High Tide Aquatics

Triton method discussion

Kind of feel like half these methods are the same, just named differently so you buy from a particular company

It boils down to “test and add whatever is missing” which is hardly a secret method imo
That’s sorta how I’m seeing it. Plus imo I’d never start dosing validium and bromide for example cause we really don’t have solid data to what it’s even in there for. Idk, I was all about triton and I really wanna believe in thier system. I def think it works cause we have the success proven but how many tanks is it working for vs. failing tanks that people won’t post or voice.
 
Whoever thinks that trace element dosing and ICP testing do not have significant benefits is either a (over) confident coral whisperer, or is willing to leave a lot of potential progress (and coral health) on the table.

I sometimes feel this is being disregarded/diminished as it does require some work to dial them in at the beginning, so finding arguments to make it less impactful seems easier to do.

I do not believe trace elements dosing and ICP require no or less water change, but opinions vary.

There could be tanks that suffer from this method not because the tank is being dialed properly but due to misuse of the supplementation, potentially overdosing certain elements by not following directions. I do not think there is any tank out there that failed because of properly dialed-in traces, but a lot of them fail or run less well where traces are not dialed in.

Triton, Tropic Marin, and of course Fauna Marin are the only supplementation provider I would use, and for ICP, Triton and Fauna Marin only. Those can be trusted - but they will still make mistake in isolated instances and ICP testing overall is not perfect, but a great tool for those who keep an open mind.
 
It’s easy to say things are obvious or derivative years later after success and copycats. Triton started in 2008, was revolutionarily different from everything else, and not at all obvious.
I guess the Triton method added the icp tests to adjust specific elements? Balling back in the 90's seems to be onto the same idea. I bet it was theorized even before then.

"The Balling method is a popular way to maintain stable water parameters in a reef aquarium. It was developed in the 1990s by Hans-Werner Balling. It is based on running the aquarium in such a way that parameters such as carbonate hardness (KH), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and trace element levels are constantly maintained at the same level. This is done through micro-dosing of special solutions that continuously replenish the consumed macronutrients. "
 
I guess the Triton method added the icp tests to adjust specific elements? Balling back in the 90's seems to be onto the same idea. I bet it was theorized even before then.

"The Balling method is a popular way to maintain stable water parameters in a reef aquarium. It was developed in the 1990s by Hans-Werner Balling. It is based on running the aquarium in such a way that parameters such as carbonate hardness (KH), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and trace element levels are constantly maintained at the same level. This is done through micro-dosing of special solutions that continuously replenish the consumed macronutrients. "
The main innovation of the Balling method was to dose with proportions that took into account that NaCl is produced when Alk and Ca are consumed. Before that (and still for many methods) dosing would lead to NaCl (salinity) rising the more you dose and consume Alk and Ca. As you dilute back down to target, you also dilute everything else besides the Na and Cl, which can lead to deficiencies. So Balling also doses NaCl-free major, minor, and trace elements to compensate, they call this “sodium chloride free salt”. Triton did use this advancement in their additives, so they are similar in that way.
 
The main innovation of the Balling method was to dose with proportions that took into account that NaCl is produced when Alk and Ca are consumed. Before that (and still for many methods) dosing would lead to NaCl (salinity) rising the more you dose and consume Alk and Ca. As you dilute back down to target, you also dilute everything else besides the Na and Cl, which can lead to deficiencies. So Balling also doses NaCl-free major, minor, and trace elements to compensate, they call this “sodium chloride free salt”. Triton did use this advancement in their additives, so they are similar in that way.
Saw this ad in Reef Hobbyist magazine:

1000007413.jpg
 
So not to derail this thread but I have a general question on this Subject. After chating with @tribbitt on the ride to the swap. He mentioned potassium chloride to maintain potassium levels.

This made me did alot deeper and research what it does in a reef tank.
The short answer is it effects color pigments specifically red.

Screenshot_20250625_141036_Google.jpg


So I've have this issue with none of my sps that have red/ pinks not showing those colors at all, even new peices from other tanks arrive red and quickly fade to green or a pastle color.

