Looking to leave the Triton Method

[ShawnSaucier]

Looking at changing it up a bit. I restarted my tank back in Sept. and just started adding frags in the last two months. Have decided to go with a softie/LPS mixed reef.
I enjoyed Triton for a bit, but found the colors of my corals were a bit blah..
I have an unused Kalk stirrer in my garage. Thinking about putting it to use, but it’s been over 10 years since I’ve used Kalk. And never used a stirrer either. Display is 187g and the stirrer is rated for 135g max. Hoping this might work as I am only frags and not to much LPS at the moment.
Also would you add some sort of trace elements??? Through a doser that is..

 

[dankaqua]

Switching from one system to another can cause issues. I'm not trying to dissuade you, but just keep in mind that you will very likely see a downturn in the health of some of your inverts and potentially some losses.

I think the kalk stirrer rated for 135g max is doable for a 185 softie&LPS tank. You'll just need to monitor your levels thru testing. If someday you end up with a tank full of SPS, then the kalk stirrer probably won't be able to keep up, but that's something you can worry about then.

I would also monitor Magnesium levels and dose appropriately. For other minor trace elements, I'd probably go with an ICP test to let me know where those level are and dose accordingly. For example, with a softie tank, you're likely to run low on Iodine.

Regarding your coloration, one possibility could be too low phosphate or nitrate. If you are carbon dosing or using a fuge to remove PO4&NO3, you might want to back off a bit and see if you can raise those "nutrients" slightly.

Whatever approach you take, try to spread it out over several weeks (or better several months). "Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank".

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Switching from one system to another can cause issues. I'm not trying to dissuade you, but just keep in mind that you will very likely see a downturn in the health of some of your inverts and potentially some losses.

I think the kalk stirrer rated for 135g max is doable for a 185 softie&LPS tank. You'll just need to monitor your levels thru testing. If someday you end up with a tank full of SPS, then the kalk stirrer probably won't be able to keep up, but that's something you can worry about then.

I would also monitor Magnesium levels and dose appropriately. For other minor trace elements, I'd probably go with an ICP test to let me know where those level are and dose accordingly. For example, with a softie tank, you're likely to run low on Iodine.

Regarding your coloration, one possibility could be too low phosphate or nitrate. If you are carbon dosing or using a fuge to remove PO4&NO3, you might want to back off a bit and see if you can raise those "nutrients" slightly.

Whatever approach you take, try to spread it out over several weeks (or better several months). "Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank".

I agree with what you have stated. My DOS system has been down for a few weeks. My EB32 got fried somehow and took out my lights and DOS. So I haven’t been dosing anything for almost a month, other than a small bit of Alk. buffer and back to water changes to help with trace. I bought a new dosing system and planning on adding this weekend. But saw the Kalk stirrer box sitting unopened in the corner..
Nutrients wise I have kept my NO3 @ 5ppm and PO4 @ .05 ppm. I just found, when my system was heavier SPS, that the colors were a bit blah during full midday lighting. No carbon dosing, fuge on a 9 hr reverse light cycle and heavy feeding.
Kalk product I am thinking about using is the Britewell +2. Mag for some reason has always run high in this display.
Current parameters:
Ca @ 480ppm
ALK@ 8.7 DKH
Mg @ 1400
Sending an ICP out this weekend.

 

[esther]

Just curious... Is the only reason you don't want to do the Triton Method anymore because of the coloration of the corals? Is there a supplement you can add to help with that? We just started the method about a month ago. So far, so good.