Triton Lab N-DOC System Down

[Brent Bohannon]

Decided to do my first Triton test last week. When I checked the tracking number it said unable to deliver on Saturday. I just received an email from Triton stating that their N-DOC system is down and I will be notified when it is back online. Does this happen regularly? If so, can someone please tell me how long it is usually down? It’s a little frustrating to pay $50 for a test and then be forced to wait until the results are out of date.

 

[taricha]

I've got a set of NDOC test kits waiting when I heard the delay. Let us know when things start moving again.

 

[Righteous]

Does this happen regularly?

I believe this is the first time it’s been down. I’ve used it since they started offering it and haven’t seen it down before.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I believe this is the first time it’s been down. I’ve used it since they started offering it and haven’t seen it down before.

Has it told you things about your tank that are useful?

 

[Brent Bohannon]

My concern is the validity of the test after it sits around for an extended period of time. As the algae and plankton die and begin to break down, it should start to affect some of the results I would imagine.

 

[Righteous]

Has it told you things about your tank that are useful?

I find it fairly helpful, mostly as a sanity check on carbon dosing and ammonia/nitrate dosing. It's also useful to have another double check on my alkalinity levels, so I would hopefully spot any test kit problems before they become an issue. I don't do it as often as ICP, maybe once a quarter.

Along with the Hanna Nitrate checker, it gives me a pretty good sense of things. For instance for my tank, things look pretty good when I can keep the total nitrogen around 1mg/l and my Nitrate testing around the same. I do that by feeding a certain amount, dosing NH Alpha daily, and harvesting my refugium regularly. Also I like to keep the organic carbon measurement on the higher end with vinegar dosing.

I'd say in some ways the major insight for me is that the tank and coral health are noticeably effected by changes on the NDOC. I think it's helped me dial in better feeding / dosing strategy by correlating changes in dosing, feeding, and the measured levels.

 

[Righteous]

Here's a sample of what i find to be the useful data:

 

[Righteous]

My concern is the validity of the test after it sits around for an extended period of time. As the algae and plankton die and begin to break down, it should start to affect some of the results I would imagine.

I tested that with the ICP by doing a sterilization and didn't find it effected anything. I might try the same for NDOC.

For what it's worth, usually I get the results in about 10-14 days. Not if sure that's long enough to effect things too much. If you've been waiting 1 month etc, i don't know.

 

[taricha]

My concern is the validity of the test after it sits around for an extended period of time. As the algae and plankton die and begin to break down, it should start to affect some of the results I would imagine.

If they already have the sample it would be fairly easy to store it in a way that will minimize loss of total nitrogen etc.
acidification, freezing etc.

 

[Dan_P]

Has it told you things about your tank that are useful?

@taricha and I are comparing basic persulfate total nitrogen results to NDOC results. I think we will be able to share interesting, but maybe not that useful, results when we obtain a relatively large number of total N tests from our systems, like time of day study, GAC lifetime, wet skimming benefits, etc. It’s at least an enjoyable fishing expedition.

 

[Brent Bohannon]

I got my results back so it must have been a small problem. Now I have to find out why I have high aluminum. The silicates are clearly from the stupid GFO I stopped using a while back. Just not sure where that Al came from. Tank is doing better than ever so I’m not terribly worried at the moment. I use Red Sea for all my dosing needs and don’t plan on changing.

 

[Righteous]

I got my results back so it must have been a small problem. Now I have to find out why I have high aluminum. The silicates are clearly from the stupid GFO I stopped using a while back. Just not sure where that Al came from. Tank is doing better than ever so I’m not terribly worried at the moment. I use Red Sea for all my dosing needs and don’t plan on changing.

So if you got aluminum and silicon results you actually ran an ICP test. The NDOC is a separate test for nutrients. But explains why you got your results. Only their NDOC systems are down.

What are your aluminum readings? It may not be a real issue depending on the levels.

 

[Brent Bohannon]

You’re right. I felt pretty dumb thinking I had ordered the wrong test. Al is 316.

 

[Righteous]

That’s probably not great, you might want to try lowering it. I don’t know a great way other than water changes. You didn’t happen to replace the GFO with Phosguard or Triton AL99? Those could raise aluminum levels.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

316 ug/L aluminum is pushing things. I observed corals to close up at 500 ug/L.

Any white media at all being used?

 

[Righteous]

For those following along for the NDOC system issues, just received this from Triton:

“We have been advised by our technicians that the N-DOC system should be repaired in the next few days and you will be notified as soon as we are back online.”

 

[Brent Bohannon]

Triton suggested rowaphos or phosban to remove the aluminum and my high silicates. I have it on order and will add to my carbon reactor. Also dosing potassium to raise it up 120 ppm. I figure doing it over a 14 day period is slow enough.

 

[Righteous]

Triton suggested rowaphos or phosban to remove the aluminum and my high silicates. I have it on order and will add to my carbon reactor. Also dosing potassium to raise it up 120 ppm. I figure doing it over a 14 day period is slow enough.

I switched from BRS GFO to Phosban at the Triton suggestion as well. I haven't found any difference unfortunately. I don't know what the source of mine are/were, and I don't really do water changes. Mine are reading 300 µg/l. I don't notice any problems at that level, and since switching to bare bottom, I don't get any diatoms.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I switched from BRS GFO to Phosban at the Triton suggestion as well. I haven't found any difference unfortunately. I don't know what the source of mine are/were, and I don't really do water changes. Mine are reading 300 µg/l. I don't notice any problems at that level, and since switching to bare bottom, I don't get any diatoms.

BRS GFO and Phosban are both GFO and will both have similar properties.

 

[Righteous]

BRS GFO and Phosban are both GFO and will both have similar properties.

Yes, but for some reason they claim in the ICP help section that other brands (non RowaPhos/Phosban) can contribute to high silicon. I switched just to see if maybe the BRS gfo was contaminated with silica, but it doesn’t appear to be any different. 3 months of Phosban versus BRS, silicon remained around 300ppb. (No water changes at all during this period)

Here’s there little help blurb.