DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[siskiou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13012513#post13012513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kurt03
My guess would be to use the minimal amount of sulfur after you get your nitrates down. So after you hit 0 maybe take some sulfur out and restart?

I don't think I can take any more sulfur out than I already have.
There's only a small handful left.

I'll probably take it offline and see how it goes. I have several anthias in the tank and feed fairly heavily, so I hope that water changes will keep the nitrates in check.

Otherwise, I'll fire the reactor back up with fresh materials, I guess.

Are there any others here who are still running the reactor after being at 0 for a while?

 

[Kurt03]

if your that low then your tank is processing most of the nitrate and you barely need the sulfur reactor, you could cut the amount of sulfur in half and try that. Im guessing your tank is taking care of most or all the nutrients its self. Congrats

Is this a small handful on your 120? Do you only have the anthias? What other equipment is on the tank and how often do you do water changes? You can always take the reactor off and see what happens, might not need it for now.

 

[siskiou]

Yes, it's on the 120G.

Apart from the Anthias, there are a LMB, a white cheek tang, a scribbled rabbit fish, a rainford's goby, yellow watchman goby with pistol shrimp, 3 green chromis and a few crabs.
Equipment is a 25G sump with a mediocre skimmer (can't afford a better one for now) and the denitrator, apart from the usual pumps, heaters, lights etc.

I do 20G water changes every two weeks, but before the reactor, my nitrates were around 40-50, despite weekly water changes and much smaller feedings, to the point where I was worried about the fish not getting enough.

 

[Kurt03]

weird, take the denitrator off and see what happens? Or you could cut the media in half, even though it will leave very little left. If it was me I would prob cut the amount of media in half and see what it does. But dont do it just cause i say so, i havent even built mine yet just understand basically how they work and throwing ideas out there.

How long has the tank been setup?

 

[Black71gp]

just an update for you all.. mine is still 0 out of the reactor... and tank is down to like 15.. still cranking along... upped the flow some more..i should measure how much flow i have going through it..

 

[Steve 926]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015120#post13015120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Black71gp
just an update for you all.. mine is still 0 out of the reactor... and tank is down to like 15.. still cranking along... upped the flow some more..i should measure how much flow i have going through it..

Congratulations :celeb1:
What a long road it's been !

Steve

:smokin:

 

[saltydog64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015120#post13015120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Black71gp
just an update for you all.. mine is still 0 out of the reactor... and tank is down to like 15.. still cranking along... upped the flow some more..i should measure how much flow i have going through it..

Black71gp...........I could be wrong,:mixed: :mixed: , it might be toss up between you and me on who gets the persistants reward....... :smokin: :smokin:

Dick

 

[djfrankie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13015282#post13015282 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltydog64
Black71gp...........I could be wrong,:mixed: :mixed: , it might be toss up between you and me on who gets the persistants reward....... :smokin: :smokin:

Dick

Hmmm...we'll have to do a count on that one

Definitely worthy of a reward going out to you guys....

Let me think of a reward...

How about a free API Nitrate test kit going out to the winner!!!

Start counting and let me know who wins

The winner will get a free API Nitrate test kit delivered to your door !!!

Enjoy,

djfrankie

ps. I know it's not much, but what other thread has given you something free....besides knowledge ?

 

[Black71gp]

lol might be a hard count!!!!!!

 

[saltydog64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13017363#post13017363 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Black71gp
lol might be a hard count!!!!!!

Black71gp...............ditto that one.......anyhow... all who have followed dj's advice, as post in this one of a kind thread, have been winners, no doubt about, some times not so easy to do, but none the less do able. Just for the record I started my djDenitrator (@ the time not called that:rollface: ) on Feb.19 running out of a 5 gal bucket, (Now on my tank, of course) now I mention that not to influence any one, really, just so those who are having difficutly in cycling there units, to understand that eventually it will cycle and become quite the additive to a marine system.

Dick

 

[saltydog64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13016939#post13016939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by djfrankie
Hmmm...we'll have to do a count on that one

Definitely worthy of a reward going out to you guys....

Let me think of a reward...

How about a free API Nitrate test kit going out to the winner!!!

