Triton vs traditional fuge

[ReeferReefer]

I am seriously considering the Triton system for my new build. I've always liked running a refugium so using it as the primary nutrient export sounds awesome.

There is just one thing I don't understand about Triton. Why don't you remove any macro? I've seen people say that macro die off feeds the tank but then how are nutrients being exported?

 

[CC13]

I am seriously considering the Triton system for my new build. I've always liked running a refugium so using it as the primary nutrient export sounds awesome.

There is just one thing I don't understand about Triton. Why don't you remove any macro? I've seen people say that macro die off feeds the tank but then how are nutrients being exported?

I would make SURE you can order and find the Triton supplements first. I know they had a massive problem with supply where a lot of people were unable to buy and dose which caused problems. They also had a problem with their containers leaking in transport..... not sure if these issues have been resolved but you might want to look into them before you convert.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I would make SURE you can order and find the Triton supplements first. I know they had a massive problem with supply where a lot of people were unable to buy and dose which caused problems. They also had a problem with their containers leaking in transport..... not sure if these issues have been resolved but you might want to look into them before you convert.

It's going to be a softie tank so I don't think I'll be burning through a lot Calc and alk so I figured it would be pretty easy on the supplements.

 

[Subsea]

It's going to be a softie tank so I don't think I'll be burning through a lot Calc and alk so I figured it would be pretty easy on the supplements.

While I have not studied the Trident Method, I have seen BRS TV video on algae as primary filter and I am certain that they export Chaetomorphy.

With a softie tank, I have used aragonite sustrate for passive buffering coupled with kalk make up for evaporation and no water changes for > 5 years. I used red ogo in my refugium.

 

[Subsea]

I am seriously considering the Triton system for my new build. I've always liked running a refugium so using it as the primary nutrient export sounds awesome.

There is just one thing I don't understand about Triton. Why don't you remove any macro? I've seen people say that macro die off feeds the tank but then how are nutrients being exported?

Your question is spot on. The answer is difficult for me to explain with science, but in my experiece with a
1000G extended display in my house and garage, I will try to illustrate. My work schedule of 28 days on and 28 days off with no automated feeding system required me to integrate natural food webs into an extended ecosystem. Remote refugium in my garage supported a 150G display in my house. Garage consisted of six 55G tanks and two 4’ by 8’ shallow frag tanks. The 55G macro refugiums were loaded with pods, microstars and snails. When I was home, I feed these refugiums heavily with zero export except for the refugium effluent feeding coral propagation tanks.. The macros and micro invert populations grew accordingly. When I was gone for 28 days, the refugiums continued to feed growout tanks but without added food, macro and pod populations decreased.

In my experience with macro, DOC & TOC can go both ways between coral & macros. Coral needs both DOC & DIC to grow. My proof is from observation with 47 years experience.

 

[Yas]

Your question is spot on. The answer is difficult for me to explain with science, but in my experiece with a
1000G extended display in my house and garage, I will try to illustrate. My work schedule of 28 days on and 28 days off with no automated feeding system required me to integrate natural food webs into an extended ecosystem. Remote refugium in my garage supported a 150G display in my house. Garage consisted of six 55G tanks and two 4’ by 8’ shallow frag tanks. The 55G macro refugiums were loaded with pods, microstars and snails. When I was home, I feed these refugiums heavily with zero export except for the refugium effluent feeding coral propagation tanks.. The macros and micro invert populations grew accordingly. When I was gone for 28 days, the refugiums continued to feed growout tanks but without added food, macro and pod populations decreased.

In my experience with macro, DOC & TOC can go both ways between coral & macros. Coral needs both DOC & DIC to grow. My proof is from observation with 47 years experience.

Subsea, your explanation is very impressive to me. I'm sure that for the nutrient export part, trimming is the only way to export it. For the feeding part, it's not the macro algae itself or the dead macro algae, but those fed in the macro algae would do the job to feed the living things in the main display due to effluent water into the tank.

I have Chaeto full of pods in my refgium, and my mandarin is happy not eating any food that I feed. I guess he's probably eating something out of my refgium, maybe tiny pod babies or something out of the refgium.

By the way, ReeferReefer, I suggest you to take an ICP-OES test first so that you see nothing harmful is in your tank before you start Triton method.

