Swapping Out Your Neptune Systems Trident Reagents? Spoiler..it's the Easiest Maintenance You'll Do!

The Neptune Trident can be a real lifesaver when it comes to monitoring your water chemistry. However, in order to operate properly, reefers must keep up with the reagent demands of the Trident. In this piece, we will walk you through the process of swapping out its reagents. 

What’s Included In The Reagent Box?

• 2x Reagent A Bottles
• 1x Reagent B Bottle
• 1x Reagent C Bottle
• 1x Calibration Fluid

Step #1: Purchase your reagents.

Reagents are available in a two-month and six-month supply. Plan ahead, you will lose data and run the risk of crystallized build-up in the lines which then requires manual cleaning and calibration if you don't replace the reagents before running out completely. The Six Month supply is much more economical, essentially giving you 2 months free when compared dollar for dollar to the Two Month supply. You will notice that there will always be twice the amount of Alkalinity reagent compared to the Calcium & Magnesium Reagents. This is simply due to the fact that the Trident consumes twice as much Alkalinity reagent.

Step #2: Open the Apex Fusion dashboard and go to the Trident panel.

Here you can toggle through a couple of displays, one of which will give you a visual indication of how much reagent you have left in the Trident. Keep an eye on it and be sure to always have reagents on hand for when you need them. As stated above, you just make more work for yourself by neglecting to swap out the reagents on time. If you do run out and do not have any plans to replace the reagents, simply run the "Shutdown Task" which will clear your testing lines and prepare the Trident for long-term storage.  

Step #3: Click on the clipboard icon and select the “Trident Reagent A Replacement” or “Trident Reagent Replacement” task.

This will depend on whether you need to replace just Alkalinity or all of your reagents. The process is pretty much the same and it will just include or skip the other two bottles. This is due to the more frequent alkalinity testing which leads to a more frequent replacement of Reagent A. 

Step #4: Choose the Trident you want to swap the reagents in.

The Neptune Systems Apex Tasks take you screen by screen through the process. After confirming the previously chosen task, you will be presented with a list of Tridents on your system. If you only have one Trident, it should be the only unit that appears in the list. If you have multiple Trident units, we recommend naming each of them so that you can easily identify them when performing tasks. Tap on the desired Trident to select it and click "Next". 

Step #5: Slide out the reagent drawer of the Trident.

After opening the drawer, be sure to click "Next".

Step #6: Unscrew the Trident reagent cap assembly from the first reagent bottle and discard the old bottle.

This step is pretty straightforward but, do not pour any of the reagents from the old bottles into the new bottles. This can cause contamination and will lead to inaccuracies in your testing. Rest the testing cap safely to the side being careful not to pull on the tubing or bend the needle. 

Step #7: Follow the exact same step for reagents B & C.

Step #8: Shake & replace the new bottles into the tray starting with reagent C. 

You will start with Reagent C and move backward ending on A. Shake the reagent bottles first and screw on the cap securely.  Be careful not to contaminate the new reagents with tank water or similar fluid.  This is a great time to add the Neat Aquatics Needle Guides which are clever devices that prevent the needle from resting at a harsh angle. The needle guides simply rest on the mouth of the reagent bottles and will keep the needle perfectly vertical which will prevent air from getting drawn into the Trident lines and maximize the use of your reagents. 

Step #9: Repeat this process for reagent B and reagent A.

Step #10: Close the reagent tray of the Trident carefully.

Make sure to guide the lines of the bottles into the unit carefully so that they do not pinch or crimp. If you feel any resistance, slide it back out and make the proper adjustments.

Step #11: Empty your waste container.

This is optional and if you prefer to do it later on, just leave the “Waste Container Emptied” box unchecked and hit “Next”.

Step #12: Confirm you completed the reagent swap and select “send” for Fusion to complete the task and notify your Apex.

The Trident can then resume normal testing but you should complete the calibration process within a reasonable time frame to ensure accuracy. Each set of Trident Reagents includes a bottle of calibration solution for this reason. Calibration is not mandatory but simply good practice.

**HOT TIP** Don't toss out the calibration solution if you don't use it right away.  The calibration solution can double as a great reference solution for your classic calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium titration style test kits. Simply run a test using the calibration solution instead of the tank water in order to see exactly how accurate your test results are.