Start counting and let me know who wins

The winner will get a free API Nitrate test kit delivered to your door !!!

Enjoy,

djfrankie

ps. I know it's not much, but what other thread has given you something free....besides knowledge ?

dj......................Really no reward needed:rollface: The fact that YOU stuck and continue to stick with this thread is actually reward enough.

I don't think there is or was a more reliable method of Nitrate reduction out there.....I mean, YES, water changes will always be required to maintain that balance of needed elements removed on a dalily basis by the creatures we keep, but water changes will NEVER bring down Nitrate from levels I had. Now before everyone gets in up roar on that statement, consider this: How to make this brief....My tank, now a FOWLR (does have a leather coral) setup orginally as a Marine tank on bioballs on 12/29/88 and ran that way until 08/27/95 when I removed the bioballs and reset it as a NNR system running on a plenum ( It took 55 days cycling in the dark, but when I turned on the lights for the first time it looked very crisp and well, great) as described in a FAMA Aug.1995 article. Whew that was a long time ago. Yes I recall these dates because I just refered to my several note books I have kept thru the years not my senior memory:mad2:. This is getting to long.....To the point, because of an out of date test kit and way to few water changes (poor maintance of the sand bed) the Nitrates reached levels of +1000 PPM some 10 + years later, yup 10 years.

As you know I did do a whole bunch of water changes to get some control of Nitrate, but could never get it below 130 PPM probably due to leaching of Nitrate back into the water, but now due to the SR I'm closing in on ZERO, I don't think actual 0 is needed in my set up, but it's the challage thingy I think. I will actually post soon how I went about this, anyhow I great big thanks again dj...........:mad2::mad2:

Dick

 

[kcress]

Wow my experience is very similar Dick. I believe my nitrates were about 1600ppm. My sulfur denitrator just this week brought my level down to Z E R O also. This is with a crushed coral bed 12" x 144" x 4" tall.

I had a lot of issues with my original reactor but a break down and a change made a huge difference. The nitrogen production was insane but now that the nitrate level is zero it has almost stopped. It went form needing to bleed 3 times a day to once evey 4 days now.

 

[kcress]

The API nitrate test is wholly non functional with regard to my reactor's output. A test causes the color to go dark burnt orange on the first half of the test which completely invalidates a 'color ' test.

All I can do is test the tank water.

 

[skippyreef]

Hey guys is it normal forthe Nitrate coming out of the reactor to increase during the break in period? I was testing 25PPM when I went on Line Tuesday (1 Gtt/sec) and today it is more like 100PPM coming out of the reactor? I repeated the test twice to make sure it was accurate.

 

[kcress]

I found any tests of nitrate out of my reactor to be complete hogwash. Do not bother in my opinion. Measure the tank closely and watch the tank.

My output readings completely baffled me all the time and still baffle me. But my tank went down, down, down, to now; zero.

All along the output was usually measured as substantially higher than the tank. How can that be?? Unless the sulfates or the ph of the output is breaking the tests?

 

[MMM33732]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12876560#post12876560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kreeger1
My new top I will be using

Did you make those or buy them from somewhere?

 

[djfrankie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13061983#post13061983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kcress
I found any tests of nitrate out of my reactor to be complete hogwash. Do not bother in my opinion.

Never had a problem measuring mine using API or Salifert.

After the unit cycles it will be wise to maintain zero nitrates out of your reactor's effluent and make slight adjustments only after you have obtained zero nitrates out of effluent. In most cases 24 hours is sufficient for the reactor to catch up assuming it is properly sized and functioning properly.

HTH,
djfrankie

 

[khoivo1]

helo,,,can i reuse the media after couple out side,,,i cleaned and dry them all,,,also when i start using it again,,,should i do as the same way like when i just got it or some difference thanks

 

[djfrankie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13065596#post13065596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by khoivo1
helo,,,can i reuse the media after couple out side,,,i cleaned and dry them all,,,also when i start using it again,,,should i do as the same way like when i just got it or some difference thanks

If you use distilled water to wash it and clean it ...then it's OK. If you used tap water make sure to dechlorinate before reusing it.

You'd have to cycle the unit again.

HTH,
djfrankie

 

[khoivo1]

thanks,