DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[coralfragger101]

Seems as though lots of people have had great luck with this thing. I have not read the entire thread but glanced through it. Maybe this has been covered somewhere as to why it wouldn't work so I apologize if I have missed it.

All of these so far seem to have been built as a sealed unit with a degassing valve on the top. I understand that this is necessary because the unit is under a little bit of pressure because we are adjusting the drip rate of the effluent at the output.

I don't relish the thought of "having" to degas every day. While it only takes seconds, it's something else I have to do.

So here's my proposal:

Instead of adjusting the drip rate at the output, why not adjust the drip rate at the input? This way, the water going in will be equal to the water going out. No need to have a sealed top on it then. It would work on the same principal as a Deltec Kalk Stirrer. Water goes in and simply overflows out the side of it at the rate you put into it. It could still recirculate and everything just as the original build. But now we can leave the top unsealed and any gas build up will just escape on its own.

No need to degas everyday.

Can anyone see why this would not work?

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

I'm not 100% sure but I would think that especially initially we are talking about the effluent being measured in drops per second so to have the input equal to that there would not be enough pressure to push the water through the reactor.

 

[coralfragger101]

Doesn't need to be "pushed" through. Water enters the reactor by the drop and gets circulated around with the rest because it is recirculating.

BUT - adding a drop of water to a cup that is full will also cause a drop to spill over the top (or out the side in our case).

 

[Mr Bojangles]

it doesn't matter how you feed the reactor, but you will still have to degas the unit for a few days, then after that you don't have to anymore. I have had mine running for 7 months and haven't degassed it in a long time, but every now and then I do open it to be safe

 

[coralfragger101]

Hmmm, maybe I missed that part. I thought I've read that degassing was a daily ritual with this.

Even if this is true, making a top that is not sealed is much easier than making a sealed top.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

well you want it sealed because if air can get inside the unit you will start to kill the bacteria you want to grow, like a kalk reactor, you dont want air inside. Making it sealed is just as easy, its all about how complex you make it. Here is mine..........

 

[coralfragger101]

My kalk stirrer is not sealed. Water is drawn from below the surface so the scum is not a problem. Deltec's design. I just think this could work the same way. Your media will always be submerged so air will not get to it - that won't be a problem.

 

[robbynugroho]

Hello.. I want to ask something, I'm very confused,

I want to build the sulfur denitrator, but I want to ask :

If I use 1 Kg Sulfur in chamber 1, then I put CaCO3 and Mg in Chamber 2. Is it good? The Ca willn't overdose?
My Tank is 1400 liters, the system is 200 x 70 x 70 cm. I only have LPS coral and Mushroom.

Please help me friend.

Thank you.

Robby N.

 

[jtemple42000]

I built two of these. One holds the LSM and Matrix, that feeds into a second one that I built for the Calcium Carbonate (this one does not have a maxijet on it it simply feeds from the first reactor up from the bottom, then out to the tank.)

They have been on line now for about a week. The nitrites coming from the reactor with the sulfur and matrix in it is 0. When I test it coming out of the second reactor with the calcium carbonate in it, they are 2-5.

The nitrates are the same from either reactor, 60-80. Is this just because the first reactor has cycled faster than the second? When will the nitrates start coming down?

 

[tmz]

Hello.. I want to ask something, I'm very confused,

I want to build the sulfur denitrator, but I want to ask :

If I use 1 Kg Sulfur in chamber 1, then I put CaCO3 and Mg in Chamber 2. Is it good? The Ca willn't overdose?
My Tank is 1400 liters, the system is 200 x 70 x 70 cm. I only have LPS coral and Mushroom.

Please help me friend.

Thank you.

Robby N.

No it will not likely overdose Ca or CO3 since it is not a pressurized calcium reactor but just a pass through it will produce very little.

 

[salt h20]

I have noticed that most all of you screw the pvc caps into your creations the regular way, with the square end out. Obviously, this makes the unit not be able to stand on its own "foot" because it's not flat. If you place a 3/4 combo wrench in a vise with the open end up at a slight angle, it will fit the slot on the flat side perfectly. Start the cap in with the square side up, grab that puppy with both hands, place the slot over the wrench head and crank away until flush. I usually use silicone on the threads as a lubricant/sealant, but no reason telflon tape wouldn't work either. Here are two shots of a simple coil denitrator I ran for a year while the discus fry were growing up. Nitrates never exceeded 5ppm with about 75 babies while they grew to quarter size. YMMV, but maybe this idea will help one of you...

 

[dahenley]

i am just wondering, why couldnt you use the degas at the top for your effluent?
i have been looking at making one of these for a while and now its time. i figured if you used the de gas valve for the effluent then you wouldnt have to degas it everyday. any comments on this?
thanks

 

[watkims]

Question

Question

I've read almost all of this thread and couldn't seem to find an answer. When running this with a second chamber for calcium do you control the drip rate before going to the cal chamber or after. My reactors look like the ones on page 4 24" sulfur and 12" cal with fitting on the cal at the bottom and top?

Thanks as i'm sure i probaly read past the answer.

 

[tmz]

After is easier.Don't think it would matter though.

 

[tmz]

Sorry , just checked mine. I have the valve before the 2nd chamber but measure output after second chamber.
No pressure on the second chamber this way but don't think that matters too much.

 

[dahenley]

i am just wondering, why couldnt you use the degas at the top for your effluent?
i have been looking at making one of these for a while and now its time. i figured if you used the de gas valve for the effluent then you wouldnt have to degas it everyday. any comments on this?
thanks

anyone?

 

[buddah001]

Alright I have just spent a number of days trying to read thin entire thread. DJ can you help me out here? I have a 180g display. And A 75g sump. My nitrates are through the roof. And I am going to build one of these DJDenitrators. BY THE WAY GREAT THREAD AND GREAT BUILD!!! I was going to use 6"pvc and do everything like you have done it. If I dont have to go with 6"pvc let me know. But How much LSM am I going to need? I was going to use a MJ1200 for the recirc. But not sure on the feed pump yet. Maybe a mag 3. Once this thing kicks in it will prob be full open so dont want to undershoot the flow in. Always can throttle that back. When it is fully cycled I will have another reactor waiting with A.R.M. to put online to keep ph up and add some Ca. Right now I habe been dosing some vodka for about a month. Is this a problem? Can you guys help me out?

 

[buddah001]

can anyone chime in here?

 

[dahenley]

To determine how much sulfur media you need, you should multiply your total system gallons x .006. For example:

120 gallon system x .006 = .72 liters of media or about ¾ of a liter.

they chopped it up in a quick build in the reefkeeping mag.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/index.php

they were saying that the MJ1200 is a little too powerfull. but they were using it on 4in PVC so if you use 6 in then it might not be too bad. its a good thing that all MJ have the same output so it wont be hard to swap out a pump and impeller.

 

[jtemple42000]

dahenley beat me to it....

I have become some what frustrated with the lack of responses to the questions in this thread as well. I have post a few questions that went unanswered as well.

I have just built one of these in the last couple of weeks, so I may not be much help, but I will try.

The original write up the the OP did said the amount of sulfur you needed could be determined with the following formula:

.006 x (total system volume in gallons) = liters of sulfur needed