DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

So if I use 2 reactors with the first recirculating the Sulphur media it will then slow drip into the calcium media then slow drip out of the calcium media into the tank. Does that sound right. So no matter what after the second reactor is where you adjust your drip rare back into the sump or display.

 

[AcroporAddict]

So if I use 2 reactors with the first recirculating the Sulphur media it will then slow drip into the calcium media then slow drip out of the calcium media into the tank. Does that sound right. So no matter what after the second reactor is where you adjust your drip rare back into the sump or display.

In a two container setup or a single container setup you can have the drip rate adjustment needle valve either before or after the reactor(s). Either way will work. I prefer to have the drip rate needle valve before the reactor(s), because if you do it after, you can pressurize the reactors, with more chance of a pressure leak.

I would set it up like below:

water in tube->effluent rate needle valve->recirculating denitrator->ARM media reactor-> sump

I use a varaible speed masterflex peristaltic dosing pump to feed my denitrator, but that ups the cost a lot, so I did not suggest it for your setup.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

I got it. So aside from the recirculating pump on the first reactor the water is almost at a stand still in the calcium reactor allowing tremendous contact time so the ph stabilizes before entering the system.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

I plan to initially is 2 mj 1200 pumps only because I have a few laying around.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/

Kinda copying this one with a few updates. This seems like the simplest design I found with readily available hardware without mail ordering.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Isn't the recirculating pump gonna push the water out of the second reactor to fast or do I also need a valve on that side to equal drip in and drip out basically

 

[AcroporAddict]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/

Kinda copying this one with a few updates. This seems like the simplest design I found with readily available hardware without mail ordering.

That looks like the design for every sulfur denitrator on the planet, hehehe! Pretty simple and effective.

I would just make sure you buy a wide enough and long enough PVC pipe to accommodate your desired volume of sulfur. The way to check your cylinder for enough capacity is to determine cylinder volume, Volume= pi x radius of cylinder squared x length of cylinder. Do this in inches, and divide your cubic inches total by 231, and that will give you the gallons. Don't include the areas where there will be no media, like at the bottom and top of the cylinder, so your calculation is accurate.

It is just as easy to build a 6 or 8 inch diameter PVC denitrator as it is a 4 inch diameter. I think you will be limiting your volume capacity too much with a 4" diameter reactor, unless you make it very tall.

Isn't the recirculating pump gonna push the water out of the second reactor to fast or do I also need a valve on that side to equal drip in and drip out basically

You don't need a check valve. The force to push water through the setup comes from the feed to the reactor. But you could put one in if it made you feel comfortable. I don't use one.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

By the way thanks everyone for the help and advice. Better to go in knowing exactly what am doing then to guess later.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Isn't the recirculating pump gonna push the water out of the second reactor to fast or do I also need a valve on that side to equal drip in and drip out basically

When a pump is placed it should be plumbed in with a closed loop. This way flow can easely be adjusted without strangeling the pump.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

So if I use 2 reactors with the first recirculating the Sulphur media it will then slow drip into the calcium media then slow drip out of the calcium media into the tank. Does that sound right. So no matter what after the second reactor is where you adjust your drip rare back into the sump or display.

To bring down the level to 2ppm and keep it there and a daily production of 2ppm has to be removed from a 180 gal system you need a reactor that can handel a flow of at least 180 gal daily. This is not a dripping rate.

Make the reactors big enough from the start.
A 1% sulfur reactor can bring your system down to a level of 2 ppm and keep it there.
When the level of nitrate in the system comes down the flow true the reactor must increase to make it possible to remove the same amount of nitrate daily.
When the reactor is big enough its limits will not be reached when the level decends from 40ppm to 2ppm and the risk for mismanagement is avoided.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

sulfur quantity

sulfur quantity

I recently posted a few threads conserning sulfur de-nitrators in the chemics section of this forum where I explain how the quantity of sulfur needed can be calculated and estimated.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

If I can get below 20 ppm and stay there i would be ecstatic.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

If I can get below 20 ppm and stay there i would be ecstatic.

