Starting Triton Method

[kiMxD]

Hello Folks!

I am starting the Triton method next week.
I'd like to see what are your concerns, tips and hints that you'd give to someone starting this process? Anything will help as I am done doing frequent water changes.

To clarify what I have been preparing, here's a quick sum up of my system and of what I have bought (waiting to arrive):

What I have:
120g display;
25g EShopps RS-100 sump;
11g DYI refugium with live sand, chaeto and caulerpa as well a block of marinepure (4");
Reef Octopus Regal 150SS skimmer (rated for 300g);
2 Little Fishes PhosBan reactor (currently not using it, but available);

What I've bought:
Triton Core7 Base Elements;
Triton test kit;
Kessil H80 Tuna Flora Refugium Light;
1.75lbs of bulk GFO from BRS - high capacity.

So my plans are:
Ditch my filter socks and transform that chamber into refugium, therefore, having two refugiums, my DYI and the filter sock chamber;

I'd use the Kessil on the filter sock refugium and a simple LED that I bought at Petco on my DYI 11g refugium.

I'd use my 2 little fishes phosban reactor with the GFO and some Red Sea carbon that I have, thoughts on it? Also, can I use them at the same time in the same reactor? What about the needed flow?

And finally, I'd ditch most of my water changes, reducing it to every other month or perhaps, could I go even longer without one?

So guys, this is it, I'd like to just get some opinions on my plans and to know what would you do differently and vice-versa.

Thank you for your time, as always!

[Member No. 1]

Not to take anything away from trying the Triton Method,
but have a read thru this. Start at post 1, it's an excellent build thread.
You might take away as to what to do or not to do.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2570484

[kiMxD]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Not to take anything away from trying the Triton Method,
but have a read thru this. Start at post 1, it's an excellent build thread.
You might take away as to what to do or not to do.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2570484

Thank you for the feedback, but dude! This thread has 101 pages so far lmao!

It would take me a year to read through all that.

Could you give me your specific concerns? Thanks!

[Member No. 1]

Originally Posted by kiMxD

Thank you for the feedback, but dude! This thread has 101 pages so far lmao!

It would take me a year to read through all that.

Could you give me your specific concerns? Thanks!

Dennis has had some awesome tanks. Knows his way around a sump.
All his posts are very detailed, and very well explained.

Again, not to take anything away from using the Triton Method, and I'm sure others would swear by it, but after reading his build thread, I don't know why anyone would even try.

[kiMxD]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Dennis has had some awesome tanks. Knows his way around a sump.
All his posts are very detailed, and very well explained.

Again, not to take anything away from using the Triton Method, and I'm sure others would swear by it, but after reading his build thread, I don't know why anyone would even try.

I still don't understand why are you saying that. I wasn't able to read the whole thread as well to find out whatever this guy might be saying about the Triton method.

Would you mind telling me why you have this opinion? Thanks!

[Member No. 1]

I'm not speaking for Dennis, all I'm saying is, if he couldn't get it to work, and based on his detailed findings, I personally wouldn't even try it.

Take some time, read thru the thread, make your own decision.

You asked for an opinion, and I gave you mine.

[mcgyvr]

IMO the only thing goofy about Triton is the 10x sump flow rate....Its likely more of a waste of energy than anything else 3-5x is plenty imo...I really dont do water changes either. (..ok...i did my first in 1.5 years last weekend but only because I always get a tiny bit of cyano late summer/early fall each year and the wife was on me to suck it out quick as we have family coming next week and she wants it nice looking...).. Beyond that you can certainly just test/add whats deficient and remove some excess in other ways and not need to be a slave to the water change ...

Try it....see how it works for you...give it time...adapt and adjust as needed...

[kiMxD]

Thank you guys. I might make a new thread of set up and progression on my system once the triton arrives and I start dosing and testing.

Appreciate it.

[Scrubber_steve]

BRS has a very successful triton tank

[Member No. 1]

I would like to add...
I'm old school, I believe in the philosophy of the KISS method.

I run my tank (120g) Berlin style, bare bottom, no refugium, I run filter socks, a good skimmer, UV, Ozone and a CaRX. I do daily automatic water changes of of 10 liters (2.64g). I use the cheapest IO salt. I test dKh weekly, Ca and Mg when I remember.
They are rock steady at 8.7, 435, 1375. I don't have diatoms, hair algae, cyano, etc, so I don't check nitrates or phosphates. If something looks amiss, then I might check all the parameters.

The only additive I use is Aquavitro Fuel as directed 5ml/20g twice a week.
https://www.aquavitro.com/fuel.php

This works for me.

I just don't see how buying all the additives that need to be used to run the Triton Method, along with having to send your water out to be sampled so you know you know what and how much to add can be any easier or cheaper than the way I am running my tank.
Then there is the dosing of the additives to factor in.
Plus the added expense of maintaining a refugium.

I'm not trying to get into a P'ing match, or start a debate of which is better or what works or doesn't, I'm just trying to figure out why someone would go this route.
KISS!

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

I'm old school, I believe in the philosophy of the KISS method.

I run my tank (120g) Berlin style, bare bottom, no refugium, I run filter socks, a good skimmer, UV, Ozone and a CaRX. I do daily automatic water changes of of 10 liters (2.64g). I'm just trying to figure out why someone would go this route.
KISS!

I wouldn't consider KISS to include filter socks, UV, Ozone, daily water changes,etc... Its all relative...

I wouldn't be shocked at all either to see the amount of money you put into your system is equivalent if not greater than what someone can put into a same sized Triton system..
UV equipment/bulb replacement costs/AWC setup/Ozone equipment, CaRX supplies and equipment,etc... certainly add up too.. You may have a few thousand in that equipment alone which gets quite a few (years of) Triton tests/dosing supplements,etc....
You still have quite a bit of maintenance keeping up with all that too..

