Hi All,
[if you want to see this in video format - just skip to the bottom
]
I've been running a redsea reefer 250 (250 L or 65 gal) for 3 years now. The tank is SPS dominant, with a healthy population of fish. My reefing method and husbandry is pretty simple; no mechanical filters, a fuge with chaeto + skimmer for nutrient export, and 2 part dosing (ESV B-Ionic) to maintain core parameters. I typically keep Alk at 8 to 9 dKH, Ca at 420 to 450 ppm, Mg at 1400 ppm (although it has been running sub 1500 because of an accidental overdose due to a bad mag kit). I like to have 5 to 10 ppm nitrates and above 0.1 phosphates, and i dose potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate if levels get too low. I do daily small water changes (2.5 L per day) using the cheap instant ocean salt.
I typically test core parameters (Alk, Ca, Mg, N03, Po4) weekly - a system that has served me well for the past 3 years. But I've been having some issues with keeping Alk stable; i tend to travel a lot for work and my family usually tags along. This usually coincides with a big alk drop in my tank. The first few trips took me by surprise, but i finally figured out the issues. We live in a new house that has great insulation, which means that it also traps carbon dioxide. This leads to 'lower' PH in the tank when we are living in the house. As soon as we go away, C02 levels in the air and tank water drop, which increases PH, which in turn increases coral calcification and Alk consumption leading to drops in Alk levels. These drops can be severe - i once recorded a 1dKH drop after a week away.
To combat this, i typically adjust my 2 part dosing higher before i leave on my trips; its been a guessing game, but typically i increase levels by 20 to 25% of what i typically dose per day. This usually helps with the drop, but leads to an imbalance when we return back to the house.
All of this has been manageable so far, but the worry is that as my colonies mature, they will be more sensitive to fluctuations in alkalinity.... fast track to 2018 with several alk monitors hitting the market and news of the elusive trident 'almost ready'. I made up my mind that i was going to get an alk monitor so i can track levels while away on vacation and work trips; I heard decent things about the alkatronic and the GHL KH Director. I am going away for a whole month this year, and i was anxious to get something soon. i was literally close to ordering the GHL Director, which i was 'advised' by someone in the know to wait a little bit longer for the trident. The trident appealed to me a bit more because i already have the apex controller and DOS dosers.
So i waited and put my name on a waiting list as soon as the trident was released. A month later - i had the unit in hand.
I've uploaded an unboxing , setup and first impressions video - link below. i don't want to duplicate efforts but here are my thoughts on the trident so far:
1) setup was easy - 20 to 30 min with nothing complicated. Video guide by Neptune was very useful
2) calibration solution bottle was leaking, with the paper listing the values of the standard solution peeling a bit obscuring Mag levels - annoying, but i quickly got the values for this lot number. This is a known issue that Neptune is working to solve.
3) unit's been putting reasonable parameter values out of the factory; still waiting a few more days before calibrating it.
At 6 pm today, for example, i got:
Alk
Trident 9.67 dkh
Hanna 8,8 dkh
Salifert 9.3 dkh
Ca
Trident 421 ppm
Salifert 430 ppm
Mg
Trident 1532 ppm
Salifert 1440 ppm
levels are in the same ballpark, except for the Mg, but i did have a bad Salifert mag kit before, so it is possible that the Trident is more accurate here.
4) Unit makes 'cute' r2d2 type sounds when test. Cute for now, but some may find annoying. I have my trident beside my tank, so if you run it in a cabinet, then you may not hear anything
5) Reagent availability: While everything about the trident has been positive so far, i am not happy with trident's approach to providing customers with reagent refills. First, you have to order from Neptune directly, and you are allowed a single reagent kit at a time. For someone like me, who is outside of the US, that means that i have to pay ~$45 USD for the 2 month reagent kit + ~$40 USD for shipping + import duties levied at the boarder. $100 USD+ for a single kit of reagents that lasts 2 month is unreasonable IMHO. Neptune promises a better solution in the future (kits sold at local stores) but i am not sure if this is just aspirational, or if it will be rolled out soon enough to matter; Honestly, I may consider switching my trident for another Alk monitor with more freely available reagents - especially considering that a yearly supply of reagents for someone outside of the US will cost about $600 USD if the current system persists. I do have enough reagents to cover my 1 month trip, so i am happy for that.
Thats it guys.
here is the link to my trident vid
and here is a recent one of my tank to get an idea of what i am 'reefing' with. Thanks and cheers!
