Denitrator feed pump

[WestTexasReefer]

I have a Geo denitrator from Premium Aquatics and they recommended the Tom Aqualifter pump as a feed pump. My 2nd one just died in less than a year. Any recommendations on a more reliable feed pump that connects to 1/4 " tubing?

 

[mavgi]

The Aqualifter not working well with denitrator or calcium reactor . I use on both without any problem with maxijet 1200 & Sicce Syncra (better pump) . It will take day or two to adjust correct flow but it will work long time. I am not sure if GEO supply with the unit match fitting but you can ask Jeremy from PM for a fitting like they supply for the GEO Calcium reactor that will convert from 1/4 to 5/8 tube.
you also can use a single Dosing pump for that if you want PM sale them to but IMO maxijet or sicce will do the job good to...

 

[AcroporAddict]

I use a Masterflex peristaltic pump I bought used off eBay. Does a great job. At least with the aqua lifter they are inexpensive to replace. I think I paid $150 for my used MF pump. Love it. It is one of their variable speed AC drive units, nothing fancy as far as a MF pump goes. It gives a dependable, steady flow rate through the reactor. I just replace the drip set every three months or so.

 

[tassod]

What feed pump did you end up getting for the reactor? I just picked up the GEO nitrate reactor today myself. I have a manifold off my main pump setup with a 1/2" gate valve. Would i be able to find and adapter to go from 1/2" to 1/4" tubing?

 

[WestTexasReefer]

I contacted Geo via email and they suggested using a Cobalt MaxiJet 1200 and sent me an adaptor to go from 1/2" to 1/4" at no cost.

 

[tassod]

great, thanks for the info. Did you get yours up and running? Is it difficult to setup? Would love if you could share your setup experience and results.

 

[WestTexasReefer]

Mine is up and running.Easy set up and install. I have mine in the sump. I let it run wide open for about 30 minutes to get the air out and then cut it down to a very slow drip of less than 1 drop per second for a week or so or until the effluent coming out reads zero nitrates and then bumped it up some. If you start to smell sulfur you need to increase the rate. Every so often I open it up to keep it from getting clogged.

 

[tassod]

Mine is up and running.Easy set up and install. I have mine in the sump. I let it run wide open for about 30 minutes to get the air out and then cut it down to a very slow drip of less than 1 drop per second for a week or so or until the effluent coming out reads zero nitrates and then bumped it up some. If you start to smell sulfur you need to increase the rate. Every so often I open it up to keep it from getting clogged.

ok, did you use only the sulfur media or did you also use ARM coarse media on the top of the reactor? So you placed it in the sump? I was planning on placing it on the floor next to the sump and will also use my manifold from the main return pump to feed it and see how that goes.

 

[WestTexasReefer]

I used the course media on top off the sulfur. I had mine outside sump but when I changed sumps moved it inside.

 

[AcroporAddict]

I jusr had GEO make me a custom (read big) denitrator for my 465 gallon SPS tank. Holds 4.5 gallons of media.

 

[tassod]

wow, thats a big unit..hopefully the smaller one i have should be ok form my 240g.

 

[tassod]

Did any of you have issues with nitrates again after initial reading of 0 from the effluent. I set mine up and let it run for a week at less than a drip per second and i was able to get 0 nitrate out of the reactor. I then bumped it up to i would say a slow steady stream coming out and let it run for another week or so and when i took readings again the nitrates from the effluent where back to 50ppm same as the tank. Is my reactor too small for my tank? I have the 418 version.

 

[AcroporAddict]

Did any of you have issues with nitrates again after initial reading of 0 from the effluent. I set mine up and let it run for a week at less than a drip per second and i was able to get 0 nitrate out of the reactor. I then bumped it up to i would say a slow steady stream coming out and let it run for another week or so and when i took readings again the nitrates from the effluent where back to 50ppm same as the tank. Is my reactor too small for my tank? I have the 418 version.

You should not have a steady stream from your denitrator. You should have visible drips. I would go back to 1 drop/sec, then when the effluent reads 0, up the flow to 2 drops/sec, then when effluent reads 0 again, up to 3 drops/second, and on. You will probably max out the flow rate at 5-7 drops per second with 0 nitrate in the effluent. After that you will probably get a positive nitrate reading in the effluent.

My flow rate through my denitrator is currently 280 ml/minute with 0 nitrates. But your tank nitrate levels have a lot to do with it a well. My tank levels were no more than 10 to start with. The higher the tank nitrate level, the more nitrate per unit volume the denitrator has to process. So you may need more sulfur with a smaller volume tank system with a high nitrate level versus a low system nitrate level with a lower starting nitrate level.