So seeing that post in picture above I ordered a salifert potassium test. The test displayed 280 potassium i believe it should be 400-408 acorrding to test kit and online.

So any recommendations on a product to dose to get that back in range to see if that could be my sps coloration issue?

I will also plan to send in a icp test I've been been hoarding for a while.


The results also causw me to dig deeper into afr what I Mainly dose, and it came back on many articles that afr doesn't add any potassium elements, which over a few years of mainly using afr could explain why it's depleted.
 
So not to derail this thread but I have a general question on this Subject. After chating with @tribbitt on the ride to the swap. He mentioned potassium chloride to maintain potassium levels.

This made me did alot deeper and research what it does in a reef tank.
The short answer is it effects color pigments specifically red.

View attachment 70604

So I've have this issue with none of my sps that have red/ pinks not showing those colors at all, even new peices from other tanks arrive red and quickly fade to green or a pastle color.

So seeing that post in picture above I ordered a salifert potassium test. The test displayed 280 potassium i believe it should be 400-408 acorrding to test kit and online.

So any recommendations on a product to dose to get that back in range to see if that could be my sps coloration issue?

I will also plan to send in a icp test I've been been hoarding for a while.


The results also causw me to dig deeper into afr what I Mainly dose, and it came back on many articles that afr doesn't add any potassium elements, which over a few years of mainly using afr could explain why it's depleted.
Yes K is worth testing occasionally and supplementing as needed. I didn’t know that about AFR. I’ve used “Potassion” from Brightwell for years. But you could just use the KCl dip that has become popular if you have a clean source, requires some extra math.
 
Yes K is worth testing occasionally and supplementing as needed. I didn’t know that about AFR. I’ve used “Potassion” from Brightwell for years. But you could just use the KCl dip that has become popular if you have a clean source, requires some extra math.
Yea, i have some from the swap but makes me slighty nervous verse using something thats a liquid and more straight foward to calculate a dose.

I will probably look into the brightwell potassium if you haven’t had any issues with it? Just so many products on the market why I asked in case they aren't all created equal.
 
Yea, i have some from the swap but makes me slighty nervous verse using something thats a liquid and more straight foward to calculate a dose.

I will probably look into the brightwell potassium if you haven’t had any issues with it? Just so many products on the market why I asked in case they aren't all created equal.
I haven’t used any that I dislike. Potassion works well, probably others do too. Just dose a lot less than you think you need and retest. You don’t want to overshoot. The only way to lower K is massive water changes.
 
Yea, i have some from the swap but makes me slighty nervous verse using something thats a liquid and more straight foward to calculate a dose.

I will probably look into the brightwell potassium if you haven’t had any issues with it? Just so many products on the market why I asked in case they aren't all created equal.
I wouldn’t dose ground up rock salt to my tank for what it’s worth if that’s what you have for KCl dip. It might be fine or it might not be.
 
So not to derail this thread but I have a general question on this Subject. After chating with @tribbitt on the ride to the swap. He mentioned potassium chloride to maintain potassium levels.

This made me did alot deeper and research what it does in a reef tank.
The short answer is it effects color pigments specifically red.

View attachment 70604

So I've have this issue with none of my sps that have red/ pinks not showing those colors at all, even new peices from other tanks arrive red and quickly fade to green or a pastle color.

So seeing that post in picture above I ordered a salifert potassium test. The test displayed 280 potassium i believe it should be 400-408 acorrding to test kit and online.

So any recommendations on a product to dose to get that back in range to see if that could be my sps coloration issue?

I will also plan to send in a icp test I've been been hoarding for a while.


The results also causw me to dig deeper into afr what I Mainly dose, and it came back on many articles that afr doesn't add any potassium elements, which over a few years of mainly using afr could explain why it's depleted.

Yes, potassium is worth focusing on. But as mentioned, do not overdose. So be sure your test results are accurate. I would send out an ICP to confirm your low values. A good salt should not bring down your values to the levels you have tested.

 
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