Anyone using a coil denitrator on growout?
- Thread starter Juck
- Start date
I would be curious also as to the specs. on his breeding system denitrator.
The one I made is just starting to kick in. Although it is not putting out zero nitrates yet, my level hasn't been above 40ppm in my 150 gallon system in three weeks! I have been running it for the last 12 weeks. After 8 weeks I was beginning to get a bit skeptical but then it started to kick in and my nitrates started dropping and still continue to do so. And I have added more fish than I have taken out. Currently feeding about 500 fish 3 to 4 meals a day.
I run (4) 50' lines into a 4" x 4' PVC filled with bioballs. Have been slowly turning it up and almost have a continuous stream from the output.
The one I made is just starting to kick in. Although it is not putting out zero nitrates yet, my level hasn't been above 40ppm in my 150 gallon system in three weeks! I have been running it for the last 12 weeks. After 8 weeks I was beginning to get a bit skeptical but then it started to kick in and my nitrates started dropping and still continue to do so. And I have added more fish than I have taken out. Currently feeding about 500 fish 3 to 4 meals a day.
I run (4) 50' lines into a 4" x 4' PVC filled with bioballs. Have been slowly turning it up and almost have a continuous stream from the output.
I'm using a MJ1200. Which might be more than i need but I had it lying around collecting dust. I almost have a constant stream, but for now it is a fast drip. I am opening the output a little bit every 5 days or so.
Pictures might be tough. I have it in a corner behind a sump and my tank rack but I'll see what I can do.
The one thing I may have done different than other people was to put the coils on the outside. I felt I could get more surface area with Bio balls in the chamber than coils. Besides I can see if a coil gets clogged and I wouldn't have to disassembly the chamber to fix. This hasn't been a problem so far.
Pictures might be tough. I have it in a corner behind a sump and my tank rack but I'll see what I can do.
The one thing I may have done different than other people was to put the coils on the outside. I felt I could get more surface area with Bio balls in the chamber than coils. Besides I can see if a coil gets clogged and I wouldn't have to disassembly the chamber to fix. This hasn't been a problem so far.
I agree a coil is a coil to a point. A small chamber and only a single coil can only process so much nitrate.
For higher continuous nitrate concentrations more coils are better. But there is a point at which too many coils going into a small chamber will not process the nitrate efficiently. I'm not sure where that point is, but there is a braking point.
I think, and what I tried was to determine the number of coils your going to use and determine what size chamber those coils will fit in. This is where I came up with my 4' height. Which can easily fit the (4) 50' coils I'm using. I made it a little bigger anticipating more fish later on and giving me the ability to include more coils if needed. I also used the bio balls in the chamber instead of the coils themselves. The bio balls provides much more surface area than the coils themselves. I think in a chamber that size I could plumb in a total of 8 coils with out a problem. We'll see when that point comes.
For higher continuous nitrate concentrations more coils are better. But there is a point at which too many coils going into a small chamber will not process the nitrate efficiently. I'm not sure where that point is, but there is a braking point.
I think, and what I tried was to determine the number of coils your going to use and determine what size chamber those coils will fit in. This is where I came up with my 4' height. Which can easily fit the (4) 50' coils I'm using. I made it a little bigger anticipating more fish later on and giving me the ability to include more coils if needed. I also used the bio balls in the chamber instead of the coils themselves. The bio balls provides much more surface area than the coils themselves. I think in a chamber that size I could plumb in a total of 8 coils with out a problem. We'll see when that point comes.
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