Triton or zeovit

[d2mini]

The reason I chose Triton for my new tank was two-fold.
1) It aligned with my own philosophy of running a reef tank as naturally as possible.
2) I like to run my tanks as simple and hands off as possible. With only needing a simple 4-pump doser, no water changes, no filter socks, no little blue bottles, no reactors... it was a pretty easy choice for me.

I've always avoided Zeo like the plaque due to the amount of work/time involved, cost, mystery liquids, and sensitivity of the system, even after seeing amazing zeo tanks in person.
I've done the CaRx route which was great because it was so simple and stable but I was still doing (auto) water changes and not really knowing what was going on in my system as far as all the minor elements we can't test for.

So far, it's still pretty early, I'm really liking this approach.

 

[griff500]

Triton does rely on a fairly decent size algae bed, so check the requirements very carefully and make sure you have more than enough room in your sump.

 

[justingraham]

I'm going to have a 55 gallons refuge.
But after looking into it I think I'm going the AF balling method

 

[griff500]

I've always avoided Zeo like the plaque due to the amount of work/time involved, cost, mystery liquids, and sensitivity of the system, even after seeing amazing zeo tanks in person.
I've done the CaRx route which was great because it was so simple and stable but I was still doing (auto) water changes and not really knowing what was going on in my system as far as all the minor elements we can't test for.

So far, it's still pretty early, I'm really liking this approach.

I don't think Zeo takes up much time at all and it certainly doesn't seem like hard work.

Calcium Reactors are very well proven and many TOTMs on many sites are run with them. I'm not sure that the same could be said of many Triton tanks, although I could be wrong. There are certainly many stunning tanks run on the Zeovit system.

 

[griff500]

I'm going to have a 55 gallons refuge.
But after looking into it I think I'm going the AF balling method

I reckon that's a better choice than Triton and their products seem to be good.

The Triton testing is useful, regardless of which system you choose.

 

[d2mini]

I don't think Zeo takes up much time at all and it certainly doesn't seem like hard work.

Calcium Reactors are very well proven and many TOTMs on many sites are run with them. I'm not sure that the same could be said of many Triton tanks, although I could be wrong. There are certainly many stunning tanks run on the Zeovit system.

They are all proven systems and none of them are "better" than the other. It's all up to the end user.
Well AquaForest is pretty new around here but I'm probably safe in assuming people will be just as successful with it.
Triton is very popular overseas, lots of stunning examples there.

ZEO was definitely more complicated than I ever wanted for a reef tank. Like I said, i've seen some gorgeous zeo tanks in person. It's just not for me.
As I mentioned earlier, I do "NOTHING" on a daily basis for Triton. Just refill my dosing containers when they run out.
Carbon is the only thing in a reactor. No water changes and I don't even have socks to clean.

And again like i said, I ran a CaRx and really liked it. I was initially disappointed it wasn't part of the Triton system.
But now I don't miss it.

 

[justingraham]

I don't want to add to many mechanical devices to my system as I understand that calcium reactors are good and TOTM users use them but I don't want that I don't I've read to many horror stories of a tank crash because of sticking and what not. At the end of the day if my tank crashes I want it to be my fault not a machines fault. And until I find the perfect doseing valve I will be doing it by hand. But at the same time I will be buying an apex but that will only be for making my life easier and besides a heater it will not control anything that can hurt my tank if something gets stuck on.
There are plenty of ways to do this hobby with great success but I don't want to do it with a calcium reactor. And @Griff thank u for ur input. But look at the AF tanks out there there is a drop down tank that looks amazing using AF.
But to me dialing in a calcium reactor for a week or more plus doing all the other stuff isn't going to be fun to me. Not only that all the equipment to do zeovit the right way will not be fun to my wallet or my love life. I do know this hobby is going to cost money but to start up zeovit will take me about two months of saving where as starting the AF method will cost around 150 ( the cost of only the regulator for a calcium reactor which I would still have to bye 300 for a good one? plus the calcium then all the other additives Plus my time equals ?? To much for me especially when the corals look the same if not better after three months) so if I get half the results out of the AF method butt the guys on this website get in three months I will be happy. I'm in the hobby to enjoy my corals not tinker with equipment till it looks good for a week and then it crashes because I know my luck and that's what will happen if I have too much equipment I will forget something and all will be lost. The AF method I have to dose three additives a days and test my water that sounds a lot easier to me. But I do agree with u zeovit tanks look great but so do triton and AF. And it seems the latter are a lot cheaper money wise and easier to keep up with the husbandry.

 

[griff500]

They are all proven systems and none of them are "better" than the other. It's all up to the end user.
Well AquaForest is pretty new around here but I'm probably safe in assuming people will be just as successful with it.
Triton is very popular overseas, lots of stunning examples there.