To remove 1500 mg nitrate daily at a level of 20ppm = 20mg/l a flow of 75 l/day or +- 3, 5l/h is needed . This flow can be handled by 1 litre sulfur but 1 litre sulfur is able to remove +- 800mg nitrate daily with 0 NO3 in the effluent. So 2 litre of sulfur should be enough to accomplish this.
May I remark that the reactor will work at about max capacity and flow can not be increased much when only that amount is used. ( it can but keeping 0 NO3 in the effluent will not be possible)
I advise to use minimum 1 gal of sulfur, this is sufficient to go as low as +- 10ppm and the reactor would be much more flexible in use, easy to manage.and flow can still be increased at 10ppm
20ppm seems to me very high.
The calculation is based at a daily production of +- 2ppm/day. Please try to estimate your daily production;
When a standard 1% reactor is used you should be able to lower the level till 2 ppm.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

http://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea...Filter_Media-CaribSea-CS0528-FIFMCHSM-vi.html

So one of these should be sufficient?
Plus one gallon of calcium media?

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

My tank stays at 60 to 80 ppm nitrates unless I change huge amounts of water so if I can get to 20 or less me and my corals will be happy!

 

[Belgian Anthias]

My tank stays at 60 to 80 ppm nitrates unless I change huge amounts of water so if I can get to 20 or less me and my corals will be happy!

As the bio system is used to high levels of nitrate, bringing down the level must be done gradually. At low flow rates 1 gal of sulfur can remove daily +- 3 gram or 3000 mg of nitrate and more from the system 0 effluent. This means you have to increase the flow regularly following the decrease of nitrate level.
When reaching 10ppm flow must be minimal 150l/ day to remove the daily production. ( 1500mg/day)
When the desired level is reached wait a few day's to let the reactor stabilize. When the level is increasing, this means less than the daily production is removed and the reactor needs more flow to remove the daily production at the desired level. When the flow is increased and the level is increasing more, this means that there is not enough room to deplete the oxygen entered and to keep enough anaerobic space for the reduction needed. The reactor is to small and has reached its limits. Flow has to be decreased a bit and the reactor will stabilize at a higher than the desired nitrate level. Less feeding or a bigger reactor can solve this.
When the desired level is reached and the level is still decreasing the reactor will stabilize at a lower level, nothing has to be done or, if you want, decreasing the flow a bit will stabilize the reactor at the desired level.

I do not discus commercial products because I am not qualified to juge but the quantity of 1 Gal will do.
Sulfur can be bought for +- 5$/gal. It is used in greenhouses and by winemakers.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Please explain the sulfur. If I can get it for 5 a gallon versus 30 plus a gallon I surely would like to.

 

[AcroporAddict]

Please explain the sulfur. If I can get it for 5 a gallon versus 30 plus a gallon I surely would like to.

IIRC, Belgian Anthias is located in Europe, so what he can get we maybe cannot in the US. I explored other sources of sulfur, but be careful, as what is sold for soil amendments and gardening fertilizer usually has clay added to it, which I would not place in my reef tank.

I have not seen a less expensive source in the US for yellow sulfur granules than the CaribSea LSM. Closest thing I have seen is yellow sulfur powder, which you do not want.

Sulfur with clay looks like this. Sometimes, they even give you a product shot in the search results that is yellow granules, but when you get to the actual ad, it is the clay/sulfur combo. And as far as I know, sulfur used in winemaking is sulfur dioxide, a gas sold in liquid form in tanks like CO2.

 

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Ok I see. Not worth the chance. I'll stick with lsm and arm

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Please explain the sulfur. If I can get it for 5 a gallon versus 30 plus a gallon I surely would like to.

Just look for geenhous supplies. It is used in greenhouses in sulfur burners. Look for pure sulfur, no additives added.
Wastewater- and drinkingwaterplants use it in very large quantities.