DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[saltydog64]

Saltydog64, I am actually running a super reef xp-2000 skimmer. I am teeing it above water so I can count the drip rate and then connect back to the tee. I just tested the water from the effluent and it is now close to zero if not zero. I ran out of nitrate drops and had to use strips. any how I increased the drip rate to 2 dps. As far as Alk and Ph they will both go down or will ph go down and alk go up. right now my alk is a bit high but ph is 8.2. Thanks for all your help...it is going better than i hoped thanks...:beer:

rb............glad I could help and I'll have that one on you...

The pH out of the effluent will be in the 6.6 to 7.3 range, so in the long run it will have a lowering effect on the main tank (those where my actual readings).....the ALK in the tank will also be adversly affected...lowered, so keep a watch on it as you go along.

Get a fresh test kit ASAP as the strips, while ok ! for those quickie checks, might not show up those small changes you might need as it continues to cycle, so you would do better with a chem test....IME

 

[triton3d]

OK guys, im at day 7 and i cycled at day 4, i had it at 1d/1s now i have it almost at steady streem and still getting 0ppm NO3, does this work that fast??? should i leave it like that, or can i open it more?? when should it be a steady streem???

Thanks
Mike

 

[HOB]

I built a simple one with a line going in on top and coming out at the bottom (no pump to circulate the water inside). The water leaving then goes into a calcium chamber to use the low PH to add some calcium to my tank. These things do work fast as mine was working in a matter of days. I have since increased my drip rate until I detected nitrates and then just reduced it a little bit to match the nitrate consumption. It now is almost a steady stream with 0 nitrates in a 350 gal heavily stocked tank.

 

[saltydog64]

OK guys, im at day 7 and i cycled at day 4, i had it at 1d/1s now i have it almost at steady streem and still getting 0ppm NO3, does this work that fast??? should i leave it like that, or can i open it more?? when should it be a steady streem???

Thanks
Mike

Mike................just a quick thought...are your test kits reasonably up to date ???........if so your're on your way........excellant job, and yes some do cycle that fast especially if intial NO3 is lower than say 50 PPM.....this is just what I have read on this thread. A steady stream can be run only after obtaining zero NO3 @ your curent FR....Now when you do get there you must check your Tank pH and ALK regularly, as they will be lowered when running an SR.

 

[triton3d]

Mike................just a quick thought...are your test kits reasonably up to date ???........if so your're on your way........excellant job, and yes some do cycle that fast especially if intial NO3 is lower than say 50 PPM.....this is just what I have read on this thread. A steady stream can be run only after obtaining zero NO3 @ your curent FR....Now when you do get there you must check your Tank pH and ALK regularly, as they will be lowered when running an SR.

I have a new API and Redsea NO3 test kit, they both give me Oppm, i only had 25ppm in my main tank... thanks for the replyes.. what would be the estimate time to get the main tank to 0ppm??? im reading 20ppm right now..

thanks
Mike

 

[saltydog64]

I have a new API and Redsea NO3 test kit, they both give me Oppm, i only had 25ppm in my main tank... thanks for the replyes.. what would be the estimate time to get the main tank to 0ppm??? im reading 20ppm right now..

thanks
Mike

Mike.........you're welcome and glad I could help.

That's good news on the kit(s). What you could do is collect your "almost steady" stream like in cc's per min (or oz per min) then with that flow rate you'll know the rate/hour then you will know how long it will take to turn over the tank.....it be 2 or 3 days or whatever....does this tell us how long it will take to lower the tank to "zero" NO !! as that will determined by a lot factors as I'm sure you know...Do we actually need ZERO....IMO NO !, but I know where you're coming from on your goal which is good.

As this has been mentioned many times before keep an eye on your tank parameters...and also as the Nitrate is "fully" consumed (which I guess can happen) we run the risk of forming H2S :blown::blown: (rotten egg smell) if and when that does occur there a few things we can do, but let's worry about that another time...

