Hello everyone. I have had a GEO NR818 (CR818 conversion) running using the nose and salifert method of control, while this produced 0 nitrate from the reactor and a significant reduction in tank nitrates, the levels are still too high for SPS (5-10ppm).
Messaged GEO, asked for a probe insert top and converted the NR818 from 1/2 sulphur 1/2 aragonite to 95% Sulphur, 5% ceramic media mix to retain bacteria population during refueling.
I put in the lab grade ORP probe on Neptune, made my cross-over BNC adapter to show negative numbers, and put a normally open solenoid on the feed line to shut off the feed to the reactor when the ORP drops below X. I plan to adjust the needle valve on the NR818 to a flow just slightly higher than needed to maintain X. My target would be solenoid closing 4 to 24 times per day, with 12 times being perfect, so if the bacteria get too excited the flow will offset any tendency to go caustic to my tank.
I have read as much as I can out there, but, probably need to opinion of a Chemist like Randy to determine X for best amount of flow while not risking bacteria going aerobic and providing no benefit (i.e. water out of the reactor with measurable NO3).
I have read -1 to -50 as a minimum, others say -150, -170 or even -200, and even others saying anything higher than -300. I realize in the reef tank ORP is not a specific number, but, a constant and I follow that rule, to keep a number in the tank and it has worked well for me. In fact, I have never even calibrated an ORP probe, since it's just a target and only the change, not the actual number matters.
With the NO3 reactor, there is much more risk of getting it wrong and with only the smell test to know if it's too slow, I don't feel comfortable picking an article I like best between -1 and -300 and hoping the author had some science behind it.
I currently have the needle valve set to ~-140 with the solenoid set to -120 (closing or shutting off water from -120 and higher - higher being a smaller negative number). Feel free to look at my reeftronics.net page (1jwampler) and see N-ORP. I plan to move the needle valve closer to -100 without better guidance from this forum, so the solenoid can actually do some control. but, if the -150 or less club is right, my target is too low, if the -50 club is right I'm not getting the most flow I can from the reactor, which risks both causticity (not measurable by the nose).
Any links to science behind measuring and sustaining ORP (with flow) in an NO3 sulphur de-nitrator would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Messaged GEO, asked for a probe insert top and converted the NR818 from 1/2 sulphur 1/2 aragonite to 95% Sulphur, 5% ceramic media mix to retain bacteria population during refueling.
I put in the lab grade ORP probe on Neptune, made my cross-over BNC adapter to show negative numbers, and put a normally open solenoid on the feed line to shut off the feed to the reactor when the ORP drops below X. I plan to adjust the needle valve on the NR818 to a flow just slightly higher than needed to maintain X. My target would be solenoid closing 4 to 24 times per day, with 12 times being perfect, so if the bacteria get too excited the flow will offset any tendency to go caustic to my tank.
I have read as much as I can out there, but, probably need to opinion of a Chemist like Randy to determine X for best amount of flow while not risking bacteria going aerobic and providing no benefit (i.e. water out of the reactor with measurable NO3).
I have read -1 to -50 as a minimum, others say -150, -170 or even -200, and even others saying anything higher than -300. I realize in the reef tank ORP is not a specific number, but, a constant and I follow that rule, to keep a number in the tank and it has worked well for me. In fact, I have never even calibrated an ORP probe, since it's just a target and only the change, not the actual number matters.
With the NO3 reactor, there is much more risk of getting it wrong and with only the smell test to know if it's too slow, I don't feel comfortable picking an article I like best between -1 and -300 and hoping the author had some science behind it.
I currently have the needle valve set to ~-140 with the solenoid set to -120 (closing or shutting off water from -120 and higher - higher being a smaller negative number). Feel free to look at my reeftronics.net page (1jwampler) and see N-ORP. I plan to move the needle valve closer to -100 without better guidance from this forum, so the solenoid can actually do some control. but, if the -150 or less club is right, my target is too low, if the -50 club is right I'm not getting the most flow I can from the reactor, which risks both causticity (not measurable by the nose).
Any links to science behind measuring and sustaining ORP (with flow) in an NO3 sulphur de-nitrator would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
