Tony Romano
New member
IMO - You should be using GFO for PO4 already.
Great results!
Great results!
DIY Sulfur Denitrator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
saltydog64
New member
will.................Sounds like u got her uncontrol....but do we ever? when we solve one issue we go into another...so watch your alk very carefully and as for your concern about sulfide(s) u might try what I have found that seems to be working and this to place a bag of GFO, such as ROWA phos, on top of your ARM media in your 2nd reactor, that way all the effluent most flow thru as it passes to the tank. Just make sure u thoughly and gentily rince it first in RO water berfore u add it to your reactor, corals and the like DONOT like those fines that first come off the GFO and will cause them to close for sure. Hope this helps and continued good luck........got to run pizza's is done:rollface: :rollface:
Black71gp
New member
well.. update from me.. my old reactor started leaking.. then the brace inside craked causeing the pump to suck up sulfur.. so tore it down.. nitrates went back to 80..
new reactor will be 36" tal 6" od acyrlic tube, I am adding 4L of bio matrix, and 2 full gallons of sulfur media... should keep up a little better. I think i am only going to make this next one a single chamber and if i have to add on a ARM media chamber later I can.. wish me luck...
new reactor will be 36" tal 6" od acyrlic tube, I am adding 4L of bio matrix, and 2 full gallons of sulfur media... should keep up a little better. I think i am only going to make this next one a single chamber and if i have to add on a ARM media chamber later I can.. wish me luck...
Hello to all
Just an up date on the dJ Jr.
took it off line today for a thorough cleaning, & to replace the aragonite media. The unit has been running 7 month's now & the display is doing just fine. I use a foam pre filter for the feed line to it, & I noticed only a small amount of fine particles in the sulphur when I rinsed it with ro / di.
I believe that the pre filter has helped in it's longevity, & I recommend one.
I now will be adding a second unit for the aragonite only. I hope to just replace the aragonite, without disturbing the sulphur from now on. I'll post how long I get out of the sulphur, before I need to clean it, at a future date. let's say 11/09 if I'm lucky :lol:
As ALWAYS !!
KUDOS to dJ frankie :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
& to all that have made this diy a GREAT SUCCESS :beer:
Steve
:smokin:
Just an up date on the dJ Jr.
took it off line today for a thorough cleaning, & to replace the aragonite media. The unit has been running 7 month's now & the display is doing just fine. I use a foam pre filter for the feed line to it, & I noticed only a small amount of fine particles in the sulphur when I rinsed it with ro / di.
I believe that the pre filter has helped in it's longevity, & I recommend one.
I now will be adding a second unit for the aragonite only. I hope to just replace the aragonite, without disturbing the sulphur from now on. I'll post how long I get out of the sulphur, before I need to clean it, at a future date. let's say 11/09 if I'm lucky :lol:
As ALWAYS !!
KUDOS to dJ frankie :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
& to all that have made this diy a GREAT SUCCESS :beer:
Steve
:smokin:
Black71gp
New member
well.. update from me.. my old reactor started leaking.. then the brace inside craked causeing the pump to suck up sulfur.. so tore it down.. nitrates went back to 80..
new reactor will be 36" tal 6" od acyrlic tube, I am adding 4L of bio matrix, and 2 full gallons of sulfur media... should keep up a little better. I think i am only going to make this next one a single chamber and if i have to add on a ARM media chamber later I can.. wish me luck...
new reactor will be 36" tal 6" od acyrlic tube, I am adding 4L of bio matrix, and 2 full gallons of sulfur media... should keep up a little better. I think i am only going to make this next one a single chamber and if i have to add on a ARM media chamber later I can.. wish me luck...
saltydog64
New member
Black71gp................Good hearing from ya o'chap.......and of course good luck:rollface: :rollface:
I personaly appoint u champion of perseverance....yup no ??? about it and I know u'll get it....
You will need to do the same for the input / suction side ( 3/4 cpvc) of the MJ 600, & slightly sand / dremell it to fit ( enlarge it )
another option is 3/4 tubing to connect the volute / cpvc.
If you use the Phos ban reactor, you must extend the internal return side of the reactor cap.
If you pm me I'll send the info.
Steve
:smokin:
another option is 3/4 tubing to connect the volute / cpvc.
If you use the Phos ban reactor, you must extend the internal return side of the reactor cap.
If you pm me I'll send the info.
Steve
:smokin:
OK... I've read over 40 pages of threads and think I have a basic idea of what to do. However, I still have a few Qs before I start building my own...... Not everything is as clear as I would like.
