Where do your UC frags come from? Here's some information!

[uniquecorals]

Just received m triton test kit and elementz. Im waiting for this weather in NY to get better so i can order some SPS

Urrgh- this WEATHER! :rain:

Hang in there Eastern U.S.A. We'll keep your corals warm and safe here until the weather breaks..

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

so the triton method is in place of using a ca reactor correct? My initial impression was that this couldnt be automated with dosing pump and I read that you are supposed to remove an equal amount of tank water that is equivalent to the amount elementz you dose. It sounds like I may have misunderstood what I read.

Actually, you weren't too far off. At the risk of over simplifying it, the Triton "Method" is basically a way of maintaining NSW-like conditions via constant addition of a balanced calcium/alkalinity/trace element solution.So does it replace a calcium reactor? In most instances, yes. It provides greater "accuracy" of what is being added to the system than a calcium reactor, which simply dissolves a calcium based media. As far as the water exchanges- you are correct- you do remove an amount of water and replace with fresh RO/DI water to maintain the proper specific gravity (like in any multi-part dosing regimen, salinity can creep up as dosing occurs). Tree's a lot more detailed discussion on the Triton US forum here on R2R...

-Scott

 

[SPotter]

Actually, you weren't too far off. At the risk of over simplifying it, the Triton "Method" is basically a way of maintaining NSW-like conditions via constant addition of a balanced calcium/alkalinity/trace element solution.So does it replace a calcium reactor? In most instances, yes. It provides greater "accuracy" of what is being added to the system than a calcium reactor, which simply dissolves a calcium based media. As far as the water exchanges- you are correct- you do remove an amount of water and replace with fresh RO/DI water to maintain the proper specific gravity (like in any multi-part dosing regimen, salinity can creep up as dosing occurs). Tree's a lot more detailed discussion on the Triton US forum here on R2R...

-Scott

Thank you for the response Scott. Do you guys use any of the other trace elementz they offer?

 

[uniquecorals]

Thank you for the response Scott. Do you guys use any of the other trace elementz they offer?

Our most recent testing did not indicate that we needed any of the more "exotic" stuff; so far the only thing we've needed to dose has been "Elementz"...

 

[SPotter]

Our most recent testing did not indicate that we needed any of the more "exotic" stuff; so far the only thing we've needed to dose has been "Elementz"...

Thanks Scott. I will go do more reading! I am definitely intrigued by this. Is there any way to figure out monthly costs for specific sized system?

 

[uniquecorals]

Thanks Scott. I will go do more reading! I am definitely intrigued by this. Is there any way to figure out monthly costs for specific sized system?

Well, we ran some numbers for a hypothetical 100 gallon tank:

Starting dose of 10ml pr 25 gallons of system. This translates to 40ml of liquid for each of the four parts pr day (3 if you are combining parts 3a and 3b). Since the bottles each create a 10 liter solution (10,000ml), running triton at the starting dose for a 100 gallon tank should last someone 250 days or approx 8 months. That is about $10 pr month to run a full high end solution of macro and trace elements. We are talking analytical grade materials (compare apples to apples) which is not the same as bulk, diy products with possible contaminations. Now here is where it gets fun- Tanks that are staying at the starting dose are usually new and not full of growing coral and coraline algae. Once the tank starts thriving and the corals are growing and using the carbonates, the dosing amounts will increase as a measure of this increased growth. If the corals aren't growing for whatever reason then the dosing amounts stays low. This is why regular alkalinity monitoring is one of the most important roles you need to do to maintain the alk at 8dkh.

Stuff to contemplate!

-Scott

 

[SPotter]

A lot of stuff to contemplate! I do love my ca reactor but I do love your growth and colors! I'm running 4 x 250w radiums on my display now which is 24" high and the lights are about 14" awl. I've been looking at my par numbers and I'm either going to lower them a few more inches or upgrade to 400w's and then need to decide on triton.

Thanks again for the great info.

 

[uniquecorals]

A lot of stuff to contemplate! I do love my ca reactor but I do love your growth and colors! I'm running 4 x 250w radiums on my display now which is 24" high and the lights are about 14" awl. I've been looking at my par numbers and I'm either going to lower them a few more inches or upgrade to 400w's and then need to decide on triton.

Thanks again for the great info.

Yeah, there sure is! So much to the equation to end up with happy, healthy, colorful corals. We are learning more every day. Triton is not the "ultimate way" to grow corals- just a very, very good way- one which is yielding tangible results here at UC:

And it's done a pretty good job with our Chalices and "LPS" corals, too: