Triton Test Result Questions

[Peter K]

Hi everyone,

Just got my first triton test results back and I had a few questions regarding some of the importance of the dosing suggestions they listed. A few of the issues I have already been correcting even before I got the results back as it's been some weeks since I bottled up the sample. Phosphate is now under control and magnesium is back to where it should be. The results suggest dosing potassium, iodine, bromine, sulfur, vanadium, manganese, nickel, and zinc. I was planning on dosing potassium and iodine but how important are the others? Are there any other areas in which I should be alarmed? I attached the results below as well. Thank you everyone in advanced for your insights.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd personally dose a potassium supplement in your case.

I do not consider iodine useful, but it wouldn't hurt to dose to NSW levels a few times and see if there is any improvement in the appearance of the tank.

Sulfate (sulfur) is not needed at the levels you have, which are nearly perfect.

Vanadium, nickel, manganese and zinc might be useful trace elements to add, but you already have excessive molybdenum, and many trace element mixtures will have it, so try to avoid that.

 

[Peter K]

Thank you so much for your response Randy. I currently dose tritons "other methods" along with acropower, do you think the elevated molybdenum could be caused by dosing both of those? I do carbon dose with no3po4x as well so I'm not sure if that is also contributing to that.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I just started dosing lugols 6 weeks ago because I was not getting good color on some of my purple SPS. Its still soon but I will say I have seen a great improvement in SPS color. I have not noticed much change in my red, green, and LPS. I would definitely recommend this for SPS but not required for LPS and softies tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you so much for your response Randy. I currently dose tritons "other methods" along with acropower, do you think the elevated molybdenum could be caused by dosing both of those? I do carbon dose with no3po4x as well so I'm not sure if that is also contributing to that.

I'm not sure, but acropower doesn't seem to list inorganic trace elements as an ingredient. If you are using a specific molybdenum additive, I'd stop.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just started dosing lugols 6 weeks ago because I was not getting good color on some of my purple SPS. Its still soon but I will say I have seen a great improvement in SPS color. I have not noticed much change in my red, green, and LPS. I would definitely recommend this for SPS but not required for LPS and softies tank.

A good experiment is to dose for a while, then when all else seems stable, stop the Lugol's and look for effects.

FWIW, Lugols also adds potassium, but not very much relative to the natural potassium level.

 

[Ashish Patel]

A good experiment is to dose for a while, then when all else seems stable, stop the Lugol's and look for effects.

FWIW, Lugols also adds potassium, but not very much relative to the natural potassium level.

Randy - I'll definitely give this a try in the future but I'd probably need to get a icp test first so I know how my levels are. I've read your articles and posts regarding your waterchange and feeding alone are enough to maintain your levels. would you recommend a ICP test inbetween waterchanges or before?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy - I'll definitely give this a try in the future but I'd probably need to get a icp test first so I know how my levels are. I've read your articles and posts regarding your waterchange and feeding alone are enough to maintain your levels. would you recommend a ICP test inbetween waterchanges or before?

Iodine depletes rapidly, so I don't think testing is generally needed to figure iodine dosing. If you dose to NSW levels once a week, it won't generally get overdosed.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Iodine depletes rapidly, so I don't think testing is generally needed to figure iodine dosing. If you dose to NSW levels once a week, it won't generally get overdosed.

Lugols is potassium iodine solution so adding both potassium and iodide in equal parts? Potassium, potassium nitrate, iodine potassium.. enough to make a person go ;Yuck I dose daily 2-3 drops and feel this is safe zone for my 130gallon volume.. Does the skimmer remove iodide form the water at a fast rate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Lugols is potassium iodine solution so adding both potassium and iodide in equal parts? Potassium, potassium nitrate, iodine potassium.. enough to make a person go ;Yuck I dose daily 2-3 drops and feel this is safe zone for my 130gallon volume.. Does the skimmer remove iodide form the water at a fast rate?

More iodine than potassium. Lugols is a mix of KI and I2, and even KI has more I than K on a weight basis since I weighs so much.