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    The Triton method: ICP testing and no water changes

    Send a water sample to a lab every couple of months, dose what the results say is missing, and let a lit refugium take out nutrients instead of water changes. It needs a specific sump, and its own pages disagree on a few numbers.

    Last checked . How we check

    Cost
    Medium to high (lab fees, refugium light)
    Effort
    Low once running
    Suits
    Sump systems and keepers who like data
    Needs
    Three-chamber sump with a lit refugium

    How does it work?

    An ICP-OES lab test measures about 45 elements every two to three months, more often at the start. Core7 supplements replace calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and trace elements; the lab results tell you which to adjust. A lit refugium in the first sump chamber, harvested every two to four weeks and kept under 32 C, removes nitrate and phosphate.

    Triton says no water changes are needed with a refugium, and that they are likely needed without one.

    How do I start Core7 dosing?

    Triton's FAQ starts at 2 ml per 100 litres a day for the four-part and three-part versions and 4 ml for the two-part, then changes the dose in 10 to 20% steps from alkalinity tests. Once stable it suggests an alkalinity test every three days. The return pump should move about ten times the display volume an hour.

    What does Triton warn against?

    Activated carbon, which it says depletes iodine. It flags total organic carbon from about 3.5 ppm and suggests pH of 7.9 to 8.3.

    How do I get started?

    1. Build or buy a three-chamber sump with a lit refugium.
    2. Send a baseline ICP sample.
    3. Start Core7 at the FAQ dose and adjust by alkalinity.
    4. Harvest the refugium every two to four weeks.
    5. Retest by ICP every two to three months.

    What are the common mistakes?

    • Running it without a refugium and without water changes.
    • Reading one ICP result as gospel: labs disagree on several elements.
    • Running activated carbon all the time.

    Where do sources disagree?

    Where sources disagree
    TopicWhat sources sayOur reading
    Magnesium
    • Triton method page: 1250 to 1350
    • Triton FAQ: 1320 to 1370
    		Hold anywhere from 1300 to 1350 steady.
    Water changes
    • Triton: none with a refugium
    • Fauna Marin Balling Light: about 10% weekly
    • Red Sea: test and correct after each change
    		Triton without water changes works only with the whole kit. Many keepers still change some water.

    Sources

    1. Triton, the Triton MethodRead 21 October 2026, read in full.
    2. Triton, frequently asked questionsRead 21 October 2026, read in full.
    3. BRS, The Triton Method explainedPublished 30 June 2021. Read 21 October 2026, read in full.

    Figures from sources read as a search summary only are shown as typical figures: check them before you rely on them. Found a mistake? Tell us how to fix it.