1. Am I correct that the "recirculator"pump water pressure is what sucks in my tank water? If so, why can't I just hook the tank input tubing to the air inlet sucker on the powerhead -- if it sucked in air , won't it suck in water?? (and therefore, bypass the need for a Tee?) Is the intake water valve used to restrict the intake flow?
2. Does the output of the powerhead matter, as it is only recirculating the internal water back/forth through the media? I have a couple of old unused heads I could utilize for the S-D but I don't remember their output and they are so old I don't see names/model #s on them.
3. Level of input vs output..... which is supposed to be a few drops/sec.....in or out?
4. If output is to be limited to a few drops/sec, wouldn't it take , like, forever to cycle through a 65 gal tank (with maybe 50 gal of water in it)? Also, just to verify... the outputed water goes to my skimmer so it can get re-oxygenated, right?? (I don't have a sump).
5. Most of the various photos show VERY course aragonite/crushed coral above the sulphur. Is this to make it last longer than the gravel type of aragonite used as a bed in tanks?
6. AM I correct that the higher the tank nitrates, the quicker the unit will cycle? (Mine are around 80-100 using an API tester).
7. Last, I occasionally go away for weekends. If the top needs to be bled of gas daily, can you cheat by attaching a balloon to an open valve and just let it expand for a few days? or is this too simplistic and would not work?
8. All other suggestions will be appreciated.
Up till now, when I learned about the benefits of sulphur denitrators, I limited my purchases to $60 or less as the soft corals would eventually die off, or get overly stressed and not grow much, from nitrates being too high or from excessive algae overgrowth. I have no room for a sump. where my tank is located.
Doing 5-10 gal water changes 2-3x/month helps but would still result in overall high nitrates. (I tend to feed too much). Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as earlier in my life for tank maint. I am hoping the S-D will be the answer I, and my tank, have been looking for. Can wait to get started!
Thanks for the help...........................................marc
1. Am I correct that the "recirculator"pump water pressure is what sucks in my tank water? If so, why can't I just hook the tank input tubing to the air inlet sucker on the powerhead -- if it sucked in air , won't it suck in water?? (and therefore, bypass the need for a Tee?) Is the intake water valve used to restrict the intake flow?
2. Does the output of the powerhead matter, as it is only recirculating the internal water back/forth through the media? I have a couple of old unused heads I could utilize for the S-D but I don't remember their output and they are so old I don't see names/model #s on them.
3. Level of input vs output..... which is supposed to be a few drops/sec.....in or out?
4. If output is to be limited to a few drops/sec, wouldn't it take , like, forever to cycle through a 65 gal tank (with maybe 50 gal of water in it)? Also, just to verify... the outputed water goes to my skimmer so it can get re-oxygenated, right?? (I don't have a sump).
5. Most of the various photos show VERY course aragonite/crushed coral above the sulphur. Is this to make it last longer than the gravel type of aragonite used as a bed in tanks?
6. AM I correct that the higher the tank nitrates, the quicker the unit will cycle? (Mine are around 80-100 using an API tester).
7. Last, I occasionally go away for weekends. If the top needs to be bled of gas daily, can you cheat by attaching a balloon to an open valve and just let it expand for a few days? or is this too simplistic and would not work?
8. All other suggestions will be appreciated.
Up till now, when I learned about the benefits of sulphur denitrators, I limited my purchases to $60 or less as the soft corals would eventually die off, or get overly stressed and not grow much, from nitrates being too high or from excessive algae overgrowth. I have no room for a sump. where my tank is located.
Doing 5-10 gal water changes 2-3x/month helps but would still result in overall high nitrates. (I tend to feed too much). Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as earlier in my life for tank maint. I am hoping the S-D will be the answer I, and my tank, have been looking for. Can wait to get started!
Thanks for the help...........................................marc
I considered the 3/4 tubing & clamps also. I found that you still needed the enlarged ID piece of 3/4 cpvc over the volute for a tighter fit.
Either way will work on the intake, I preferred to not deal with the clamps, & glued the piece's to the volute.
The output side of the volute fit's the ID of the 1/2 cpvc perfectly.
Steve
:smokin:
djfrankie
In Memoriam
OK... I've read over 40 pages of threads and think I have a basic idea of what to do. However, I still have a few Qs before I start building my own...... Not everything is as clear as I would like.
Clear as mud isn’t it?
1. Am I correct that the "recirculator"pump water pressure is what sucks in my tank water? If so, why can't I just hook the tank input tubing to the air inlet sucker on the powerhead -- if it sucked in air , won't it suck in water?? (and therefore, bypass the need for a Tee?) Is the intake water valve used to restrict the intake flow?
Water pressure inside the reactor will be higher and actually push water out instead of sucking it. Water will always follow the path of least resistance. In your case since you don’t have a sump I will feed it with a small powerhead inside the tank. The return will go to skimmer in order to degass some of the H2S.
