reefrubble
Premium Member
Awesome job there Brother Steve . Ted
DIY Sulfur Denitrator
- Thread starter djfrankie
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melev
Well-known member
Re: Goofed !!
Re: Goofed !!
Here's the link since things move in that forum.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1341142
Re: Goofed !!
Here's the link since things move in that forum.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1341142
saltydog64
New member
Re: Re: Goofed !!
Re: Re: Goofed !!
melev-----you're right. Thx for the link, I guess I could have done that, like i said yesterday's power outage screwed w/head more than I thought....but good news all is well. UP here in UPSTATE NY when temps hover around 10 - 15 degrees you got to move fast or...don't even what to think of it...Hey a quick thought w/the pump down to the dj Denitrator (it sets for now in a room separate from the fish tanks, which had power from the generator) for about 5 hours it just might speed up process, reducing O2 in there and all :mixed: :mixed:
Dick
Re: Re: Goofed !!
melev-----you're right. Thx for the link, I guess I could have done that, like i said yesterday's power outage screwed w/head more than I thought....but good news all is well. UP here in UPSTATE NY when temps hover around 10 - 15 degrees you got to move fast or...don't even what to think of it...Hey a quick thought w/the pump down to the dj Denitrator (it sets for now in a room separate from the fish tanks, which had power from the generator) for about 5 hours it just might speed up process, reducing O2 in there and all :mixed: :mixed:
Dick
Paul_PSU
In Memoriam
Ok, so a minor setback. MY nitrates started climbing the past 3 days and this morning the tank and reactor effluent are both 50! I tested them both with two different test kits for a total of 4 times and the same, 50! My effluent from the denitrator runs into another reactor with just ARM in it and then that empties into my sump. I went to degas and thought, what the hell lets test it before it hits the ARM reactor and VIOLA' around 5. Here is my question, do I take the ARM reactor offline and just have the effluent from the denitrator empty into a cup of ARM in the sump or do I let it go and ride it out?
Let me know what your thoughts are...cause my first reaction was to take it offline, but I'll wait till this evening to see any thoughts. I only have one purple tang and no coral yet so....he is doing fine.
Paul
Let me know what your thoughts are...cause my first reaction was to take it offline, but I'll wait till this evening to see any thoughts. I only have one purple tang and no coral yet so....he is doing fine.
Paul
1scienceguy
New member
Is the influent filtered?
How old is the GAC?
Has the unit been offline for any given amount of time; i.e., for large water changes where the water is not flowing through the reactor?
How old is the GAC?
Has the unit been offline for any given amount of time; i.e., for large water changes where the water is not flowing through the reactor?
1scienceguy
New member
My bad - I meant ARM. Had the flu really, really bad over the weekend and the cloud still looms....
OK, my thoughts are to unhook the denitrator and keep it running. I'd flush out the ARM - not sure whether this is a RO/DI flush or if you should use something a bit stronger. Then hook back up. The other thought is to hook up both on separate pumps and check the effluent.
I have to agree that it does have that "something crawled inside and died" feel.
OK, my thoughts are to unhook the denitrator and keep it running. I'd flush out the ARM - not sure whether this is a RO/DI flush or if you should use something a bit stronger. Then hook back up. The other thought is to hook up both on separate pumps and check the effluent.
I have to agree that it does have that "something crawled inside and died" feel.
saltydog64
New member
Paul---- My first thought is 50 isn't that high for a FOWLR tank. Please test your Nitrite result(s) and post along with your flow rate at this time. If NO2 is very low or almost zero I would leave it hooked up and continue to cycle, because it appears it has not completly cycled...just my quick thoughts
Dick
Paul_PSU
In Memoriam
I agree for a FOWLR, the denitrator already went through the cycle. I was down to zero for the effluent and then between zero and 5 for tank water. I have a purple tang that I don't overfeed. I actually don't have a Nitrite test kit, so I'll check with the local store and see if they have one tomorrow.
If I hadn't already been steady at 0 - 5 for several days, I would understand, but just doesn't make sense.
Paul
If I hadn't already been steady at 0 - 5 for several days, I would understand, but just doesn't make sense.