 

[morphiii]

need some help

need some help

I modified an old coralife superskimmer into a sulfur denitrator.
Been dripping into a bucket for almost a week but the nitrite is still reading 1 ppm and not moving.

I have to constantly adjust the flow, it will not stay at 1 dps.

There was gas initially, a lot but the last few days nothing.

I can tell the water is really cold, maybe in the 60's, eventhough the unit sits in my sump.

I added some cycle yesterday but still nothing.

I failed to let the unit flush for 24 hours before using, and it is not a recirculating, I am using LSM no Nitrate.

This is so frustrating

:mad2:.

 

[dahenley]

HOW ARE YOU FEEDING YOUR REACTOR, AND WHAT ARE YOU USING TO REGULATE THE DRIP RATE? (oops caps lock was on) what is your ppm nitrates before the reactor? as for the media, is that the media with calcium media in it?

 

[morphiii]

HOW ARE YOU FEEDING YOUR REACTOR, AND WHAT ARE YOU USING TO REGULATE THE DRIP RATE? (oops caps lock was on) what is your ppm nitrates before the reactor? as for the media, is that the media with calcium media in it?

Maxijet 1200 split between a TLF reactor just for carbon and the SR.

I am using a little twist air regulator for the drip rate.

The media is LSM no nitrate, a mix of sulfur and Arag.

 

[retroblew]

morphiii, if I am not mistaken lsm does not have nbc 9 which will take longer to cycle. I bought the midwest aquatics sulfur that comes preseeded with bacteria and with the help of many in the forum was able to get everything operational. Many in this forum are following DJ frankie's DIY, but I would imagine it would be similiar. My only suggestion is the make sure that you have a degassing valve as it made a difference having it. Also I let a stream of efflent water come out and then adjust the flow rate as sometimes pockets of air can effect it. Hope that help..BTW I am using a twist air regulator as well.

 

[chipnamanda]

Do you have to seed the lsm?

 

[saltydog64]

Do you have to seed the lsm?

chip....

Not according to manu. specs and I've used this (and continue to use) product and have had great results.....now having just said that and for those of us with VERY short patience...I have used and just did use NBC#9 a great bacteria booster to kick start my SR, but once again it's not really needed for success with your unit...IMO !!!!!

 

[morphiii]

The reactor is cycled and eventually the nitrite and nitrate is 0 coming the effluent.

I would suspect my non recirculating model and non seeded media contributed to a slow cycle, but it works.

Lowering nitrate as we speak.

 

[bourbeaue]

Here they are again The one with the wider base is the Nitrate reactor in progress. Tommorow I need to get teh parts to plumb it. I have an Eheim pump that I am going to use for the recirc.

Anyone know where I could get acrylic tubing like this in Canada ? Worse case I can ship it over from the US.

Thanks

E

 

[saltydog64]

Anyone know where I could get acrylic tubing like this in Canada ? Worse case I can ship it over from the US.

Thanks

E

Eric..........

Why do you went to copy that design ??? I'm sure he/she had easy access to the tubing ??? One problem I see with the clear (other than it dosen't follow this thread, but that's an story) is the fact that I think,IMO that you'll get an alage growth going in no time as the light will surly get to it inside cabinet ot not.....

Go with the easy to work with and inepensive PVC....KISS...keep it simple...

 

[buddah001]

Ok I have read through this entire thread. I bought all of the components and built my own DIY Sulfur Denitrator. The only thing that I have changed was I used 6 inch pipe instaed of 4 inch. I copied everything and put 2 gals. of Carrib Live sulfur. It has been up and running for a month now. I had some gas a bout 2 weeks after I started. But now nothing. The nitrates in the effluent coming out havent changed. I have been running the thing at a drip per second since it was put online. I am using a MJ1200 for the feed and a MJ1200 for the recirc. Everything has been duplicated (the design) but havent gotten the nitrates to go down on the effluent yet. This is on a 180g with nitrates over 100. What do I do?