I had once been doing Triton method, but tin was detected in my tank, and I couldn't figure out the source of tin. I replaced wave makers, main pump, tank itself, etc. with no luck and my SPS died no matter what I did.

Because Triton suggests no water change, and tin couldn't be removed by Detox, I had no way to remove Tin out of my tank. The problem with Triton is that they offer lots of elements to add, but a certain substance you don't want in your tank cannot be fully treated with any of Triton products. If that's the case, you may want to do an ordinary water changing method rather than Triton.

That said, if you go with softies, then a bit of unwanted substance may not be a problem. Good luck!

Yas

 

[Subsea]

I am seriously considering the Triton system for my new build. I've always liked running a refugium so using it as the primary nutrient export sounds awesome.

There is just one thing I don't understand about Triton. Why don't you remove any macro? I've seen people say that macro die off feeds the tank but then how are nutrients being exported?

I just realized another answer to your last sentence, “How are nutrients being exported”?

Nutrients are not being exported. Nutrients are cycled into coral biomass.

 

[Subsea]

Subsea, your explanation is very impressive to me. I'm sure that for the nutrient export part, trimming is the only way to export it. For the feeding part, it's not the macro algae itself or the dead macro algae, but those fed in the macro algae would do the job to feed the living things in the main display due to effluent water into the tank.

I have Chaeto full of pods in my refgium, and my mandarin is happy not eating any food that I feed. I guess he's probably eating something out of my refgium, maybe tiny pod babies or something out of the refgium.

By the way, ReeferReefer, I suggest you to take an ICP-OES test first so that you see nothing harmful is in your tank before you start Triton method.

I had once been doing Triton method, but tin was detected in my tank, and I couldn't figure out the source of tin. I replaced wave makers, main pump, tank itself, etc. with no luck and my SPS died no matter what I did.

Because Triton suggests no water change, and tin couldn't be removed by Detox, I had no way to remove Tin out of my tank. The problem with Triton is that they offer lots of elements to add, but a certain substance you don't want in your tank cannot be fully treated with any of Triton products. If that's the case, you may want to do an ordinary water changing method rather than Triton.

That said, if you go with softies, then a bit of unwanted substance may not be a problem. Good luck!

Yas

Yes to detailed water test. Yes to small water changes. With activated carbon, I did zero scheduled water changes with a 75% change once a year.

Thank you for the kind words.

 

[ReeferReefer]

Subsea, your explanation is very impressive to me. I'm sure that for the nutrient export part, trimming is the only way to export it. For the feeding part, it's not the macro algae itself or the dead macro algae, but those fed in the macro algae would do the job to feed the living things in the main display due to effluent water into the tank.

I have Chaeto full of pods in my refgium, and my mandarin is happy not eating any food that I feed. I guess he's probably eating something out of my refgium, maybe tiny pod babies or something out of the refgium.

By the way, ReeferReefer, I suggest you to take an ICP-OES test first so that you see nothing harmful is in your tank before you start Triton method.

I had once been doing Triton method, but tin was detected in my tank, and I couldn't figure out the source of tin. I replaced wave makers, main pump, tank itself, etc. with no luck and my SPS died no matter what I did.

Because Triton suggests no water change, and tin couldn't be removed by Detox, I had no way to remove Tin out of my tank. The problem with Triton is that they offer lots of elements to add, but a certain substance you don't want in your tank cannot be fully treated with any of Triton products. If that's the case, you may want to do an ordinary water changing method rather than Triton.

That said, if you go with softies, then a bit of unwanted substance may not be a problem. Good luck!

Yas

Great advice. I currently have a 90g AIO that I will be upgrading to a dual corner overflow 120. Triton might seem silly with a softie tank but I am going to go with an automatic wc system or Triton for now water changes.

 

[ReeferReefer]

Yes to detailed water test. Yes to small water changes. With activated carbon, I did zero scheduled water changes with a 75% change once a year.

Thank you for the kind words.

Your system sounds amazing. I'm not sure I have the room to dedicate to the awesome refugiums you have but I believe in their benefits. That's what makes Triton so appealing.

I would likely do occasional water changes, but more to vacuum the tank than as a primary form of nutrient export.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I guess I'll just give Triton a try. If I'm having Nitrate problems I can always adjust. The whole topic of nutrient export is so interesting to me.