2. Does the output of the powerhead matter, as it is only recirculating the internal water back/forth through the media? I have a couple of old unused heads I could utilize for the S-D but I don't remember their output and they are so old I don't see names/model #s on them.
I will use any available working powerhead you have.
3. Level of input vs output..... which is supposed to be a few drops/sec.....in or out?
Out. Don’t restrict the input.
4. If output is to be limited to a few drops/sec, wouldn't it take , like, forever to cycle through a 65 gal tank (with maybe 50 gal of water in it)? Also, just to verify... the outputed water goes to my skimmer so it can get re-oxygenated, right?? (I don't have a sump).
No, it won’t take forever since you will adjust your flow much higher as your unit cycles. Just 30 ml per minute of effluent drip will amount to 10 gallons of tank water going thru the unit every 24 hours and coming out at zero nitrates. So, in less than 7 days your entire’s tank water will have flowed through the reactor. Of course, the reduction amount is a lot more complicated than that and every tank is different.
5. Most of the various photos show VERY course aragonite/crushed coral above the sulphur. Is this to make it last longer than the gravel type of aragonite used as a bed in tanks?
Courser aragonite doesn’t clog up as easily as the gravel type. It is mainly used to buffer the ph out of the reactor.
6. AM I correct that the higher the tank nitrates, the quicker the unit will cycle? (Mine are around 80-100 using an API tester).
The bacteria don’t know or care about the levels in the tank. If there are nitrates they will populate the media and grow rapidly. Assuming you follow the guidelines and are patient the reactor will start the cycling in no more than 3 days.
[/b]7. Last, I occasionally go away for weekends. If the top needs to be bled of gas daily, can you cheat by attaching a balloon to an open valve and just let it expand for a few days? or is this too simplistic and would not work?[/b]
It will not work. What happens when it has bled out and water starts coming out? How much water can the balloon hold?
8. All other suggestions will be appreciated.
(1) Be patient and follow the guidelines.
(2) Don’t overfeed and make sure you keep up with the recommended water changes.
(3) Make sure your top off water is RO/DI
Feel free to ask any other questions here as we have many experienced users here.
Have fun!
djfrankie
Clear as mud isn’t it?
1. Am I correct that the "recirculator"pump water pressure is what sucks in my tank water? If so, why can't I just hook the tank input tubing to the air inlet sucker on the powerhead -- if it sucked in air , won't it suck in water?? (and therefore, bypass the need for a Tee?) Is the intake water valve used to restrict the intake flow?
Water pressure inside the reactor will be higher and actually push water out instead of sucking it. Water will always follow the path of least resistance. In your case since you don’t have a sump I will feed it with a small powerhead inside the tank. The return will go to skimmer in order to degass some of the H2S.
2. Does the output of the powerhead matter, as it is only recirculating the internal water back/forth through the media? I have a couple of old unused heads I could utilize for the S-D but I don't remember their output and they are so old I don't see names/model #s on them.
I will use any available working powerhead you have.
3. Level of input vs output..... which is supposed to be a few drops/sec.....in or out?
Out. Don’t restrict the input.
4. If output is to be limited to a few drops/sec, wouldn't it take , like, forever to cycle through a 65 gal tank (with maybe 50 gal of water in it)? Also, just to verify... the outputed water goes to my skimmer so it can get re-oxygenated, right?? (I don't have a sump).
No, it won’t take forever since you will adjust your flow much higher as your unit cycles. Just 30 ml per minute of effluent drip will amount to 10 gallons of tank water going thru the unit every 24 hours and coming out at zero nitrates. So, in less than 7 days your entire’s tank water will have flowed through the reactor. Of course, the reduction amount is a lot more complicated than that and every tank is different.
5. Most of the various photos show VERY course aragonite/crushed coral above the sulphur. Is this to make it last longer than the gravel type of aragonite used as a bed in tanks?
Courser aragonite doesn’t clog up as easily as the gravel type. It is mainly used to buffer the ph out of the reactor.
6. AM I correct that the higher the tank nitrates, the quicker the unit will cycle? (Mine are around 80-100 using an API tester).
The bacteria don’t know or care about the levels in the tank. If there are nitrates they will populate the media and grow rapidly. Assuming you follow the guidelines and are patient the reactor will start the cycling in no more than 3 days.
[/b]7. Last, I occasionally go away for weekends. If the top needs to be bled of gas daily, can you cheat by attaching a balloon to an open valve and just let it expand for a few days? or is this too simplistic and would not work?[/b]
It will not work. What happens when it has bled out and water starts coming out? How much water can the balloon hold?
8. All other suggestions will be appreciated.
(1) Be patient and follow the guidelines.
