DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[tmz]

I've tried running it through the top. It blocks up in a short period of time. I have actually run both the output line and the top degassing line simulataneously. The top line always clogs well before the lower line. I burp mine in the morning and watch the bubbles . It goes on for almost 10 seconds. Seem as though once you get it above 100ml per minute in output there may be enough flow to push the bubbles out along with the effluent ,lessening but not eliminating the need to degas it.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Dang, I thought I was done.

In reference to the article last month - wouldnt it make more sense to switch the input and output? The connection right after the recirc pump output would likely be pushing, so that would be a better output; wouldnt it put pressure on the incoming water? Or would it act as a venturi?

Pretty much I have similar holes drilled to the article, but the hole drilled as the output in the article is closer to the intake of the recirc pump, and I was going to use that as an input. My output was going to be the degassing vent, and I was going to leave the recirc loop unaltered.

 

[Lonnie]

Following this thread & bought some parts to start building one myself.

Based on a 280-300 gal FOWLR system, what would everyone recommend for sulfur quantity?

I was thinking about building 2 instead of potentially breaking the system down to reduce the sulfur quantity later. This way I could start using 1 & see how it does, then add a second one to balance things out. Does this sound feasible?

I also looked at keeping the ARM in a separate container.

Bought enough fittings to make 3 cylinders so I should be OK.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14391591#post14391591 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
Dang, I thought I was done.

In reference to the article last month - wouldnt it make more sense to switch the input and output? The connection right after the recirc pump output would likely be pushing, so that would be a better output; wouldnt it put pressure on the incoming water? Or would it act as a venturi?

Pretty much I have similar holes drilled to the article, but the hole drilled as the output in the article is closer to the intake of the recirc pump, and I was going to use that as an input. My output was going to be the degassing vent, and I was going to leave the recirc loop unaltered.

Some things are never done. I even tried a vacuum pump on the top outlet and the lower outlet without success. I still had to degas it frequently at low drip rates. Just not enough water pressure to move the bubbles through the opening. It is nice to watch that nitrogen gas come out though. Let's you know it's gone finishing the cycle.

I think the hookup for input to the tee of the recirculator does take advantage of the water pressure variance in the ricirculation pipe and helps to suck water in. Conversely it might hold effluent back a bit if it was the output. It might also clog more easily with gas or sulfur particles. Don't know for sure; but calcium reactors, at least mine,also have the input teed into the recirculation line. If you try it the other way , let me know how it works.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14391756#post14391756 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lonnie
Following this thread & bought some parts to start building one myself.

Based on a 280-300 gal FOWLR system, what would everyone recommend for sulfur quantity?

I was thinking about building 2 instead of potentially breaking the system down to reduce the sulfur quantity later. This way I could start using 1 & see how it does, then add a second one to balance things out. Does this sound feasible?

I also looked at keeping the ARM in a separate container.

Bought enough fittings to make 3 cylinders so I should be OK.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

I thought I'd make a second one since I have a 575g system.

However, I have been able to push 15 litres per hour through it at close to 0 nitrate with 3 litres of Carrib Sea LSM and a few inches of sea chem's matrix media (not carbon) in it.

Two for stepping up and down would be nice so you wouldn't have to stop denitrification while you recycled one after opening it up to remove or add sulfur..

However, I think you have to figure how much acidic water you want to put in your system when running them together. The process will also lower alkalinity. I have found it much easier to run it without gas blockages at higher rates of flow. So running one fast rather than two slowly might be easier. . The ARM may reduce ph impact some but I still think there is a limit to how much 6.9 or even 7.2 ph water you wan't to push in. Mine has affected my ph but only slightly since I drip lime water (12.4 ph ) 24/7 for top off and have increase the saturation a bit..

I have a separate cylinder for ARM but haven't hooked it up yet. I wanted to get a nice steady flow first. I think keeping it separate is a good idea,obviously, because the ARM may melt and need replacement before the sulfur will.

Good Luck with it.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I guess I'll just have to try it out. My concern is that I am not using high pressure to feed the pump - I'm using a maxijet that is also feeding a calcium reactor and phosban reactor. I dont think having the opposite arrangement would be a problem - I dont think it would act as a venturi and suck water in, because it's a sealed system and would be pressurized, you can't just keep adding air.

Here is a picture of my unit currently. Keep in mind i was planning on having the top be the outlet, but since that doesn't work I will put an inlet/outlet after the output of the recirc pump. Sorry for the poor picture - but if you can see, the second inlet/outlet is pretty close to the intake of the recirc pump - i was planning for this to be the input, hoping the intake would have some suction.