ZEO was definitely more complicated than I ever wanted for a reef tank. Like I said, i've seen some gorgeous zeo tanks in person. It's just not for me.
As I mentioned earlier, I do "NOTHING" on a daily basis for Triton. Just refill my dosing containers when they run out.
Carbon is the only thing in a reactor. No water changes and I don't even have socks to clean.

And again like i said, I ran a CaRx and really liked it. I was initially disappointed it wasn't part of the Triton system.
But now I don't miss it.

By overseas I assume you mean in Europe. It certainly has been popular here but a lot of people have had issues with algae in the display and stopped using it.

 

[griff500]

There are plenty of ways to do this hobby with great success but I don't want to do it with a calcium reactor. And @Griff thank u for ur input. But look at the AF tanks out there there is a drop down tank that looks amazing using AF.
But to me dialing in a calcium reactor for a week or more plus doing all the other stuff isn't going to be fun to me. Not only that all the equipment to do zeovit the right way will not be fun to my wallet or my love life. I do know this hobby is going to cost money but to start up zeovit will take me about two months of saving where as starting the AF method will cost around 150 ( the cost of only the regulator for a calcium reactor which I would still have to bye 300 for a good one? plus the calcium then all the other additives Plus my time equals ?? To much for me especially when the corals look the same if not better after three months) so if I get half the results out of the AF method *** the guys on this website get in three months I will be happy. I'm in the hobby to enjoy my corals not tinker with equipment till it looks good for a week and then it crashes because I know my luck and that's what will happen if I have too much equipment I will forget something and all will be lost. The AF method I have to dose three additives a days and test my water that sounds a lot easier to me. But I do agree with u zeovit tanks look great but so do triton and AF. And it seems the latter are a lot cheaper money wise and easier to keep up with the husbandry.

I'm not sure why there is a 'but' there - I already agreed that AF products appear to be excellent and that it seems a good choice. I might have used their products myself if they had been available at the time I moved away from Triton but I chose Zeovit.

Regarding calcium reactors, I use a Dastaco and it couldn't be easier to use, but you can always save and move to a CaRx if you find that consumption levels get high enough.

Good luck!

 

[becks]

There is ATI Essentials too, I think it works out cheaper than triton too.

 

[joefishUC Verified Sponsor]

Some good stuff here. I figured I would chime in and explain a few things. The retail price for a triton test is pretty firm at $49.00 This includes international shipping to Germany which actually costs a good amount. When stores purchase them at wholesale they can make $15-$20 by selling them at $49.00 If anyone is selling them at $30 they are losing money. Feel free to pm me the name of such companies. At trade shows, the lowest price Unique has ever offered them for is $40.00 and this is show special pricing.

The beauty that is triton is really as follows-

The large algae filter really does offer natural stability, a place of refuge for small invert life and filtering abilities that cannot be underestimated. The daily dosing of the four part base elements replenishes and balances all the major and minor ions in one simple to dose fashion. There is no guesswork when using this. Even if you never test with ICP and never add any other traces, you will be hitting so much closer to the mark then with other methods. The ICP testing and additional dosing should be viewed as minor tweaking of the water chemistry. Once you have things established, a well growing refugium with macro algae and a stable alkalinty, there really isn't much to do or tinker with. You can use a small amount of gfo to assist the algae bed with some po4 removal, add some fresh carbon on a monthly basis and just let the tank flourish. Nothing else is really needed. Nutrients are exported primarily via skimming, carbon and the algae bed and ions are replaced via daily dosing of all four parts on a doser. No micron socks, no water changes, and very balanced major ions that is hard to achieve with other forms of dosing. It really is a great system. Unfortunately some people had hair algae in their display tanks after using triton and I suspect it to be due to the fact that they did something wrong. Either the algae filter wasn't large enough, they fed too much and stopped doing water changes, or a combination of the above. Tanks also typically need time to break in a litle bit of hair algae, if kept in check, is ok and quickly goes away on its own if nutrients are kept in check. When viewing a method/system like this, one needs to ease into it, monitor for signs of trouble and step in when things are veering off track a bit. It is a great concept and method- you can pm me with any questions too.

 

[joefishUC Verified Sponsor]

I'm going to have a 55 gallons refuge.
But after looking into it I think I'm going the AF balling method

Here is a person who compares the two methods.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/my-triton-experiences-so-far.261180/

 

[justingraham]

Some good stuff here. I figured I would chime in and explain a few things. The retail price for a triton test is pretty firm at $49.00 This includes international shipping to Germany which actually costs a good amount. When stores purchase them at wholesale they can make $15-$20 by selling them at $49.00 If anyone is selling them at $30 they are losing money. Feel free to pm me the name of such companies. At trade shows, the lowest price Unique has ever offered them for is $40.00 and this is show special pricing.

