Denitrator?
- Thread starter snakeklr
- Start date
snakeklr
New member
http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=18394
This is the website that gave me the idea i could build one. But i want to make sure that it actually does work. Moma is getting tired of me making things. I love making things. I feel i learn and shows me a better way of doing things. Plus its always cheapper.
Looks like a skimmer/wet-dry fuge with a lot of air line tubbing on the outside.
This is the website that gave me the idea i could build one. But i want to make sure that it actually does work. Moma is getting tired of me making things. I love making things. I feel i learn and shows me a better way of doing things. Plus its always cheapper.
Looks like a skimmer/wet-dry fuge with a lot of air line tubbing on the outside.
i have never seen that kind unless we are not talking about the saqme thing which i know we are. i always seen them built like a cal. reactor. the tank water comes in the bottom and goes out the top with a slow and steady drip. there is a build thread on here a couple days back i read but i wanted to see if there was anything else out there. threads are just like fishing, someone will bite!
Paul_PSU
In Memoriam
I built this one and it got my Nitrates from 180 down to about 20.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1400576
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1400576
NanoReefWanabe
Active member
i built a coil Denitrator similar to that one about two months ago...but in mine the coils are on the inside of the pipe, to prevent any light from getting to them and algae blocking it up...i also filled the centre of the PVC pipe with ceramic biorings...
my NO3 went from 10 to almost zero in two months...i am sure they will be zero by the new year....it takes a while to get the thing seeded and working but once it is there is nothing else to do other then make sure there is water flowing through it...
you can also build a sulphur based one that works similar to a PO4 reactor...and if you can get the media i am sure 2little phishys PO4 150 reactor would work fine..sulphur reactor will bring your NO3 down much faster but the media has to be replaced occasionally...
my NO3 went from 10 to almost zero in two months...i am sure they will be zero by the new year....it takes a while to get the thing seeded and working but once it is there is nothing else to do other then make sure there is water flowing through it...
you can also build a sulphur based one that works similar to a PO4 reactor...and if you can get the media i am sure 2little phishys PO4 150 reactor would work fine..sulphur reactor will bring your NO3 down much faster but the media has to be replaced occasionally...
therealfatman
In Memoriam
Over the years I have tried many different denitrifiers. I have found the cheapest, most efficient and maintenance free method is the use of remote deep sand buckets.
NanoReefWanabe
Active member
i wanted to use a RDSB but the 5 g pail wouldnt fit under my tank in the stand...
1628mna, it is basically a 5g pail full of oolite sand, that you have water flowing over at a fairly good rate...make sure the water is clean though you dont want solids getting trapped in your sand...you only need an inch or two of water flowing over it...the water circulates through the sand and by the time it hits the bottom of the pail it is in a completely O2 free area where conversion of NO3 to N2 can take place, completing the nitrogen cycle and completely stripping the system of NO3...you dont want to disturb the sand at all though once it is running..worms and pods are fine, dont add snails, fish or stars though. you can plumb the pail however you like, however not much will stick and adhere to polyethylene so it will be hard to put an overflow in it...i am pretty sure people just have two bulkheads, one on either side of the pail; with the inlet, under pressure being slightly lower then the exit...you need at least 8-10 inches of sand in the pail...snap the lid back on and your done...never look at it again, unless there is a problem..
1628mna, it is basically a 5g pail full of oolite sand, that you have water flowing over at a fairly good rate...make sure the water is clean though you dont want solids getting trapped in your sand...you only need an inch or two of water flowing over it...the water circulates through the sand and by the time it hits the bottom of the pail it is in a completely O2 free area where conversion of NO3 to N2 can take place, completing the nitrogen cycle and completely stripping the system of NO3...you dont want to disturb the sand at all though once it is running..worms and pods are fine, dont add snails, fish or stars though. you can plumb the pail however you like, however not much will stick and adhere to polyethylene so it will be hard to put an overflow in it...i am pretty sure people just have two bulkheads, one on either side of the pail; with the inlet, under pressure being slightly lower then the exit...you need at least 8-10 inches of sand in the pail...snap the lid back on and your done...never look at it again, unless there is a problem..