 

[tmz]

Good Luck with it. Hope it works for you.

FWIW, When I started mine up I put the small aqualclear 305 powerhead I use for input in the sump. It would not pump up to the top of the reactor. It would only fill to about 3 inches from the top. I moved the pump to a refugium tank above the the top of the reactor and the combo of gravity feed and push from the powerhead work nicely.You may want to run it wtih to top off to monitor how well it maintains it's fill level with the ricurculating pump engaged.

 

[IBASSFSH]

Saltydog64 sorry for the late response, but I only use Randy's two part recipe. I use Prestone driveway heat and baking soda (baked) to maintain alk and calcium. Never any issues.

 

[ari5736]

Last week I filled an old Acro-Cal Reactor http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewItem~idProduct~VA3111.html
with C.S. LSM http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi...ia1Gallon&utm_campaign=mdcse&site=google_base

all the way to the top and am running it straight to my calcium reactor on a 125 reef, with nitrates at about 15ppm. For $75, not having to get my hands dirty (not that diy isn't fun), I figured I would give it a shot. After 1 week, effluent is still at about same level of NO3 as tank. Will try to report back.

 

[NCNBilly]

I think I found why my reactor took so long to break in - I had a leak at the outlet port. I discovered it when I bumped up my flow to 1dps, it was a pretty steady stream, but was hard to see it channel down the side of the reactor. I don't know why I didn't notice it when the unit was outside the 'fuge, there wasn't any water on the floor.

The unit stopped gassing and looks like it's cycling again. I fixed the leak last night, still no gas this morning, but the effluent nitrites are lower than last night - hopefully this time it'll only be a day or two. Good thing is that tank NO3 is down to about 15ppm.

Just a word to add to anyone having problems - when something isn't working like you think it should, double-check everything!

 

[Steve 926]

Just a word to add to anyone having problems - when something isn't working like you think it should, double-check everything! [/B]

Experience is something you don't get, until just after you need it .

:smokin:

Steve

 

[NCNBilly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14410139#post14410139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Steve 926
Experience is something you don't get, until just after you need it .

:smokin:

Steve

+1,000,000

 

[IBASSFSH]

Experience is what you get, when you get what you did not want..

A retailer I had a bad experience with had that sign on their wall.

 

[NCNBilly]

Still only nitrites this morning.

 

[saltydog64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14413920#post14413920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NCNBilly
Still only nitrites this morning.

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

You got it once so you will again...to fix the leak did you remove valve, add more teflon tape and reinstall ? if so as you know air got in the SR so just reset flow to where you had it before the 1 dps ( I made that sugg. orginally but you never posted that setting, whether it was 1 d per 2 or 3 secs.)

The SR was cycled (or very close to being cycled) so as you approach that point you will get NO or VERY little gas, but it will be working............IMO.

Good luck:rollface: :rollface:

Dick

 

[NCNBilly]

I dropped it back to 1/3 dps, but yea - I knew it was gonna cycle when I got some air in there. I think I went too fast adjusting the flow, too. Hopefully it won't be more than just a few days..

 

[moonyguy]

Folks.

My nitrates have been zero for a month or more now. But my alk has dropped to 5 dkh and my ph is hovering around 7.6-7.8. I am thinking of taking the reactor down and continue doing regular water changes to keep nitrates low. My fish load has also been reduced so it should not be very difficult. Comments and suggestions welcome.

Vishnu

 

[Lonnie]

How does this sound?

I built my reactor & put in 2.5lb of midwest aquatics sulphur, along with 6.5lb of Aragonite.

Ran it for 1.5 days so far with it isolated from the tank with no effluent drip. I used tank water with nitrate reading of 50.

Recirculating with a 1048

It now has nitrate readings in the 25 range with nitrites pegged.

Should I leave it alone until the nitrites drop before I start to drip effluent, or should I start to allow some flow into the unit?

 

[tmz]

Adding kalk to boost ph is a step to consider along with some additions of sodium cabonate(baking soda) to boosdt alkalinity.

The only downside I see to pulling the reactor off is the need to reseed it with bacteria if you start it up again.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

Ok, I am thinking of diving into one of these now here is my thinking.........

I have a total of 150g of water nitrates of 40~50, so I am going to use 9.6 of LSM and make a small container for some argonite, is this right? I am running a calcium reactor so the alk issues shouldn't be bad.

now that I am going to have two chambers dose the fist one have to be so tall?

Also I came across this container and was wondering if it would be suitable to use with some modifications of course.......

its a 20" RO section and since I have to see everything, I think it would be nice.