DIY Sulfur Denitrator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Guess Ill post an update.
I made one of these over 3 years ago(i think close to 4) I ran it on my extremely overstocked 58g for over 2 years and it kept my nitrates at or below 2(previously was doing 75% water changes every month to keep them below 80)
I then took that tank down to move and upgrade. It was off line for about 6 months after which I opened it up took out all the ARM and cleaned and refilled it with more sulphur and no ARM this time.
It took about 3 days to cycle and another 2 to get tuned again. Its been running on my new 480g system for a month now and has dropped my nitrates from 20-30 down below 2 again.
Totally love this thing and will never run another tank without one!
I made one of these over 3 years ago(i think close to 4) I ran it on my extremely overstocked 58g for over 2 years and it kept my nitrates at or below 2(previously was doing 75% water changes every month to keep them below 80)
I then took that tank down to move and upgrade. It was off line for about 6 months after which I opened it up took out all the ARM and cleaned and refilled it with more sulphur and no ARM this time.
It took about 3 days to cycle and another 2 to get tuned again. Its been running on my new 480g system for a month now and has dropped my nitrates from 20-30 down below 2 again.
Totally love this thing and will never run another tank without one!
Belgian Anthias
New member
Sulfide
Sulfide
Can somebody explain me why sulfite can be formed in a sulfur reactor due to verry low nitrate levels?
At my knowledge there is no connection between the amount of nitrate and sulfite . I use sulfur denitrators for years and could not find any reason to believe this statement. If somebody can prove this statement I am verry interrested to know more about it.
HS + 10 NO3- + 4,1 HCO3- + 0,5 CO2 + 1,71 NH4+ + 2,5 H2O Ã
0,92 C5H7NO2 + HSO4- + 5,4 N2 + 9,62 H+
Thiobacillus denitrificans bacteria can use the oxygen of the nitrate and bind it with the sulfur ( food source) to form sulfate, nitrogen and hydrogen. How Sulfite can be formed here due to not enough nitrate?
I can tell that when you disconnect your reactor and close it off completely so that no air can enter you can re-use it a week later without any problems at normal working rate. This has been tested. So, Thiobacillus denitrificans did not die? Why not?
Sulfite can be formed when there is not enough enfluent and water can not reach all the media ( cloged) and there is the possebility for oxygen to enter via the gas-outlet or the bacteria did die and usable oxygen stays available in the water. Most of the sulfite will be formed due to the decomposition of the dead bacteria ( protein source). In this case other bacteria ( Bacterium colli, Bacterium proteus and Bacteruim subtilis?) will form amino-accids who will be broken down by other bacteria who can bind sulfur with hydrogen to form sulfurhydrogen or sulfite. These bacteria do normally not survive in filters but live in all aquaria. In most cases only a little bit of sulfite will be formed and in a good system be driven out. There is no danger to be expected from sulfite formed in a sulfur reactor system. If you smell it, it means it is driven out and you have the possebility to correct the cause.
More dangerous are the toxines formed by the bacteria when they can not complete there cycle. This is mostly the case when nitrite can be measured. But that is another issue.
I am not a biologist but I try to understand.
Vertaling vanuit het Vlaams
Belgian Anthias
Sulfide
Can somebody explain me why sulfite can be formed in a sulfur reactor due to verry low nitrate levels?
At my knowledge there is no connection between the amount of nitrate and sulfite . I use sulfur denitrators for years and could not find any reason to believe this statement. If somebody can prove this statement I am verry interrested to know more about it.
HS + 10 NO3- + 4,1 HCO3- + 0,5 CO2 + 1,71 NH4+ + 2,5 H2O Ã
0,92 C5H7NO2 + HSO4- + 5,4 N2 + 9,62 H+
Thiobacillus denitrificans bacteria can use the oxygen of the nitrate and bind it with the sulfur ( food source) to form sulfate, nitrogen and hydrogen. How Sulfite can be formed here due to not enough nitrate?
I can tell that when you disconnect your reactor and close it off completely so that no air can enter you can re-use it a week later without any problems at normal working rate. This has been tested. So, Thiobacillus denitrificans did not die? Why not?
Sulfite can be formed when there is not enough enfluent and water can not reach all the media ( cloged) and there is the possebility for oxygen to enter via the gas-outlet or the bacteria did die and usable oxygen stays available in the water. Most of the sulfite will be formed due to the decomposition of the dead bacteria ( protein source). In this case other bacteria ( Bacterium colli, Bacterium proteus and Bacteruim subtilis?) will form amino-accids who will be broken down by other bacteria who can bind sulfur with hydrogen to form sulfurhydrogen or sulfite. These bacteria do normally not survive in filters but live in all aquaria. In most cases only a little bit of sulfite will be formed and in a good system be driven out. There is no danger to be expected from sulfite formed in a sulfur reactor system. If you smell it, it means it is driven out and you have the possebility to correct the cause.