As always... There are plenty of ways to enjoy this hobby.. Adapt and adjust as needed..
We each need to define the pros/cons for our specific life and do what works best for those..

[Member No. 1]

Point taken, yes the initial cost would have been higher.

Question, how often are you required to send in water samples?

[kiMxD]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Point taken, yes the initial cost would have been higher.

Question, how often are you required to send in water samples?

You're not required, is just a good practice to properly start on the Triton method.

They say that, ideally, you're supposed to do three tests to start, one before starting, one after the first week of dosing Triton, and another one couple months after the initial dose. This way you will be able to see what your tank consumes the most and adjust accordingly your water params.

[mcgyvr]

Like other tests we do.. (alk/mag,etc..) you establish a trend at first then routine testing every once in a while (every few months or whatever) to ensure its staying consistent..

[Gregg@ADP]

I had heard of the Triton method, but never thought much about it. Just went to their website and read (OK...skimmed) about their method. It’s...uhhh...interesting.

Lot of thoughts on this. In a general sense, in reef keeping, there are countless ways to skin a dead cat. Whatever your ‘method’, it’s all means to roughly the same end. The question I have is, what is this obsession people (and apparently, Triton) have with not doing water changes?

I don’t want to write a dissertation, but small water changes provide a very real benefit to closed reef (or any aquatic) systems....they, in an ecological sense, nip eutrophication in the bud. It is probably the most efficient way to remove decaying organic matter. The problem is that people get too caught up in the %ages. It’s jot how much you take out...it’s [I]what [I] you take out. If you can get back behind some rocks or in the corners where detritus accumulates, you can remove 5 gal of water and take out a boatload of decaying organic matter.

This isn’t a PO4/NO3 issue. This is a buffer system issue. Long term, decaying organic snot being removed from the system pump out H+. H+ = acidification. Acidification makes life very difficult...even sometimes impossible...for cnidarians, especially those that lay down CaCO3 bases. Your HCO3 buffering system is (IMO) the most critical process in long term health.

When you don’t physically remove decomposing organic matter, at the end of the day, your really just straining your buffering system and then getting to the point where you’re basically just pouring HCO3 into your tank just to keep your KH somewhere in a range that is useful in keeping the pH where it needs to be. Sure, you can hope that matter gets deep-sixes and breaks down anaerobically and gets sealed off from the environment and doesn’t pump H+ into the system water. Some people like to play hat game. I don’t.

Stability is the key to keeping coral healthy, and keeping acidification down —> keeping buffering capacity up, pH and KH stable and balanced, Ca+ from precipitating out of solution...goes a long way in accomplishing that.

Sorry about the rant. I just had a cup of coffee.

[vetteguy53081]

So far , so good for me on Triton.
When starting, get an ICP test done first so you know what and how much needs to be used in aquarium

[kiMxD]

Originally Posted by vetteguy53081

So far , so good for me on Triton.
When starting, get an ICP test done first so you know what and how much needs to be used in aquarium

Thank you sir for your input.

Could you share a bit more on how did you start Triton, how long ago, what the results are, etc?

I ordered two ICP tests together with Triton, my idea is to do one as soon as the packages arrive, and the other one a week or two after triton has started..

Thank you!

[FamilyTank]

Originally Posted by Gregg@ADP

I had heard of the Triton method, but never thought much about it. Just went to their website and read (OK...skimmed) about their method. It’s...uhhh...interesting.

Lot of thoughts on this. In a general sense, in reef keeping, there are countless ways to skin a dead cat. Whatever your ‘method’, it’s all means to roughly the same end. The question I have is, what is this obsession people (and apparently, Triton) have with not doing water changes?

I don’t want to write a dissertation, but small water changes provide a very real benefit to closed reef (or any aquatic) systems....they, in an ecological sense, nip eutrophication in the bud. It is probably the most efficient way to remove decaying organic matter. The problem is that people get too caught up in the %ages. It’s jot how much you take out...it’s [I]what [I] you take out. If you can get back behind some rocks or in the corners where detritus accumulates, you can remove 5 gal of water and take out a boatload of decaying organic matter.

This isn’t a PO4/NO3 issue. This is a buffer system issue. Long term, decaying organic snot being removed from the system pump out H+. H+ = acidification. Acidification makes life very difficult...even sometimes impossible...for cnidarians, especially those that lay down CaCO3 bases. Your HCO3 buffering system is (IMO) the most critical process in long term health.

When you don’t physically remove decomposing organic matter, at the end of the day, your really just straining your buffering system and then getting to the point where you’re basically just pouring HCO3 into your tank just to keep your KH somewhere in a range that is useful in keeping the pH where it needs to be. Sure, you can hope that matter gets deep-sixes and breaks down anaerobically and gets sealed off from the environment and doesn’t pump H+ into the system water. Some people like to play hat game. I don’t.

Stability is the key to keeping coral healthy, and keeping acidification down —> keeping buffering capacity up, pH and KH stable and balanced, Ca+ from precipitating out of solution...goes a long way in accomplishing that.

Sorry about the rant. I just had a cup of coffee.

Thanks for the write up.

[vetteguy53081]

Originally Posted by kiMxD

Thank you sir for your input.

Could you share a bit more on how did you start Triton, how long ago, what the results are, etc?

I ordered two ICP tests together with Triton, my idea is to do one as soon as the packages arrive, and the other one a week or two after triton has started..

Thank you!

You are on track for water testing. The test will tell you what needs adjusting and at what levels.

I began triton 3 months ago and have seen growth in corals but Mainly can finally keep acro alive