[if you want to see this in video format - just skip to the bottom
]I've been running a redsea reefer 250 (250 L or 65 gal) for 3 years now. The tank is SPS dominant, with a healthy population of fish. My reefing method and husbandry is pretty simple; no mechanical filters, a fuge with chaeto + skimmer for nutrient export, and 2 part dosing (ESV B-Ionic) to maintain core parameters. I typically keep Alk at 8 to 9 dKH, Ca at 420 to 450 ppm, Mg at 1400 ppm (although it has been running sub 1500 because of an accidental overdose due to a bad mag kit). I like to have 5 to 10 ppm nitrates and above 0.1 phosphates, and i dose potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate if levels get too low. I do daily small water changes (2.5 L per day) using the cheap instant ocean salt.
I typically test core parameters (Alk, Ca, Mg, N03, Po4) weekly - a system that has served me well for the past 3 years. But I've been having some issues with keeping Alk stable; i tend to travel a lot for work and my family usually tags along. This usually coincides with a big alk drop in my tank. The first few trips took me by surprise, but i finally figured out the issues. We live in a new house that has great insulation, which means that it also traps carbon dioxide. This leads to 'lower' PH in the tank when we are living in the house. As soon as we go away, C02 levels in the air and tank water drop, which increases PH, which in turn increases coral calcification and Alk consumption leading to drops in Alk levels. These drops can be severe - i once recorded a 1dKH drop after a week away.
To combat this, i typically adjust my 2 part dosing higher before i leave on my trips; its been a guessing game, but typically i increase levels by 20 to 25% of what i typically dose per day. This usually helps with the drop, but leads to an imbalance when we return back to the house.
All of this has been manageable so far, but the worry is that as my colonies mature, they will be more sensitive to fluctuations in alkalinity.... fast track to 2018 with several alk monitors hitting the market and news of the elusive trident 'almost ready'. I made up my mind that i was going to get an alk monitor so i can track levels while away on vacation and work trips; I heard decent things about the alkatronic and the GHL KH Director. I am going away for a whole month this year, and i was anxious to get something soon. i was literally close to ordering the GHL Director, which i was 'advised' by someone in the know to wait a little bit longer for the trident. The trident appealed to me a bit more because i already have the apex controller and DOS dosers.
So i waited and put my name on a waiting list as soon as the trident was released. A month later - i had the unit in hand.
I've uploaded an unboxing , setup and first impressions video - link below. i don't want to duplicate efforts but here are my thoughts on the trident so far:
1) setup was easy - 20 to 30 min with nothing complicated. Video guide by Neptune was very useful
2) calibration solution bottle was leaking, with the paper listing the values of the standard solution peeling a bit obscuring Mag levels - annoying, but i quickly got the values for this lot number. This is a known issue that Neptune is working to solve.
3) unit's been putting reasonable parameter values out of the factory; still waiting a few more days before calibrating it.
At 6 pm today, for example, i got:
Alk
Trident 9.67 dkh
Hanna 8,8 dkh
Salifert 9.3 dkh
Ca
Trident 421 ppm
Salifert 430 ppm
Mg
Trident 1532 ppm
Salifert 1440 ppm
levels are in the same ballpark, except for the Mg, but i did have a bad Salifert mag kit before, so it is possible that the Trident is more accurate here.
4) Unit makes 'cute' r2d2 type sounds when test. Cute for now, but some may find annoying. I have my trident beside my tank, so if you run it in a cabinet, then you may not hear anything
5) Reagent availability: While everything about the trident has been positive so far, i am not happy with trident's approach to providing customers with reagent refills. First, you have to order from Neptune directly, and you are allowed a single reagent kit at a time. For someone like me, who is outside of the US, that means that i have to pay ~$45 USD for the 2 month reagent kit + ~$40 USD for shipping + import duties levied at the boarder. $100 USD+ for a single kit of reagents that lasts 2 month is unreasonable IMHO. Neptune promises a better solution in the future (kits sold at local stores) but i am not sure if this is just aspirational, or if it will be rolled out soon enough to matter; Honestly, I may consider switching my trident for another Alk monitor with more freely available reagents - especially considering that a yearly supply of reagents for someone outside of the US will cost about $600 USD if the current system persists. I do have enough reagents to cover my 1 month trip, so i am happy for that.
Thats it guys.
here is the link to my trident vid
and here is a recent one of my tank to get an idea of what i am 'reefing' with. Thanks and cheers!