Paul
saltydog64
New member
Paul---Just reviewed your previous post(s). A few notes You posted:
1) 02/22/08 started...Nitrates "off the charts"
2) 02/28/08 "still nothing" +100 ppm nitrates
3) 03/01/08 Eff. Zero Nitrates
4) 03/04/08 Eff. Zero Nitrates, Tank Zero.
Paul since your last post on your tank on 03/04, I guess it was, you have not mentioned your results to the increasing flow rate(s) and resulting Nitrate or maybe I missed some where ?
I don't think you mentioned your tank substrate (the approx. depth) or the LR in the tank...why do I ask? well with the orginal triple digit nitrate in the tank there is a good possiblity that alot of it has bonded to the LR and the sand or gravel and now is leaching back into the tank. Have you done a water change where you vacuumed the substatre in the last week or so, if so I'm sure that is the case as this will surly release Nitrates back in to water colunm. Of course these are just my thoughts as we must try to help each other here....:rollface: :rollface:
Paul_PSU
In Memoriam
Dick,
I was at the 1 drop/sec and tried to bump it up to 2/sec, but then my Nitrates slowly began to climb. I dropped it back down to 1/sec and they still kept climbing and here I am today. I only bumped it up to 2/sec for about 8 hours over night. I tested it in the morning and my Nitrates went from zero with the effluent to 20.
My sand bed is approx 3-4 inches. I have about 75lbs of LR.
I did a 10 gal water change, but I try not do disturb the sand bed.
The thing that bothers me is that the water in the denitrator is 0-5, but it's after it goes through the ARM reactor that it goes back up to 50.
Thanks always appreciate the input.
Paul
I was at the 1 drop/sec and tried to bump it up to 2/sec, but then my Nitrates slowly began to climb. I dropped it back down to 1/sec and they still kept climbing and here I am today. I only bumped it up to 2/sec for about 8 hours over night. I tested it in the morning and my Nitrates went from zero with the effluent to 20.
My sand bed is approx 3-4 inches. I have about 75lbs of LR.
I did a 10 gal water change, but I try not do disturb the sand bed.
The thing that bothers me is that the water in the denitrator is 0-5, but it's after it goes through the ARM reactor that it goes back up to 50.
Thanks always appreciate the input.
Paul
djfrankie
In Memoriam
Usually takes a couple of days to adjust to the higher flow of nitrate levels coming in the reactor. This is why I recommended you check after 3 days after you start making the adjustments and wait for zero nitrates out of your effluent before you adjust any further.
You make the adjustment for higher flow and wait three days and test if zero nitrates you adjust the flow again.
The stuff you smelled in the aragonite vessel is hydrogen sulfide build up.
Take out the aragonite media and wash it with RO/DI. If I'm looking at this pic of your reactor correctly it seems you have the valve on top of the aragonite reactor partially closed....why???
This valve should be fully open otherwise you get an air lock in that vessel and hydrogen sulfide builds up.
This is what I would do:
(1) take out the aragonite media and wash it with clean RO/DI water.
(2) Drill an outlet on the side of the aragonite reactor about 3" inches from the top and let it flow (DO NOT USE A VALVE HERE). Remove the pvc cap in the aragonite reactor permanently.
And as Saltydog64 stated above, nitrates will leach out of your LR and sand into the water column for a while, but this will be continous.
In other words, you won't get zero nitrates in your tank for a week and then the LR/LS will start leaching. It doesn't quite work like that.
djfrankie
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii141/novak_psu/reef/P1010060.jpg
djfrankie
In Memoriam
Paul, sorry it's hard to tell how the valves are setup in that pic. The only thing that really called my attention was the partially closed valve on top of the aragonite reactor.
You need to place the valve on your effluent output out of your sulfur reactor. The only other valve you will need to use in the setup is the one on top of the sulfur reactor to degass it. That's it.
Let me know if this is more clear to you?
If you can, post a schematic of how you have the reactor setup.
It doesn't have to be anything pretty.
Also, Paul check out the valve that I'm using now for the eflluent out. They're easier to adjust than the JG valves.
djfrankie
Last edited:
Paul_PSU
In Memoriam
Frankie,
Crystal clear...