(2) Don’t overfeed and make sure you keep up with the recommended water changes.
(3) Make sure your top off water is RO/DI
Feel free to ask any other questions here as we have many experienced users here.
Have fun!
djfrankie
DJ thanks a lot for the info.
I think I have all the parts except for the media. I plan on getting Caribsea LSM for the sulphur and course aragonite chunks from my LFS (unless you have another suggestion).
As everyone seems to do, once done i'LL post pics and give status of my nitrate levels.
May the force be with me.....................................marc
I think I have all the parts except for the media. I plan on getting Caribsea LSM for the sulphur and course aragonite chunks from my LFS (unless you have another suggestion).
As everyone seems to do, once done i'LL post pics and give status of my nitrate levels.
May the force be with me.....................................marc
Is there any special height the unit has to be?
I'm starting with a 2ft 4" PVC pipe (with flat cap and pvc female threaded coupler for the bottom so it can stand flat without the need for the toilet flange), used the cut-out drain model to protect the 1/2" CPVC pipe recirc input, but have not drilled final holes for ouput and recirculation as I'm waiting for the media to get delivered. I'm planning to use about 1 lb of LSM Sulphur, as I only have a 65 gal tank, and approx twice that vol/amount of course aragonite on top, with a filter in between the media. Then I figured to give it another 2-3" for recirc, overflow and gas buildup room. And then cut off what is left. If there is no need for it to be that tall (24" pipe+2" bottom overlap +2" top overlap) why do it?
I could not find the nice white cut-off valves used in all the pictures at either HomeDepot , Lowes, or Ace so I opted for 1/4" tubing in-line valves that were sold in the irrigation section (they were quite inexpensive and were conveniently sold in a small bag of 3). Top is going to be a 4" female threaded coupler with a pipe wrench top ( for easy removal when necessary) and the gas release will be from the center of the pipe wrench nib at the top of the cap.
If I can figure out how, I'll post some pics when its done. (moderator/members welcome to email me with instructions on how to post pics).
Can't wait for the media to get here so I can finish it and fire it up!........................marc
Also, I read on a couple of sites that the bacterial we want to grow hates the light. It implied that those that use acrylic piping for their denitrators actually get only the inner 2/3 actually populating with the helpful bacteria. The bacteria would not be growing at the margins -- true/false? If true, Is the opaque white pvc pipe enough (which most units seemed to be made of) or should I give it an attractive layer of black spray paint to make it even more opaque?
What do ya think?
I'm starting with a 2ft 4" PVC pipe (with flat cap and pvc female threaded coupler for the bottom so it can stand flat without the need for the toilet flange), used the cut-out drain model to protect the 1/2" CPVC pipe recirc input, but have not drilled final holes for ouput and recirculation as I'm waiting for the media to get delivered. I'm planning to use about 1 lb of LSM Sulphur, as I only have a 65 gal tank, and approx twice that vol/amount of course aragonite on top, with a filter in between the media. Then I figured to give it another 2-3" for recirc, overflow and gas buildup room. And then cut off what is left. If there is no need for it to be that tall (24" pipe+2" bottom overlap +2" top overlap) why do it?
I could not find the nice white cut-off valves used in all the pictures at either HomeDepot , Lowes, or Ace so I opted for 1/4" tubing in-line valves that were sold in the irrigation section (they were quite inexpensive and were conveniently sold in a small bag of 3). Top is going to be a 4" female threaded coupler with a pipe wrench top ( for easy removal when necessary) and the gas release will be from the center of the pipe wrench nib at the top of the cap.
If I can figure out how, I'll post some pics when its done. (moderator/members welcome to email me with instructions on how to post pics).
Can't wait for the media to get here so I can finish it and fire it up!........................marc
Also, I read on a couple of sites that the bacterial we want to grow hates the light. It implied that those that use acrylic piping for their denitrators actually get only the inner 2/3 actually populating with the helpful bacteria. The bacteria would not be growing at the margins -- true/false? If true, Is the opaque white pvc pipe enough (which most units seemed to be made of) or should I give it an attractive layer of black spray paint to make it even more opaque?
What do ya think?
saltydog64
New member
mj.............No need to spray the PCV as just about everyone here has had no issuses w/light when using PCV, can't speak for folks using the clear acrylic tubes.......I would think in time if exposed to lite one "could grow some alge" on the ID..just don't know, actually I think not as in the dj denitrator it's anaerobic and plants (alge) require it...for what that's worth.
What are your current tank parms....Nitrate and so on???
As far as up-loading pics...I'm not 100% sure, I do it, but maybe some else is better to explain. I'm a premium member so maybe it's different for me....not sure.
