Triton questions

[Will Milberger]

I grabbed the manual from the top of the first page and started reading through many of the posts in this thread. Now I have some confusion.
I have an "established 75g tank" . 5 fish, crabs, snails, 2 corals (colony polyp and a green candy cane). About 130 lbs of live rock, heavy coraline on it.
My lighting is an 8 bulb t-5 unit with 4 actinic and 4 15k. The refugium is a 10g aquarium with a Reef Octopus 150. Can't remember the return pump. Does about 350g/hr

Questions.
1)Do I just send in the test and go from there?
2)It says to use hardy corals to start with. What would be some suggestions?
3)Could I use a grow light and clip on holder in the refugium?
4)Which algae to use? Do I put sand in the bottom? It says in the manual to use varied algae and live rock, no substrate.
5)Why is there no tried and true rule of thumb?

 

[Psi]

Hi Will! I am no Triton expert as I, like you, have been researching and am just about to start running my Triton chems. Waiting for dKH to get to 8 (8.1 now, down from over 10).

Here are my thoughts, maybe worth what they cost...
1) You could send in for a test before starting the Triton method. I am going to wait until I have my Triton dosage dialed in (holding dKH steady) and then send in my first sample. That will tell me what is not looking right with the method running. If I sent one in before some of the identified problems might be ones that the base Triton chemicals would have cleared up anyway. Besides, the tests aren't cheap.
2) I have an established tank like you so I already have some corals. I'm not sure what they consider hardy corals. Softies are usually more tolerant than many LPS, which are often more tolerant than SPS, but that is a very general statement. You might check LiveAquaria for example and see their description of how 'difficult' various corals are considered. Low difficulty usually means fairly hardy. 'Expert" means avoid as far as I am concerned (maybe some day).
3) I have a fairly highly reviewed LED (screw-in flood-type) grow light in a cheap box-store clip-on. It has worked fair, but not great before starting the Triton method. I'm going to see what it does with Triton chemicals going as they include some chemical designed to facilitate macroalgae growth. I may need to upgrade fuge lighting if nutrients don't stay in line and cheato doesn't grow better. However, while waiting for my dKH to go down, I already stopped doing water changes - none in almost 6 weeks - and my nitrites and nitrates have stayed undetectable. So between live rock, skimmer and whatever my cheato is already doing, not bad.
4) I'm using cheato alone with live rock pieces, no sand in the bottom of the fuge. If it doesn't prove sufficient might add another species but not sure which yet.
5) Every reef tank is different. What works for one person and their setup, including fish load and types of coral, might not work for you. Plus, the Triton experts know what has worked for them. No way they have tried every possible approach/combination. There are other deviations that might work well also. They cannot rule that out so they shouldn't. I respect them for that.

One thing you didn't ask but might be beneficial for Triton method and your tank is a bigger sump if possible and a more powerful return pump. Looks like you are doing at best about a 4x flow per hour through sump based on total volume (display + sump). Triton recommends closer to 10. I think I am running about 8x flow and I hope that will be sufficient.

Good luck!

 

[madcanary]

Again no expert but i use Triton and ive pretty much killed my tank and Triton brought it back. so heres what i suggest.
make sure the big 3 at correct and stable Alk, Ca and Mg this is important because they need to be in the correct ratio as that how Triton doses them.
Once youve got them stable and correct send in a sample Triton will tell you what you need to add. complete the recommedations and test Alk daily and adjust dosing to maintain 8.0 Dkh.
I used 2 part to bring levels up, started dosing CORE7 to maintain 8.0 Dkh once it was stable for a few days i sent my sample in from there i just send in a sample quarterly and my tank is kickin along for now.
i run simple cheato in my 20g refugium powered by a SB reef fuge sprite

 

[Will Milberger]

I am moving in October, so I think I'll keep doing what I am doing for now. (Water changes and basing rocks and substrate). Then when I take down and reset up in the new house, go all in.

I am looking at getting a red+blue grow light light and up my sump to a 20 gallon long. Have to get/find some plexi to make the partitions.

Getting new stands, which will raise my sump by about two feet, so, I'll get more flow from that. So getting stuff together.

If instead of water changes, what should I order to get started from Trition (or supplier)?