I added other valves, but not for control, but for the fact that I also had the Phosar and carbon reactors all running off of the same pump. This way when I changed those two out I could turn off flow and service. I changed that though, I purchased two of the Phosban reactors and run those two on a separate pump and have them hanging on the sump. I am trying to get everything in my cabinet.
I forgot to add, I took the ARM reactor off line till I can clean and modify tomorrow. I put some ARM in a plastic small bowl and put holes in the bottom and have the effluent dripping into it.
Thanks for everything,
Paul
Crystal clear...
I added other valves, but not for control, but for the fact that I also had the Phosar and carbon reactors all running off of the same pump. This way when I changed those two out I could turn off flow and service. I changed that though, I purchased two of the Phosban reactors and run those two on a separate pump and have them hanging on the sump. I am trying to get everything in my cabinet. I forgot to add, I took the ARM reactor off line till I can clean and modify tomorrow. I put some ARM in a plastic small bowl and put holes in the bottom and have the effluent dripping into it.
Thanks for everything,
Paul
djfrankie
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12061417#post12061417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul_PSU
Frankie,
Crystal clear...
I forgot to add, I took the ARM reactor off line till I can clean and modify tomorrow. I put some ARM in a plastic small bowl and put holes in the bottom and have the effluent dripping into it.
Thanks for everything,
Paul
OK...take care and post back once you get everything inline.
djfrankie
saltydog64
New member
Paul- I must have missed something...I thought you said" It's like something crawled inside the ARM reactor and died...." with regard to the TEST result(s) you didn't smell anything or did you ??? dj is correct we must let changes catchup:mixed: :mixed:
Actually it really makes little difference as if you clean out the ARM as suggested that fixes that, BUT why the ZERO coming out of SR but hi Nitrates out of the ARM ??? Here what's going on I think..with your HIGH orginal NO3 and the fact you bascially checked for NO3 and not Nitrites (NO2) the ARM unit eventually become bio-active and converted the Nitrites to Nitrates and then you pick it up with your Nitrates test out of the ARM. Now you mentioned u where going to pick up a test kit for Nitrites??? You will surprised on high your Nitrites are coming out of the SR..
You know what, Paul for now why don't just drip into a separate 5 Gal bucket, follow the results w/the reset and then and only then hook to the tank when your happy w/tests results.....
Actually by converting in the ARM to Nitrates u protected your fish in the tank I GUESS... The good news is your unit is bio-active and should reset in well................each tank is different. What we all MUST remember is this.....this really is experimental and we all go @ our own risk..but the hell what's life w/o risk...
Paul u will get this so GOOD LUCK !!!
DICk
Black71gp
New member
mine is almost done.. going to hook it up shortly.. running from the tank into a 5 gallon bucket... figure one long water change..lol.. its on a 1200 gallon system.. I used 4L of bio matrix in a 6" 18" tall chamber with a mag 3 recirc pump.. and about 2" of LSM from ASM. and the all ARM media in the second chamber the same size....
saltydog64
New member
Black47,
sounds good and your right about running into a separate bucket..hey look @ it like an on going slow water change
Please post your test results as u go along, I used LSM and found NO issues with it, I should say it's not like i used it for years, just 5 or 6 weeks, but check my pics and u can see the results of that, right now I'm in middle of restarting and each day the Nitrates in the bucket are coming down FAST and I'll post my results soon.
I like the idea of the Matrix being the bed for the bacteria and just a "small" amount of SULFUR for food. I'll be interested in your Nitrite test as u progess. Good luck w/ and oh ya is no one else going to post or is this thread doomed to a slow death like so many others here ????:mixed: :mixed:
Dick
djfrankie
In Memoriam
This thread is alive and well. Most people are having no issues hence no need to post. Some people rather send me a PM. I get almost daily PM's with questions
The ones you will hear about are the one that are still having issues and I and others will keep an eye on this thread and try to help them out.
You will see a few people come back in about 2 months or so not knowing what to do now once their tanks have reached zero nitrates and they're getting that dreaded sulfide smell inside their houses.
So we'll talk about it when they cross that bridge
djfrankie
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