NanoReefWanabe
what if i have a maxi1200 in there making the water go in cicles for movement, then have a uniseal on each side one for inlet one for outlet? also where do you get this sand i have never heard of this?i know the answer but i want to make sure this bucket dont need to be filled to the top and sealed does it?also how much water flow going thru est.?
thanx in advance mike
what if i have a maxi1200 in there making the water go in cicles for movement, then have a uniseal on each side one for inlet one for outlet? also where do you get this sand i have never heard of this?i know the answer but i want to make sure this bucket dont need to be filled to the top and sealed does it?also how much water flow going thru est.?
thanx in advance mike
NanoReefWanabe
Active member
no need for the water to be going in circles...a MJ1200 should be enough flow to feed the bucket though(provided there isnt a ton of head loss, ie put the bucket side your sump)...uniseals will work fine as there is not a ton of pressure in there...there is no need to seal the top...you may want to have it ventilated as N2 gas will be produced and need to get out some how, covering the bucket will help reduce algae from growing in there....you only need 8 or more inches of sand, deeper the better.. Oolite sand can be found online or at any LFS...it is the smallest sugar sized stuff..aragonite will work too...as will southdown play sand, you might be able to use crushed coral but the pieces are fairly large and you dont get the same surface area as with the smaller particles...
if you offset the the uniseals you may create a swirl in the bucket...(dont have them directly across the bucket from one and other)
if you offset the the uniseals you may create a swirl in the bucket...(dont have them directly across the bucket from one and other)
snakeklr sounds like rdsb would be easier to build more cost affective downsize is it might take up more room. sorry for the hijack i hope this helps your decision making on more things in the equation . NanoReefWanabe , therealfatman and Paul_PSU thanx for the valuable info. nano im still wondering what the h@#! oolite sand is and were to get it. lol
thanx mike
thanx mike
nano i have been looking all day for some oolite sand and there are some good saltwater stores by me with no luck. they all carry the ocean direct regular live sand not the oolite. what is the diffrence between the to? can i get away with not using the oolite sand?
thanx mike
thanx mike
hotwired99
New member
1628-
I just googled oolite sand and this the first one that popped up.
http://www.fish.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=710019 003
Im sure theres more on other sites though.
I just googled oolite sand and this the first one that popped up.
http://www.fish.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=710019 003
Im sure theres more on other sites though.
One Dumm Hikk
In Memoriam
oolite sand is just small grained sand is all it is. Oolite works best but you can use any kind of sand you want to use.
One Dumm Hikk
In Memoriam
I have never built one to put on my tank. I did a lot of research(about 3 months daily) on the remote sand bed in a bucket and they will lower nitrates. It takes a while for it to cycle and then you have to be careful with them if the power goes off for any extended time and sulfuric acid production. But that is the same issue you run into with the coil denitrator is if the power goes off.
I never did get to set one up on my 90 because I moved and broke the tank down. I do want to try one (along with a coil denitrator) when I get to set it back up.
The newest rage for nitrates seems to be the Sulfur Denitrator although I haven't read a lot about them. There is a thread here in DIY on the DIY Sulfur Denitrator:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1400576
There is also a thread here in DIY on the bucket concept as well but I don't have a link for it. You can even set the bucket up with beach sand (play sand). The only drawback is you won't have calcium buffering but I am not yet convinced that sand offers any buffering capability anyway.
Good luck with it, whichever way you decide to go.
I never did get to set one up on my 90 because I moved and broke the tank down. I do want to try one (along with a coil denitrator) when I get to set it back up.
The newest rage for nitrates seems to be the Sulfur Denitrator although I haven't read a lot about them. There is a thread here in DIY on the DIY Sulfur Denitrator:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1400576
There is also a thread here in DIY on the bucket concept as well but I don't have a link for it. You can even set the bucket up with beach sand (play sand). The only drawback is you won't have calcium buffering but I am not yet convinced that sand offers any buffering capability anyway.
Good luck with it, whichever way you decide to go.
NanoReefWanabe
Active member
pretty sure you meant Hydrogen Sulfide..not sulfuric acid..but yeah that is true....the same will happen with a coil if the flow is too slow...you will be able to smell the rotten eggs and then you know you better up the flow...the sulfur ones seem like the newest rage...but if i can do it without the media replacing i am happy...i am pretty sure the sulfur ones can stand in a power outage with no ill effects though...obviously stagnant water for too long wont be good for anything though...
Similar threads