 

[madcanary]

Core 7 and a test kit. is all you need providing you parameters are stable and your nutrients are under control.

 

[Psi]

[QUOTE If instead of water changes, what should I order to get started from Trition (or supplier)?[/QUOTE]

You might also want a doser of some type if you don't have one to automate the process...You would need a 4-channel doser for Triton.
+1 on the Core7. I bought the Triton Base Elements for my first round (instead of Core 7) as it appears to be a little cheaper (actually costs more but last significantly longer). Kind of wish I had gotten core 7 now. I had a difficult time getting Element 1 to dissolve. I wanted to mix it 2x concentrated (only 5 liters instead of 10) so that what wouldn't fit in my dosing container would fit in some good 1 gallon jugs I had already. Never could get Element 1 to dissolve in only 5 liters, even with heating the water. I had to dilute up to a minimum of 8 liters before it would fully dissolve. So much for my clever plan...

 

[madcanary]

DOH!! @Psi, yes 4 channel doser, I run 2 Apex DOS...
I believe with the CORE7 I had issues with 3b I left it in hot water and shook it a few good times no issue afterward.

 

[Psi]

@madcanary, Apex is really proud of those! I got the Kamoer x4. Setup pretty easily but drops WiFi connection sometimes. Frustrating.
@Will Milberger, I just also noticed your comment about plexiglass dividers for you sump. I would recommend using 1/4" glass if you can get it. I ignored all the advice on here and used plexiglass dividers my first sump. When I rebuilt it recently to go Triton, I used glass - much easier to silicone and it doesn't bow like my plexiglass dividers did.

 

[madcanary]

yeah, they proud, but the work well, of course, I have no basis for comparison other than stuff goes in and it works lol.I think BRS did a video about sumps. Glass vs Acrylic I don't think acrylic bonds well.

 

[Will Milberger]

Core 7 and a test kit. is all you need providing you parameters are stable and your nutrients are under control.

Should I go ahead and send in a test now and see what they say to treat?

 

[Will Milberger]

[QUOTE If instead of water changes, what should I order to get started from Trition (or supplier)?

You might also want a doser of some type if you don't have one to automate the process...You would need a 4-channel doser for Triton.
+1 on the Core7. I bought the Triton Base Elements for my first round (instead of Core 7) as it appears to be a little cheaper (actually costs more but last significantly longer). Kind of wish I had gotten core 7 now. I had a difficult time getting Element 1 to dissolve. I wanted to mix it 2x concentrated (only 5 liters instead of 10) so that what wouldn't fit in my dosing container would fit in some good 1 gallon jugs I had already. Never could get Element 1 to dissolve in only 5 liters, even with heating the water. I had to dilute up to a minimum of 8 liters before it would fully dissolve. So much for my clever plan...[/QUOTE]

Was thinking of getting a few TOMS units and pull from some mixed containers. Would this be ok?

 

[Psi]

Do you mean the TOM'S Aqualifter that people use for their ATO? I don't believe they can be used to provide the kind of specific dosing needed for Triton. They are just a pump. You can't adjust their dosing rate. Even if you connected them to a controller like an Apex to turn them on and off for set duration, they just aren't designed to be that accurate. You need a peristaltic type pump. Very accurate.

 

[madcanary]

You’ll need a 4 doser setup. The BRS dosers are a great example. I use the Apex DOS. Kore dosers are really good too just depends how easy you want it to be and how much your budget is.

 

[Will Milberger]

You’ll need a 4 doser setup. The BRS dosers are a great example. I use the Apex DOS. Kore dosers are really good too just depends how easy you want it to be and how much your budget is.

Yep was getting near the end of the budget. Thought about trying to find used, but didn't want someone elses' problems.

 

[Psi]

Some have been happy with the budget Jeboa doser from Amazon or eBay. But a few have reported disaster when pumps overdosed.

 

[KevinRosso]

You can also grab a 3 channel Doser and combine 3a and 3b

 

[madcanary]

Yep was getting near the end of the budget. Thought about trying to find used, but didn't want someone elses' problems.

You can find used just depends where you buy used from. Connect with your local reefing community they are generally trust worthy.