The beauty that is triton is really as follows-

The large algae filter really does offer natural stability, a place of refuge for small invert life and filtering abilities that cannot be underestimated. The daily dosing of the four part base elements replenishes and balances all the major and minor ions in one simple to dose fashion. There is no guesswork when using this. Even if you never test with ICP and never add any other traces, you will be hitting so much closer to the mark then with other methods. The ICP testing and additional dosing should be viewed as minor tweaking of the water chemistry. Once you have things established, a well growing refugium with macro algae and a stable alkalinty, there really isn't much to do or tinker with. You can use a small amount of gfo to assist the algae bed with some po4 removal, add some fresh carbon on a monthly basis and just let the tank flourish. Nothing else is really needed. Nutrients are exported primarily via skimming, carbon and the algae bed and ions are replaced via daily dosing of all four parts on a doser. No micron socks, no water changes, and very balanced major ions that is hard to achieve with other forms of dosing. It really is a great system. Unfortunately some people had hair algae in their display tanks after using triton and I suspect it to be due to the fact that they did something wrong. Either the algae filter wasn't large enough, they fed too much and stopped doing water changes, or a combination of the above. Tanks also typically need time to break in a litle bit of hair algae, if kept in check, is ok and quickly goes away on its own if nutrients are kept in check. When viewing a method/system like this, one needs to ease into it, monitor for signs of trouble and step in when things are veering off track a bit. It is a great concept and method- you can pm me with any questions too.

Thank u so what's the price for the elements and how long do they last u?

 

[justingraham]

Here is a person who compares the two methods.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/my-triton-experiences-so-far.261180/

Going to read this when my boss leaves I'll reply when I'm done reading
Thank u for more info can never have enough

 

[joefishUC Verified Sponsor]

Thank u so what's the price for the elements and how long do they last u?

No problem Justin,

The base elements are $78 retail if purchased as a single set, or discounted if you buy more than one at a time. Many people purchase 3 sets at time to get the free shipping and price down to $70 ea. The starting dose is 10ml of each part for every 25 gals of system water. After receiving the set and diluting them with Ro/di water you will have 10,000ml of each part. This means that a tank of say 100 gallons with a new SPS load will need approx 40-60 ml per day of each solution to keep up with the mineral consumption needs of the tank's inhabitants. This equates to 200 days per set. As the tank matures, the amount dosed daily will increase as the corals grow and need more. For example, I have a 500 gallon display tank (1000 gal total system) running triton here in LA I helped a gentlemen setup. The coral growth has been wicked to say the least and the colors are great. He started out dosing around 150ml per day to maintain alk at 8dkh and is now around 550 per day. One set lasts him roughly 3 weeks but its hard to complain since the consistency is always there in terms of color and growth. He has recently switched to purchasing the elements in bulk containers. (1 bulk set= 20 reg sets) This saves him more money too. The new Core7 elements will be just like the existing Base Elements but be slightly cheaper to purchase and easier to use. No diluting necessary! You can dose right from the 1 liter bottles and they are 7 times the concentration of the base elements. Unique will have these in stock by the end of this week.

 

[d2mini]

Here'a another thread in the Triton USA forum that helps answer dosing amounts to go along with joe's info above
http://reef2reef.com/threads/triton-daily-dose.253278/

 

[griff500]

I absolutely agree with something said in one of the linked articles - if your sump does not have a large area for algae then Triton should be avoided as you could easily end up with algae in your display. When I say a large area for algae I mean it should provide a large surface area where lots of algae is exposed to light, rather than depth. Triton contains stuff to encourage the algae growth and if you don't have a large area of algae exposed to light then the algae will find somewhere else to grow and it's likely to be in your display. Triton themselves make the point that a large algae bed is required and it really is vital if you are to have success with this method.

 

[Jacklad79]

I'm running zeovit method and at first thought it might be to complicated , but it's really quite easy once you get into a routine ,each tank is different so dosing there bottles can vary slightly but once you find the right balance its simple and my tanks never looked better , as for cost it's not cheap but I only use 4 bottles can be expensive if using more

 

[griff500]

I'm running zeovit method and at first thought it might be to complicated , but it's really quite easy once you get into a routine ,each tank is different so dosing there bottles can vary slightly but once you find the right balance its simple and my tanks never looked better , as for cost it's not cheap but I only use 4 bottles can be expensive if using more

I agree - it's not difficult at all. Some of the bottles aren't cheap but they last a decent amount of time as you don't need to use much at all.

 

[d2mini]

I absolutely agree with something said in one of the linked articles - if your sump does not have a large area for algae then Triton should be avoided as you could easily end up with algae in your display. When I say a large area for algae I mean it should provide a large surface area where lots of algae is exposed to light, rather than depth. Triton contains stuff to encourage the algae growth and if you don't have a large area of algae exposed to light then the algae will find somewhere else to grow and it's likely to be in your display. Triton themselves make the point that a large algae bed is required and it really is vital if you are to have success with this method.

Exactly. I had my sump made specifically to run triton.
Large refugium (about 20% of the display volume), first in line with the tank draining directly into it, no socks, high flow, and a high powered full spectrum light to grow the algae.
Triton is more than just about the dosing.