i must have had one which was reporting low, as subsequently it's reporting 8.5.

I just don't feel it makes much sense to make adjustments, it's better to have stability, than any specific number.

I only make changes after two consecutive tests showing positive or negative movement.
A single test, compared to a previous result is not always accurate, due to different times of the day, or inaccuracy in testing.

I do however manually test Alk every three days, and I have a GHL KHD testing 3 times a day (but i only use this as a guide, no auto corrections and I don't hang my hat on the number).