Triton Method vs “Other” Method

[ShinyRobot]

I am still relatively new to reefing, with a 150 gallon tank that was upgraded from a 55 gallon a year ago (total life of the fish, live rock, sand and LPS corals are about 3 years old now). My Ca, Mg, Alk levels are a bit low but only because until recently I assumed water changes were all I needed. I just ordered the BRS 2-part system and then a day ago started reading up on Triton method, and it has me convinced!

I’d like to convert my tank over before I start adding SPS corals. But I’m not sure I really want to completely change up my current sump setup, it took alot of effort to get things the way they are TBH.

I have been running biopellets for a few months and it’s cleaned out all of my algae problems just great. I have my skimmer in my first section, but I do have quite a bit of chaeto in my middle section. I still run just a small amount of GFO and ROX carbon, as well as a CO2 scrubber connected to my skimmer.

I apologize for the length of my question. BRS sells 2 versions of the Core7 system - a “Triton Method” and “Other Methods” versions. I’m curious what the differences are. I am thinking that the Triton Method would work just fine for me, since the biopellets are only removing nitrates in a similar fashion to the chaeto would do, I’m not running a calcium reactor and haven’t started any dosing regimines yet.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jason mack]

One method requires a refugium minimum size 10% of your total system . The other can be diluted and just added too a sump with media reactor for GFO and carbon .. simply said that is !

 

[ShinyRobot]

Thanks for the reply! I do already have a large sump - 50 gallons (maybe only 20 - 40 have water), the refugium area seems to be a good size as well, lots of room for chaeto and pods to grow. My Vectra M1 is running at about half speed and powers the biopellets, GFO and ROX through my manifold. My sump has lots of flow. The only difference that I can see seems to be biopellets, and keeping my skimmer in the first section. I’ve read where a small amount of GFO can be used with the “Triton Method”, so I’m still confused what the difference is between the two versions.

 

[Jason mack]

Triton other methods does not require a refuguim with Cheato in it .. I use triton other methods I only have 3 sections in my sump , it has no refugium !!!! first section is my drain I have a filter sock and some live rock in it .. second section has my protein skimmer and my media reactor in it the third is my return which at the mo only has my autotop off in it .. I've just bought a dosing pump and will be using this in my return section !!i am also fairly new too triton .. so this is my understanding of it so far

 

[ShinyRobot]

Triton other methods does not require a refuguim with Cheato in it .. I use triton other methods I only have 3 sections in my sump , it has no refugium !!!! first section is my drain I have a filter sock and some live rock in it .. second section has my protein skimmer and my media reactor in it the third is my return which at the mo only has my autotop off in it .. I've just bought a dosing pump and will be using this in my return section !!i am also fairly new too triton .. so this is my understanding of it so far

Do you remember what factors caused you to choose the "Other Method" over the Triton? Was it just because you didn't have a refugium? Does your dosing regimen differ from the "Triton Method"? It sounds like the "Triton Method" set has some additional bacteria that might allow or promote the nitrate removal benefits of a refugium? Maybe?

 

[Jason mack]

I chose other methods simply because I don't have the room for a 35 liter refugium in my sump ( total system is 350 liters )

 

[ShinyRobot]

I chose other methods simply because I don't have the room for a 35 liter refugium in my sump ( total system is 350 liters )

Gotcha, yeah makes sense. I'm very interested to hear from a Triton Rep to explain exactly what differs between the two systems. Maybe because it's still new to the US but I can't seem to find any info on it.

 

[bubbaque]

The "triton method" has extra elements in the bottles that grows algae, the "other methods" does not. If you don't have a large enough refugium to aborb the extra elements you could run into a problem. If you plan to use other methods, such as biopellets, go with the other methods.

 

[Jason mack]

There is a triton users forum on here shinyrobot .. otherwise we ask @Tim@Triton hes the Triton rep on R2R . He can answer and advise you better than any of us .. hes Very helpful !!

 

[ShinyRobot]

There is a triton users forum on here shinyrobot .. otherwise we ask @Tim@Triton hes the Triton rep on R2R . He can answer and advise you better than any of us .. hes Very helpful !!

Oh my apologies I thought I was posting in the Triton group already, thanks!

From what it sounds, going with the official "Triton Method" would be good for my setup because I already have a large refugium, the only small difference is my skimmer being in the first chamber, and I am running biopellets. But I don't see their addition as being something that would mess up the system. I could be wrong though.

 

[Jason mack]

You did post iT in the right forum.. my apologies !!

 

[bubbaque]

Of course I am not triton but as long as your refugium is still thriving you might be okay. You just don't want your macro algae to die because then you will start getting a mess in your display because of the extra elements.

 

[Tim@Triton]

If you want to continue using the Bio Pellets then go for the Core7 Reef Supplements for Other Methods. It still contains pro algae elements just not as much as the full Triton Method version. I would only go for the Triton Method Core7 if you are going to commit to running it fully.

 

[Shameless_Dood]

Oh my apologies I thought I was posting in the Triton group already, thanks!

