Thanks for the reply, its been three weeks, but I am just a bit confused as to the exact drip rate (20 now) I should be going with. My test for the affluent out of the reactor is showing elevated level of both NitrIte and NitrAte. And according to an earlier post I should speed it up. But according to the article in the link you post I should slow it down, so I am a bit confused as to which way I should adjust this thing. Did you build one of these before Jerm290?
Coil Denitrator
- Thread starter richdragon32
- Start date
jerm290atlc
New member
Building a coil is my next project. I've been told by several who have made and run these to have a drip rate of 1 drop per second or two.
can you attach the out flow of the filter into a tube filled with calcium reactor media? will this have a positive affect? what type of pumps are you talking about to feed these things? maxi jets? would an aqua lifter work? if not, can you show me a pic of this T and valve assembaly? how much tube would i need for my 20 gallon reef tank? for my 75 south american cichlid tank?
rsman
New member
can you attach the out flow of the filter into a tube filled with calcium reactor media? will this have a positive affect?
not a great idea, but sometimes. there can be a number of problems doing this. i have seen one guy put reacter media in the bio chamber, the problem is that he has to re-cycle the entire unit when he changes media a better way would be needed to keep that from happening.
what type of pumps are you talking about to feed these things? maxi jets? would an aqua lifter work? all depends on size. bigger units require both pressure and volume requiring a larger pump, smaller units can even work entirely off gravity.
if not, can you show me a pic of this T and valve assembaly? ill see what I can do, but its not complicated, just attach a T between the coil and the output of the pump, so that water can flow straight out of the pump into the coil, then put a valve on the end of the T thats not attached to the coil adjust that valve so that water flows out of the coil faster than the flow needed, and use a valve on the output of the unit to control the flow.
how much tube would i need for my 20 gallon reef tank? one coil of .170 tubing 50' long will do just fine.
for my 75 south american cichlid tank? dont have a clue how much does the nitrate rise in a week???
not a great idea, but sometimes. there can be a number of problems doing this. i have seen one guy put reacter media in the bio chamber, the problem is that he has to re-cycle the entire unit when he changes media a better way would be needed to keep that from happening.
what type of pumps are you talking about to feed these things? maxi jets? would an aqua lifter work? all depends on size. bigger units require both pressure and volume requiring a larger pump, smaller units can even work entirely off gravity.
if not, can you show me a pic of this T and valve assembaly? ill see what I can do, but its not complicated, just attach a T between the coil and the output of the pump, so that water can flow straight out of the pump into the coil, then put a valve on the end of the T thats not attached to the coil adjust that valve so that water flows out of the coil faster than the flow needed, and use a valve on the output of the unit to control the flow.
how much tube would i need for my 20 gallon reef tank? one coil of .170 tubing 50' long will do just fine.
for my 75 south american cichlid tank? dont have a clue how much does the nitrate rise in a week???
rsman
New member
you really donnt wanna, you dont want to keep the water anoxic for any longer than what is required to remove the nitrate, additionally though co2 is added to a ca reactor oxygen is not removed, you are dealing with water without oxygen and at some point you will create hydrogen sulfate gas. the only way ive seen that looks promising is to use a setup that allows you to swap out the reactor media without introducing oxygen to the chamber at the same time.
george_grat
New member
Dear rsman,
I have 90g reef tank and my Nitrate is 10. The idea of http://2hot2cool.com/4/afishianado/afishian.htm is good? Are you suggesting it?
if yes please advise me the following questions:
- The input pipe must be stopped at the bottom of the coil? So the water comings up?
- How height and radius must the coil be?
- How many drops?
- Are suggest any pump?
Thank you in advice
I have 90g reef tank and my Nitrate is 10. The idea of http://2hot2cool.com/4/afishianado/afishian.htm is good? Are you suggesting it?
if yes please advise me the following questions:
- The input pipe must be stopped at the bottom of the coil? So the water comings up?
- How height and radius must the coil be?
- How many drops?
- Are suggest any pump?
Thank you in advice
rsman
New member
nice instructions but....
1. dont use those quick connects
2. 50' is all thats needed
3. use 1 continous length not 3 sections those connectors will clog
as for yours
A: the only advantage of running the output at the top is that when priming the unit you wont have to tip it upside down.
B: coil should be about 50' for .170ID tubing
C: start off slow then up it to as fast as you can, its not drops once its cycled.
D: not really just about any will work a single coil unit can be ran off gravity, but will do better with some assistance. generally you can hook up any pump so that whatever the coil doesnt use is used for circulation in the tank.