More dangerous are the toxines formed by the bacteria when they can not complete there cycle. This is mostly the case when nitrite can be measured. But that is another issue.
I am not a biologist but I try to understand.
Vertaling vanuit het Vlaams
Belgian Anthias
Matrix is material that bacteria grow on. It similar to SeaChem denitrator media but larger. Just use the sulfur and the ARM. ARM help w/ the low ph as I was told. I will be trying out the SeaChem denitrator media instead on off sulfur this time. Sulfur is bring down my ALK to much.
erics3000
Active member
The last few time my amonia was zero and one time it just read a little, but I think that might have been due to changing my sand and a die off of a bunch of snails.
bychance
New member
I've been following this thread for a long time. Here is a link to a step by step cycling demonstration using a Pinpoint Nitrate monitor. It's very informative! The demonstration uses a 60 gallon FOWL tank that had a nitrate reading of 29ppm. The tank was brought down to 0ppm in 2 days 14 hours.
http://dtitanks.com/forum/5-sulfur-denitrator/36-denitrator-build-from-start-to-finish.html
Def. worth the read.
http://dtitanks.com/forum/5-sulfur-denitrator/36-denitrator-build-from-start-to-finish.html
Def. worth the read.
mikesommers
Premium Member
I have taken note of allot of reactors on here using maxijet pumps. How are people sealing those up to use them external?
Holyreefer
Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr
can you use one of these units on a tank thats not through its cycle yet?
Holyreefer
Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr
^bump^
+1 for tmz's opinion. You would like to establish a full potential biological filtration on your tank and supplement it later with a sulfur denitrator - if needed. Since you tank biological filter has not reach full potential, how do you know you need a reactor ?
hope it helps,
MaLi
hope it helps,
MaLi
erics3000
Active member
I am finally going to be home for a few months. I have mine built and am hooking it up today. I have a gallon of the sulfur and a gallon of the arm. On a 600 system with about 450 of water how much would you guys recommend of each. I' rather have more arm than sulfur any input????
Eric,
you will have to tell us first what is the initial NO3 reading. After that, from my knowledge, I will recommend 2 ... 3L of Seachem matrix (not carbon matrix) and for your system between 2 and 4 lbs of Sulfur depending on initial NO3 (if less than 20 ppm go with 2 more than 50 ppm go for 4 lbs).
The Alk drop at the volume of saltwater you have can not be corrected by Arm addition to the Sulfur reactor. Go for Randy's part 2 recipe.
hope it helps,
MaLi
you will have to tell us first what is the initial NO3 reading. After that, from my knowledge, I will recommend 2 ... 3L of Seachem matrix (not carbon matrix) and for your system between 2 and 4 lbs of Sulfur depending on initial NO3 (if less than 20 ppm go with 2 more than 50 ppm go for 4 lbs).
The Alk drop at the volume of saltwater you have can not be corrected by Arm addition to the Sulfur reactor. Go for Randy's part 2 recipe.
hope it helps,
MaLi
CoffeeNDonuts
New member
Is degassing for the unit necessary? I picked up Poly reactor a while back (4-5 months) and have been using that. I have the outflow down to a trickle (smallest setting available on the valve I have) but I can't seem to get the effluent to zero nitrates.
Would not having the degas valve be an issue here or do I need to upgrade the effluent valve to something better that allows me to outflow at like a drop a second or whatever?
Would not having the degas valve be an issue here or do I need to upgrade the effluent valve to something better that allows me to outflow at like a drop a second or whatever?
Dave & Monica
New member
Recently built a unit and it's cycling. Observation is after leaving the effluent open for a day, and bringing it down to one drip per sec - the amount of gas build up is decreasing. Today is the third day, and noticed the gap between yesterday and today is nothing. I tested last night and the effluent is the same as the tank, b/t 25-50ppm (same as before I started).
I know… patience. If this works, I'll do a detailed DIY post. Some parameters are: 72gal tank, 30 gal fuge. Deep Sand Bed, ETS600 skimmer, and micro algae.
Current reactor has a liter of LSM sulfur, 3/4 liter of seachem's matrix, and the same of ARM Calcium.
I know… patience. If this works, I'll do a detailed DIY post. Some parameters are: 72gal tank, 30 gal fuge. Deep Sand Bed, ETS600 skimmer, and micro algae.
Current reactor has a liter of LSM sulfur, 3/4 liter of seachem's matrix, and the same of ARM Calcium.
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