From what it sounds, going with the official "Triton Method" would be good for my setup because I already have a large refugium, the only small difference is my skimmer being in the first chamber, and I am running biopellets. But I don't see their addition as being something that would mess up the system. I could be wrong though.

I am by no means an expert. But I read "somewhere" (maybe one of the guides on here or someone's thread) the skimmer doesn't "have" to be in that middle section, but it is preferred. Regarding the bio-pellets, I think best practice would be to take those offline. Your refugium and biolpellets are competing for the same nutrients. The idea behind the large refugium is so when there's slight die-back of the algae it releases sugars amino acids etc which will feed the corals. If your bio-pellets start out-competing for your nutrients you won't ever get that benefit.

And for what it's worth, before I was using triton I was running a refugium and biopellets. The bio-pellets out-competed the algae and it slowly died out. When I stopped using bio-pellets it took off again.

 

[Tim@Triton]

If you do decide to take off the bio pellets then do so slowly, as you need to make sure that the algae is up to task of handling nutrients on its own.

 

[Shameless_Dood]

dang as soon as I hit send the expert (with way more knowledge about this than me) chimes in. HA!

 

[ShinyRobot]

If you want to continue using the Bio Pellets then go for the Core7 Reef Supplements for Other Methods. It still contains pro algae elements just not as much as the full Triton Method version. I would only go for the Triton Method Core7 if you are going to commit to running it fully.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, and yeah my concern is biopellets competing with my chaeto. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about biopellets, I want to eliminate micro algae that gets on the glass and not have to worry about over feeding or a snail dying. Does running the full algae-only Triton method handle nutrient spikes like that and keep the display clear?

Slowly removing the biopellets would be fine with me as long as there are clear benefits. Despite my progress I still consider myself a complete beginner, but at least I haven't killed anything in over a year!

 

[justingraham]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, and yeah my concern is biopellets competing with my chaeto. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about biopellets, I want to eliminate micro algae that gets on the glass and not have to worry about over feeding or a snail dying. Does running the full algae-only Triton method handle nutrient spikes like that and keep the display clear?

Slowly removing the biopellets would be fine with me as long as there are clear benefits. Despite my progress I still consider myself a complete beginner, but at least I haven't killed anything in over a year!

So how big is ur refugium? Is there any way u could switch the skimmer to the refuge section so u have a sump set up like the triton style?

I use the other methods but that's only until I have enough algea in my fuge to run the full triton method. Or two bottles of other methods.

I still follow What triton wants u to do I haven't done a water change or anything like that I export my waste with a refuge and skimmer run carbon and po4 remover either al99 or phosban or rowaphose on rotation

I will be getting my icp test back hopefully on Monday so I will see if I have been doing it right. I mean my corals are growin so I would hope I made the right choice. By startin my tank off with the other methods but still doing the triton method.

I think other methods just means that u use other methods to remove no3 or po4 i.e. Water changes or biopellets but if you have everything for the triton method u should just use the triton method.

I talked to joesph caperatti(sorry I butchered ur name) at Rap and told him how I started out and he told me I should just have started with the full triton method it isn't a big deal but if it was him that's what he would have done

Just some food for thought and good luck this way of Reefing is so easy. Literally ten mins a day and an hour at the most on saturdays is spent working on the tank the other time is wasted on watching the tank.

 

[ShinyRobot]

So how big is ur refugium? Is there any way u could switch the skimmer to the refuge section so u have a sump set up like the triton style?

I use the other methods but that's only until I have enough algea in my fuge to run the full triton method. Or two bottles of other methods.

I still follow What triton wants u to do I haven't done a water change or anything like that I export my waste with a refuge and skimmer run carbon and po4 remover either al99 or phosban or rowaphose on rotation

I will be getting my icp test back hopefully on Monday so I will see if I have been doing it right. I mean my corals are growin so I would hope I made the right choice. By startin my tank off with the other methods but still doing the triton method.

I think other methods just means that u use other methods to remove no3 or po4 i.e. Water changes or biopellets but if you have everything for the triton method u should just use the triton method.

I talked to joesph caperatti(sorry I butchered ur name) at Rap and told him how I started out and he told me I should just have started with the full triton method it isn't a big deal but if it was him that's what he would have done

Just some food for thought and good luck this way of Reefing is so easy. Literally ten mins a day and an hour at the most on saturdays is spent working on the tank the other time is wasted on watching the tank.

I just checked and measured, unfortunately at only 9" wide my center section is too small for my skimmer... it will have to stay in the first section. If I remove the biopellets and go algae-only would it matter that my skimmer is in the first section?

BTW I guess the amount of chaeto that is tumbling in there is more baseball sized, but I can order plenty more and fill it up, if that's the direction that is best to go.

 

[justingraham]

I just checked and measured, unfortunately at only 9" wide my center section is too small for my skimmer... it will have to stay in the first section. If I remove the biopellets and go algae-only would it matter that my skimmer is in the first section?

BTW I guess the amount of chaeto that is tumbling in there is more baseball sized, but I can order plenty more and fill it up, if that's the direction that is best to go.

I think it's just a guideline I'm sure people have done it skimmer refuge then return just might have to investigate it