1. dont use those quick connects
2. 50' is all thats needed
3. use 1 continous length not 3 sections those connectors will clog
as for yours
A: the only advantage of running the output at the top is that when priming the unit you wont have to tip it upside down.
B: coil should be about 50' for .170ID tubing
C: start off slow then up it to as fast as you can, its not drops once its cycled.
D: not really just about any will work a single coil unit can be ran off gravity, but will do better with some assistance. generally you can hook up any pump so that whatever the coil doesnt use is used for circulation in the tank.
george_grat
New member
1. dont use those quick connects (Can you advice me?)
3. use 1 continous length not 3 sections those connectors will clog
(Can you please explain what do you mean?
)
Sorry but my English is not so well !!!
3. use 1 continous length not 3 sections those connectors will clog
(Can you please explain what do you mean?
)Sorry but my English is not so well !!!
george_grat
New member
Sorry!, the 3 step forget it.
rsman
New member
unsure if that was for the #3 or the entire thing so ill just respond anyways
to start with #1
the posted website uses these quick connectors, the tubing that he is using is stiff and the connector grabs the outside of the tubing basically squeezing it. these connectors work great when you are trying to keep things under pressure IN but not so well when you want to keep them out against a vacume, air will harm a coil and air can under some setups get sucked in.
for #3 this guy uses 3 short pieces 25feet long and combines them, dont do this get the 50 foot length and use that.
to start with #1
the posted website uses these quick connectors, the tubing that he is using is stiff and the connector grabs the outside of the tubing basically squeezing it. these connectors work great when you are trying to keep things under pressure IN but not so well when you want to keep them out against a vacume, air will harm a coil and air can under some setups get sucked in.
for #3 this guy uses 3 short pieces 25feet long and combines them, dont do this get the 50 foot length and use that.
jerm290atlc
New member
This is my understanding about the lenght....50-75 feet is what most people use for their coil. If the coil is working properly by the end of the 50-70 feet the nitrates should be "zero". So if your nitrates are zero at 50-70 feet then why have 300 feet of pipe? Also you will have to have a bigger pump to push the water 300 feet compared to 50-70 feet.
rsman
New member
longer tubing is unsafe
longer tubing does not process more nitrate
longer tubing requires more pressure
longer tubing is harder to keep clog free.
longer tubing is harder to maintain.
how you build your unit will set how long a coil to run, a generally easy to build and maintain will use the coil to remove oxygen and a final bio chamber to improve stability and remove nitrates, if you have more nitrate to remove use more than 1 coil into the same bio chamber, or step up the diameter (which does increase the minimum length).
longer tubing does not process more nitrate
longer tubing requires more pressure
longer tubing is harder to keep clog free.
longer tubing is harder to maintain.
how you build your unit will set how long a coil to run, a generally easy to build and maintain will use the coil to remove oxygen and a final bio chamber to improve stability and remove nitrates, if you have more nitrate to remove use more than 1 coil into the same bio chamber, or step up the diameter (which does increase the minimum length).
jerm290atlc
New member
well said rsman!
Triggerfish
Active member
in process of putting one of these together now for a mixed reef 125g w/55 sump/fuge
specs:
4" PVC 24" long
50' 1/4" OD
gravity fed
i planned on using 2 50' coils...but no freakin way i'm able to get the 2nd coil inside the unit..i got it in but it was all messed up and did not allow for placement of bb.
i'm thinking of running the 2nd coil externally. all i would need to do is run the end of 2nd coil down through the top of unit to bottom. doesn't really matter where the coil is located just that the end is flowing up through the media, right?
thx
specs:
4" PVC 24" long
50' 1/4" OD
gravity fed
i planned on using 2 50' coils...but no freakin way i'm able to get the 2nd coil inside the unit..i got it in but it was all messed up and did not allow for placement of bb.
i'm thinking of running the 2nd coil externally. all i would need to do is run the end of 2nd coil down through the top of unit to bottom. doesn't really matter where the coil is located just that the end is flowing up through the media, right?
thx
jerm290atlc
New member
All I do is coil the black 1/4" tubing and hang it to back of me stand. No need to put it in a container unless you want it to look "nice". I just zip tied it and hung it on a hook. The light can't get through the black tubing so it is good to go. Of couse if you use a clear tubing then you will have to put it in a container to keep the light away from it.
jerm290atlc
New member
Yeah I know...I have limited space under my stand so I went with that method. It works well, my nitrates are zero.