 

[tassod]

Looks like i picked the wrong size reactor...would it be possible to fill the reactor completely with sulfur and run the effluent from it into the feed of my CA reactor so they can be in series or will that not work..probably not enough feed power for the CA reactor..

 

[AcroporAddict]

Looks like i picked the wrong size reactor...would it be possible to fill the reactor completely with sulfur and run the effluent from it into the feed of my CA reactor so they can be in series or will that not work..probably not enough feed power for the CA reactor..

I would keep the reactor effluents separate, but yes, you can fill the reactor entirely with sulfur and just monitor alkalinity and adjust the calcium reactor accordingly, meaning you may have to lower the CaRx pH set point to release more bicarbonate from the media, or you can run the denitrator effluent through a separate media reactor filled with CaRx media then back into the sump.

I don't think it really matters where the alkalinity used up by the denitrator effluent comes from, as long as you provide it.

But you need to take it slow when you tune in a denitrator. I would do the drop per second increase until you get to the maximum rate with 0 nitrate effluent, then run just under that and give it time go work on your system. Are you sure you are undersized?

 

[tassod]

I would keep the reactor effluents separate, but yes, you can fill the reactor entirely with sulfur and just monitor alkalinity and adjust the calcium reactor accordingly, meaning you may have to lower the CaRx pH set point to release more bicarbonate from the media, or you can run the denitrator effluent through a separate media reactor filled with CaRx media then back into the sump.

I don't think it really matters where the alkalinity used up by the denitrator effluent comes from, as long as you provide it.

But you need to take it slow when you tune in a denitrator. I would do the drop per second increase until you get to the maximum rate with 0 nitrate effluent, then run just under that and give it time go work on your system. Are you sure you are undersized?

When i purchased the reactor, it stated it is rated for up to a 600g system. My tank is a 240g and i have about another 65-75g of additonal water volume in the sump. The reactor is filled a little over half way with the sulfur and the rest is the coral skeleton. My tank nitrates at the moment are about 50-60ppm although i may have an advantage over that now because my tank is currently going through a fallow period so nitrate production is almost none at the moment, only some coral and a few anemones in there along with a snails, crabs, etc..

 

[tassod]

ok tonight i removed the aragonite media on the top and filled up the rest of the reactor with sulfur and just basically left a thin 1" layer of aragonite on the top. So i am now using up almost the whole gallon of sulfur (i have about 1/4 or less left in the container). Will start over basically with this configuration and we'll see how it goes. Before tonight and since my last post, i had it at a drip rate of about 5-6 drops per second and the effluent measured out at about 10ppm nitrate.

 

[AcroporAddict]

ok tonight i removed the aragonite media on the top and filled up the rest of the reactor with sulfur and just basically left a thin 1" layer of aragonite on the top. So i am now using up almost the whole gallon of sulfur (i have about 1/4 or less left in the container). Will start over basically with this configuration and we'll see how it goes. Before tonight and since my last post, i had it at a drip rate of about 5-6 drops per second and the effluent measured out at about 10ppm nitrate.

That sounds good. Just have patience when you adjust the effluent rate up. I think you will see it adjust fairly quickly to each increase, since you have partly cycled it already. It doesn't have to be a perfect 1 drop/second increase each time, just try to get close.

And keep an eye on your KH and adjust your CaRx settings as/if needed. If you do end up lowering the pH set point of your CaRx to provide more KH, you may see increased Calcium and Mag readings as well, of course, but nothing to be concerned about.

 

[tassod]

That sounds good. Just have patience when you adjust the effluent rate up. I think you will see it adjust fairly quickly to each increase, since you have partly cycled it already. It doesn't have to be a perfect 1 drop/second increase each time, just try to get close.

And keep an eye on your KH and adjust your CaRx settings as/if needed. If you do end up lowering the pH set point of your CaRx to provide more KH, you may see increased Calcium and Mag readings as well, of course, but nothing to be concerned about.

Thanks for your help, i'll keep you posted on progress.

 

[tassod]

Update

Update

Thought i would post an update, filled the reactor like i said and it looks like this now:



Over the weekend for the first time i got that rotten egg smell, now my current effluent rate is 20ml / minute and practically 0 nitrates. Should i just keep it like this and if so for how long, unitil i smell sulfur again?