DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[Dave & Monica]

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.

 

[MaLi]

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.

Good thinking. The problem may arrive when the ARM media will have to be replenished. At that time, opening the reactor will cause Oxygen to enter the space and this will lead to another reactor cycle.

hope it helps,
MaLi

PS. people will eventually learn that Sulfur bits are not the best surface for bacterial colonies and the Seachem matrix is a must.

 

[Dave & Monica]

Tested yesterday and the NO3 out of the effulent is less than 10ppm. Seeing this start to work.

Here are two pics of what I built. This thread has been invaluable, other sources helped too but none more then DJ.

<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/?action=view&current=IMG_4381-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/IMG_4381-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/?action=view&current=IMG_4379.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/IMG_4379.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Dave & Monica]

This has been up for more than a month now. NO3 tests around 5ppm, leaving the effluent is 0. I tried solid carbon pellets for NO3 in the past and after trying for 3+months, and no reduction, I gave up. This was an investment to build, but reading all the positive results here, and now seeing them for myself, was well worth the effort. Glad I made the decision to build the sulfur reactor. Moving on now to tackle PO4 issue.

 

[btjack2]

While it is cycling do you have the output go back into the tank or discard.

 

[Dave & Monica]

Mine went back into the tank during the cycling period, took almost a week to see 0 NO3 out of the output.

 

[tmz]

I dripped it into a bucket during cylcling and discarded it.

 

[tryingsalt]

where is everyone getting there sulfur from these days..

 

[Dave & Monica]

I used LSM. Sulfur Pearls that are mentioned through this thread went out of business. LSM was the best bang for the buck. I am having no issues with it mushing or clogging; granted it's only been 3 1/2 months.

 

[tryingsalt]

Dave ..Are you using the coarse or extra coarse ARM...

 

[tryingsalt]

Do you fill these reactors all the way up to the top with water to start?

 

[Nanook]

Aqua Cave and Aquarium Plants.Com show the sulphur pearls available still in 5 liter containers.

 

[Dave & Monica]

Using the coarse ARM. I read a lot on how folks put the ARM into a separate chamber, separate from the sulfur. I didn't do this. After several months, the LSM sulfur is holding up well. I think since the ARM in the same chamber that doesn’t allow the PH to drop too much. This could be why some who posted mentioned LSM turning to mush. Just a thought. At this point, it looks like it will be more than a year before I have to open up the unit to add more sulfur and ARM. Fine by me.

I also read that you can't put too much sulfur into the unit. I for one put more sulfur then most since I had quite the NO3 problem. Also added the Seachem Matrix and the ARM to complexly fill the cylinder up.

 

[Dave & Monica]

You have to take out all the air out of the reactor, else it won't cycle.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Fluidizised bed reactor?

Fluidizised bed reactor?

Using the coarse ARM. I read a lot on how folks put the ARM into a separate chamber, separate from the sulfur. I didn't do this. After several months, the LSM sulfur is holding up well. I think since the ARM in the same chamber that doesn't allow the PH to drop too much. This could be why some who posted mentioned LSM turning to mush. Just a thought. At this point, it looks like it will be more than a year before I have to open up the unit to add more sulfur and ARM. Fine by me.

I also read that you can't put too much sulfur into the unit. I for one put more sulfur then most since I had quite the NO3 problem. Also added the Seachem Matrix and the ARM to complexly fill the cylinder up.

The basic rule is 1% sulfer ( 100 gal system-1gal sulfer), same amount of ARM.
If the reactor is a one way reactor, from bottom to top, it should not be a problem putting the ARM on top. Better is in a separeted reactor. If the reactor is a fluidizised bed reactor, as it should be, Calcium is always in a separeted container. ARM should be changed annualy to eliminated the phosfate.
Placing a Phosfate reactor between the sulfer reactor and the ARM reactor elimitates not only the anual changement of ARM but also all the phosfate. Phosfate removers on iron base are a lot mor effective at low PH.

 

[Nanook]

I have a 1100 gallon system and have taken nitrate from 50 to zero in the past with just a gallon of sulfur. I don't think you need that much, IME.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I have a 1100 gallon system and have taken nitrate from 50 to zero in the past with just a gallon of sulfur. I don't think you need that much, IME.

One gallon sulfur in continuous use can work with an enfluent between 1 and 5 Gal/h. This means between 1100 and 220 hours for the system volume to pass the reactor if the system is not diluted with filtered water. For all the water to pass, if the reactor enfluent is mixed with the system water, it will take about five to ten times longer ( P.R. Escobal, fluid mechanics for aqua)
The 1% rule goes for systems till +- 200 Gal. For big systems 1% can be overkill, depending of the fish population, but adds to a stable system and easy enfluent regulation.

 

[herring_fish]

I am sorry to jump into this conversation without read the thread from the beginning but it is quit a long one. I have been interested in building a SD and have the pellets but have not gotten around to building the unit.

When these units pull the nitrates down to or near zero, perhaps in an environment of higher feeding levels, what do you do to get ride of the phosphates?

 

[Nanook]

I am sorry to jump into this conversation without read the thread from the beginning but it is quit a long one. I have been interested in building a SD and have the pellets but have not gotten around to building the unit.

When these units pull the nitrates down to or near zero, perhaps in an environment of higher feeding levels, what do you do to get ride of the phosphates?

SD won't work on phosphate. Most folks use Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) for phosphate removal.

 

[4ddiction]

I have a 40g mixed reef tank that im slowly converting into a SPS dominated tank. Right now the tank is quite heavily stocked. Im running a carbon and gfo reactor so my phosphates are at 0 however my nitrate is at 5ppm.

I was thinking of using a phosban 150 reactor and converting it for sulfur. How much sulfur would you guys recommend.

Also since its a small tank compared to the tanks ive been reading in this thread do you guys recommend using this sulfur or using biopellets.

Thanks for helpin a newbie out!