DIY Natureef Style Denitrator Build and Data thread...

[delmo]

Lots of fear mongering here...
If you can't dilute methanol without a source of ignition around, you have bigger problems. Dilute it right away, to a Natureef blend of 25% and it is no longer flammable.

 

[hobbzz]

The funny thing is some of them have bottles of diluted methanol (Nitragone or NoPox) sitting in their fish rooms or beneath their tanks, likely close to electrical outlets.

 

[mrx66699]

You would need a blow torch to light it lol......

 

[DRThompson]

There is a website: www.methanol.org that talks about all aspects of methanol if anyone is interested. It goes into GREAT depths about the properties of methanol as well as safety and handling procedures.

Methanol under 24% concentration (weight) is no longer ignitable.

When you consider methanol is lighter than water, (sp gravity approx 0.80), a 25% dilution of Methanol to RO water is actually about 20% methanol by weight. This puts you way below the hazardous ignitable concentration.

 

[doggydoc]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[delmo]

So I gotta a question. I already ordered the natureef system.. and found this thread later... After I get the system up and going can I switch to Methanol? Is it that simple? This way I do not keep using the natureef product?

I kind of been back and forth reading this thread so I may have missed this but are your using the Phosphagone product still? Or is there a alternative. I used seaklear awhile back to remove phos and that method was really not that hard.. But I would rather get a system where you set and forget it..

Yes. That is exactly what I have done. We use a methanol mix at 50% or 25% dilution(diluted with RO water) instead of Nitragone and a 1lb. to 3 gallons RO mix of anhydrous strontium nitrate to substitute Phosphagone. Read back through and you can put the pieces together.

 

[hobbzz]

Got my starter culture from Dave yesterday. Thanks again Dave! I've got a thick layer of scum on the surface of the tank. I though I remembered that the flow was not supposed top agitate the surface. Is that film fine or should I increase the flow?

 

[DRThompson]

Got my starter culture from Dave yesterday. Thanks again Dave! I've got a thick layer of scum on the surface of the tank. I though I remembered that the flow was not supposed top agitate the surface. Is that film fine or should I increase the flow?

Probably need more flow.

What internal pump are you using inside the chamber? Try to dose the methanol near the pump if possible. Can you take a pic? Is the chamber covered? You want water flow but not air flow.

 

[eg8r210]

I am hoping to start my own denitrator soon. I wanted to know, does the strontium get dosed to the same water as the methanol? Done at the same time?

 

[hobbzz]

Koralia 1400. Glass cover that covers 80% of the tank, so not air tight. So is surface agitation ok as long as air bubbles are not being pulled in? Or should the surface be still? I'll take a pic when I get home from work tonight.

 

[hobbzz]

 

[DRThompson]

I am hoping to start my own denitrator soon. I wanted to know, does the strontium get dosed to the same water as the methanol? Done at the same time?

You should hold on strontium until bacteria is established. Once the chamber is cycling regularly, you add strontium. Usually, you dose strontium after the methanol dose. (30min-1hour)

 

[DRThompson]

Koralia 1400. Glass cover that covers 80% of the tank, so not air tight. So is surface agitation ok as long as air bubbles are not being pulled in? Or should the surface be still? I'll take a pic when I get home from work tonight.

Bacterial growth looks GREAT! Wont be long before you are cycling regularly.:bounce3:

wow, that's a big chamber. 40 breeder? May need a bigger internal pump. WP25 or RW15 would be best. Try for max internal flow with min surface movement. You want to minimize the gas exchange on the surface. Also, make sure you are dosing the methanol near the pump. Know that the internal pump will get clogged with slimy bacteria and will need to be cleaned from time to time (approx every 6 months) so make sure it's serviceable.

 

[hobbzz]

Thanks. Yeah 40 breeder. A little bigger than desired, but I already had it and an overflow installed, so I figured I'd try it before buying something else. I'll add some more flow. Since its a little big, should I shoot for two cycles a day, or still three?

 

[DRThompson]

Thanks. Yeah 40 breeder. A little bigger than desired, but I already had it and an overflow installed, so I figured I'd try it before buying something else. I'll add some more flow. Since its a little big, should I shoot for two cycles a day, or still three?

Maybe just 2 then. I hope you have a GREAT skimmer. Make sure you are flushing this over your skimmer intake.

 

[hobbzz]

Why a "great" skimmer? Because the chamber is too big and will dump extra bacteria to be skimmed out?

 

[DRThompson]

Why a "great" skimmer? Because the chamber is too big and will dump extra bacteria to be skimmed out?

exactly. That's a lot of bacteria for a 300gal tank to handle. Normally, the skimmer removes the excess bacteria floating in the water column. Your skimmer will have to work overtime to remove 40 gallons of it.:hmm1:

 

[hobbzz]

Well it's a venturi skimmer that holds 5 gallons and has an 1100gph pressure rated pump running it. If the 40 still proves to be too big I can set up something else. Thanks.

 

[DRThompson]

Nice avatar BTW

 

[hobbzz]

Lol thanks, you too. Here's the big version. I don't have the anemone or crab anymore, how about you?




I'm still waiting on my first cycle. I've added about 20-25 ml of methanol total. Started with 10ppm nitrate on the 13th of last month, and I'm still at 10. The starter culture you sent me was brown, not the clear bacteria that I'm used to seeing. Not sure if that makes a difference. I also added an entire bottle of pristine a few weeks ago, just the small size in about three doses. Is it taking too long due to the size of the chamber? Petco is having their dollar sale so I could pick up a 20g if needed.