Triton Method and Nitrogen/Phosphate

malfist · Sep 29, 2020

I've been struggling with a dino infestation and the root cause seems to be my lack of nitrates and phosphates. A couple weeks ago I started dosing nitrogen in the form of KNO3 and Phosphate in the form of KH2PO4. Since I've started dosing those, my corals have a lot more color and the dinos have been slowly fading. Because of this I'd really not like to stop dosing these, given the positive response from both the corals and the dinos.

I would like to start the triton method on my aquarium, however, I'm unsure if the Core7 "trace elements" includes nitrogen and phosphorus. I don't want to double dose, or eliminate dosing of those two elements. Since the triton method relies on macroalgae I would think it would have them in there, but I don't know.

Does anyone know if the Core7 Base elements includes N and P?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 29, 2020

There's no concern. Trace element supplements do not typically contain N and P. Too much variability on the need.

malfist · Sep 29, 2020

So I would need to continue dosing N and P separately?

I only have 3 pumps, would I be okay to add N and P to one of the solutions or would I be risking precipitates?

Sdot · Sep 29, 2020

malfist said:
So I would need to continue dosing N and P separately?

I only have 3 pumps, would I be okay to add N and P to one of the solutions or would I be risking precipitates?

I wouldnt....ill let the experts like @Randy Holmes-Farley chime in, but the needs of nitrate and phos can and will change...you wouldn't have the ability to make adjustments if you needed too..

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 29, 2020

malfist said:
So I would need to continue dosing N and P separately?

I only have 3 pumps, would I be okay to add N and P to one of the solutions or would I be risking precipitates?

Sodium or potassium nitrate can be added to most any supplement.

Sodium or potassium phosphate can generally be added to alkalinity supplements, except those that also contain calcium (like Tropic Marin All for Reef, Salifert All in One, etc.).

That said, I would not do this until you have experimented quite a while and settled on a dose.

malfist · Sep 29, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That said, I would not do this until you have experimented quite a while and settled on a dose.

Settled on a triton dose or a nitrate/phosphate dose?

Thank you so much for your expertise

jccaclimber · Sep 30, 2020

malfist said:
Settled on a triton dose or a nitrate/phosphate dose?

Thank you so much for your expertise

You probably need to know both.
Personally I’d put each item on an independent pump. I’ve seen my tank suddenly change the amount of nitrate or phosphate it consumes after a few months of dosing. If you’ve mixed it with something else you won’t be able to change the first item without changing the second.

Additionally, sometimes I’ll want to **** a doser off. For example, if my nitrate creeps up over a couple months I would want to either slightly decrease the dose, or just shut it off for a couple days then resume as normal. If I had the nitrate going in with my Alk I would have to wait until my Alk container needed to be refilled and mix at a new ratio, also adjust my Alk dose, or stop dosing Alk for a bit. Not things I’d like to do.