DIY Sulfur Denitrator

NBC has been in since Friday, nitrates at 1PPM per the API and no gas yet. :(

I see a definite decrease in nitrites, I think I was at 3-5 and now the color is exactly at 1, although this is kit is FAR from easy to read.

Tank nitrates are as of yet unchanged, but dropping as I do my normal water changes.
 
sulphur is not that difficult to find in powder form . As i found it at a farm supply and feed store, but only in powder form.
Finding the pellet form or bead form so far nothing locally.

According to the calculation of how much sulphur i need for my system; I need about 1/2 liter how much would that be in weight ( lbs).
 
I opened it up again, deciding to add back the sulfur that I took out and discovered that the recirc pump wasn't running for some reason. Added another scoop of NBC#9 since I opened it up, and VOILA - gas about 5 hours later.

Hopefully this is now on the right track!
 
I just finished my reactor on Fri. (1/16). I based the design on a calcium reactor so that once I get my nitrates in check I can use it as such. here it is ...
nitratereactorfq4.jpg

I put it online on Saturday (1/17) by Monday I was showing nitrite above 4ppm. Tues afternoon there was some gas build up so i decided to test again .. 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates from the effluent :rollface: woo hoo!! so I bumped up the drip rate from one drop per second to two. I just tested again about 7 hours from the change and I'm getting about 15-20ppm nitrates.
From what i read on here this is normal right ?
After an increase in the drip rate it just needs to catch up?

well, wish me luck .. so far this seems to be working great.
So a BIG thanx to dj and all you other people for doing the leg work and testing these first.

DJFrankie ..I think I on this thread somewhere (can't find it now) you posted that you opened a LFS ? PM me Im in Miami and would love to check it out.

Oh BTW , as of today (1/21) the current tank Nitrate levels are >80ppm according to both API and Salifert test kits...
 
Update: 6 days to zero nitrite and zero nitrate from the reactor after a few days of some interesting shades of red.

The reactor I built is almost exactly dj's design( just an extra valve on the input line) 2 ft of 4 inch pipe. etc.

I used about 3 inches of Sea chem matrix media ( the pumice sotne type stuff) which had been in my sump for a couple of months and then 3 litres of Carrib Sea Live Sulfur Media(LSM) opn top.

I dripped at 2 drops per second( twice the recommended rate) but figured I should since I am using twice the sulfur. I cycled it with system water input but let the effluent flow into a bucket to prevent getting the nitrite and nitrate produced during cycling in the system. Tonight I put the effluent hose in the sump so it can begin working on the 575 gallon system. Hope I'll be able to step up th flow .
quickly.

Looks like it will work like a charm once I attach the second cylinder with argonite. Effluent ph per monitor is 6.9. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread especially the author.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14201510#post14201510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by buffalo123


According to the calculation of how much sulphur i need for my system; I need about 1/2 liter how much would that be in weight ( lbs).
Click to expand...
Need to know approx. how many lbs or is one pound enough?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202529#post14202529 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NCNBilly
I opened it up again, deciding to add back the sulfur that I took out and discovered that the recirc pump wasn't running for some reason. Added another scoop of NBC#9 since I opened it up, and VOILA - gas about 5 hours later.

Hopefully this is now on the right track!
Click to expand...

NCNBilly...............

Yea................your on way and I'm sure the extra S is what did the trick (along with the NBC #9.... IMO)......that's exactally what I had to do with my initially high tank Nitrates....good job.

Now as the gas peaks and even "dissappears" remember the SR will still be cycling so keep a watch-full eye on effluent Nitrate and increase your FR (flow rate) as recommended by dJ to miminize the formation of H2S while maintaining ZERO Nitrates....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14201510#post14201510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by buffalo123
sulphur is not that difficult to find in powder form . As i found it at a farm supply and feed store, but only in powder form.
Finding the pellet form or bead form so far nothing locally.

According to the calculation of how much sulphur i need for my system; I need about 1/2 liter how much would that be in weight ( lbs).
Click to expand...

buffalo.......

Not that you said you where considering using powder.....DONOT use it period.....powered sulfur will make re-circluation in the SR impossible and also it will plug up the pump.....:mad2: :mad2:

As far how much pellet sulfur to use...I'm sorry I'll dj chime in on that...not knowledgeable in that area.....:mixed: :mixed:
 
I've got a question.

I dont really have the tools or experience to do the full DIY. Could a fuildized reactor be simply modified to work as a sulfur reactor?