 

[Rhodan]

Ok I have read through this entire thread. I bought all of the components and built my own DIY Sulfur Denitrator. The only thing that I have changed was I used 6 inch pipe instaed of 4 inch. I copied everything and put 2 gals. of Carrib Live sulfur. It has been up and running for a month now. I had some gas a bout 2 weeks after I started. But now nothing. The nitrates in the effluent coming out havent changed. I have been running the thing at a drip per second since it was put online. I am using a MJ1200 for the feed and a MJ1200 for the recirc. Everything has been duplicated (the design) but havent gotten the nitrates to go down on the effluent yet. This is on a 180g with nitrates over 100. What do I do?

I'm not sure about your final design, and it may not be relevent , but I'm wondering if the 6in pipe may be too much head for the MJ1200 to recirc and the other MJ1200 that is for feed is not going through the sulfur at all. The MJ1200 pressure is taking the least resistance and going out your effluent line without going through the media first. Just my $0.02.

 

[dahenley]

i dont think that 6 in would give too much head pressure, because its the same height. (just a larger diamiter, not more pressure)

how long has it been up and running?

if you have nitrates over 100, you might just check that test kit. i am not saying it cant happen, but thats a lot!! and you also might have to think that it is above 100 and your test kit stops at 100? also, are you testing your tank or your effluent?
just trying to get the whole story.

2 gal of media is alot of media!!!! i put less then half a gal in my 4in reactor (which is on my 240 with 55gal sump) and after it was up and running for 2-3 weeks, it started working. (i came home after x-mas break and my whole tank is at 0)

i cant mention on the de-gassing, i put my effluent line on the top of my reactor to keep me from having to purge it every day....... i just put a filter pad on the bottom of my sulfur media, then another on the top of the sulfur, then added course CA media on top of that. then there was a few inches of room before it got to the recerc and a few more inches before it touches the cap. it has never clogged and if there is any air or gas, it is slowly released through out the day so i will never smell it!!

i hope we can get you going. (nitrates SUCK!!)

 

[dahenley]

i dont think that 6 in would give too much head pressure, because its the same height. (just a larger diamiter, not more pressure)

how long has it been up and running?

if you have nitrates over 100, you might just check that test kit. i am not saying it cant happen, but thats a lot!! and you also might have to think that it is above 100 and your test kit stops at 100? also, are you testing your tank or your effluent?
just trying to get the whole story.

2 gal of media is alot of media!!!! i put less then half a gal in my 4in reactor (which is on my 240 with 55gal sump) and after it was up and running for 2-3 weeks, it started working. (i came home after x-mas break and my whole tank is at 0)

i cant mention on the de-gassing, i put my effluent line on the top of my reactor to keep me from having to purge it every day....... i just put a filter pad on the bottom of my sulfur media, then another on the top of the sulfur, then added course CA media on top of that. then there was a few inches of room before it got to the recerc and a few more inches before it touches the cap. it has never clogged and if there is any air or gas, it is slowly released through out the day so i will never smell it!!

i hope we can get you going. (nitrates SUCK!!)

 

[buddah001]

I did not put the output of the effluent on the recirc pipe.I drilled and tapped a seperate hole about 1 inch adove the top recirc hole. There is a diffuser plate on the bottom and I aslo used and Eheim sponge on the bottom and top. They were just about 6 1/2inches in diameter. The top of the reactor is a screw in top and the degassing valve is at the very top in the square portion of the top. I saw in this thread somebody changed up the design just a bit from the original. And went with that. There are some pieces of sulfur in the effluent pipe before the control valve. I think I do have some channeling going on. Probally need to take this thing out and hava a look. Maybe put some egg crate on top of the top sponge to keep it down. I have two different test kit and they both say NO3 at 100 or over. I had a big Emeperor and Trigger that I took out. They were pigs. When I take this thing out to have a look I will take some pics and post.