Start with something like this (from My Reef Creations):
http://www.myreefcreations.com/images/FMCs (Medium).JPG

Effectively turn it into a closed loop, sucking water out the top and pumping it back into the bottom. But then tee off the intake to the pump and put your water inlet there, and tee off the outlet of the pump and make that out water outlet back to the tank?

Would that work?
 
NCN Billy,
FYI and FWIW I had trouble with my recirulating pump(maxi jet 1200) initially. As it turned out the feed pump(a smaller power head) was not generating enough pressure to fill the reactor to the top. Even though the water line was over the top of the ricurclating pump input ,the recirculating pump stopped after a few hours on two occassions.. I moved the small powerhead used to feed the reactor to a position above the top of the reactor in a frag tank. This way it gets push from the powerhead and gravity and works fine. It had been in the sump pretty much level with the bottom of the reactor. On the two occasions I opened the reactor the cycle was set back to nitrite production. I suppose it was from the air entering the chamber.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14210560#post14210560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
NCN Billy,
FYI and FWIW I had trouble with my recirulating pump(maxi jet 1200) initially. As it turned out the feed pump(a smaller power head) was not generating enough pressure to fill the reactor to the top. Even though the water line was over the top of the ricurclating pump input ,the recirculating pump stopped after a few hours on two occassions.. I moved the small powerhead used to feed the reactor to a position above the top of the reactor in a frag tank. This way it gets push from the powerhead and gravity and works fine. It had been in the sump pretty much level with the bottom of the reactor. On the two occasions I opened the reactor the cycle was set back to nitrite production. I suppose it was from the air entering the chamber.
Click to expand...

Would you get effluent from the top when you degassed?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14208458#post14208458 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
I've got a question.

I dont really have the tools or experience to do the full DIY. Could a fuildized reactor be simply modified to work as a sulfur reactor?

Start with something like this (from My Reef Creations):
http://www.myreefcreations.com/images/FMCs (Medium).JPG

Effectively turn it into a closed loop, sucking water out the top and pumping it back into the bottom. But then tee off the intake to the pump and put your water inlet there, and tee off the outlet of the pump and make that out water outlet back to the tank?

Would that work?
Click to expand...

NVM answered my own question... need a place to degas...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14211519#post14211519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
NVM answered my own question... need a place to degas...
Click to expand...

MRC would probably tap a 1/4 valve at the top for you for only a few extra bucks. They are great people to deal with. You'd also want to extend the return down in to the chamber a bit, you want to prevent gas from getting in there to prevent a vapor lock on the effluent.
 
OMG -- I CAN"T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!

OMG -- I CAN"T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!

I have no idea how it happened but my output got turned up all the way -- heavy solid stream coming out of the effluent tube and dumping into the tank!
I thought something was off when I tested the tank and the nitrate level was over 100 again! (and Big Brown was doing so well up to now)
Testing reveal effluent to be 80-100ppm Nitrates 1ppm Nitrites and a pH of 7.2 (alk seemed to be OK however-- weird). My mushrooms and candy canes seem to like the higher nitrate level but my gorgeous patch of anthelia has shrunk down to stubble -- I'm afraid its done for. Also, my algae bloom is back on my glass.
All I can figure is that the high flow rate oxygenated the sulfur core and shut down the reaction.
I reset the driprate back to 3 dps. How long do you think it will take for the reactor to reset itself? Am I back to square one again?
Oh well , stuff happens. Will keep you all updated.......MARC
 
Last edited:
The oxygen level and nitrate supply got ahead of the growth in the bacterial colony would be my guess.

BTW a little nitrite can make nitrate read alot higher on some tests, So you may not actually have 80-100ppm.

The reactor will probably take a day to catch up at the slower flow. Maybe two.
 
Just want to update and thank everyone for the help with my nitrate issue. My tank right now reads 1 ppm and my corals are doing great. I think patience is the key. I waited for 4 weeks before everything started to work. Thanks a lot for everyone here.
Here are some shots of my tanks

Moonyguy's 75 Gallon Tank

Thanks

Vishnu
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14279344#post14279344 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moonyguy
Just want to update and thank everyone for the help with my nitrate issue. My tank right now reads 1 ppm and my corals are doing great. I think patience is the key. I waited for 4 weeks before everything started to work. Thanks a lot for everyone here.
Here are some shots of my tanks

Moonyguy's 75 Gallon Tank

Thanks

Vishnu
Click to expand...

Good to hear, I'm still waiting. I opened it up last week (Tuesday) but still seeing nitrites of 5ppm in the effluent.
 
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