DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[tmz]

That is what I ment! - 200 mv is to low!! It is ideal for heterotrophs.

Still wrong.
Heterotrophs include: obligate aerobes,obligate anerobes and faucltative bacteria Obviously , -200mv is not ideal for heterotrophs,at least not as a group. Certainly not for those using organic C as those are facultative and use free oxygen as well as oxygen from nitrate. When using scientific terminology it's important to know what it means and use it correctly .

 

[Belgian Anthias]

That is what I ment! - 200 mv is to low!! It is ideal for heterotrophs.

Still wrong.
Heterotrophs include: obligate aerobes,obligate anerobes and faucltative bacteria Obviously , -200mv is not ideal for heterotrophs,at least not as a group. Certainly not for those using organic C as those are facultative and use free oxygen as well as oxygen from nitrate. When using scientific terminology it's important to know what it means and use it correctly .

Thank you for the information.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Introducing a new line of thinking?

Introducing a new line of thinking?

Most people will start thinking about using a denitrator when the nitrate level in the system can not be controlled any more and has reached a high level. At high levels almost any size of reactor will be able to remove more than the daily production to reduce the nitrate level. The dripping method is used for start up of the reactor. Managed the same way as a carbon reactor works fine. Problems may occur when the level has decreased to a level at which the daily production can not be removed any more. This problem has been discussed and solved.
But why not thinking about using a sulphur denitrator when installing or building a new aquarium-system. Implementing a BADESS as part of the system from the start makes a big difference in the way a closed aquarium system can be build up, the way it can be populated and fed. The main purpose of living stone and - sand will be the introduction of biodiversity and the quantity needed may be limited to this purpose. Less aggressive skimming is possible. If fresh natural seawater is used it can be used without passing it true a fine mesh- or sand-filter. Artificial seawater can be made with normal drinking-water quality tap water. When it contains some nitrate this is even an advantage. (for start up)
As in the beginning there is not a lot of nitrate to remove by the 1% reactor we use, the reactor will be mainly used as a BIO. It is known that to keep low nitrate levels a high flow may be needed to be able to remove the ( future) nitrate production. At start up a high flow will keep the reactor aerated for the nitrification process. We will need this oxygen dependable army later on to deplete the big amount of oxygen entered. As the system gets mature and the cleaning army is introduced ( snails etc..) probably nitrate will start to build up . We have to wait till nitrate builds up, till there is some production. If we remove nitrate sooner we will remove the nitrate present in the system and growing a de-nitrifying army in the reactor will not be possible. Only than we can start with decreasing the flow true BADESS. The flow is decreased gradual until de-nitrification activity shows. This way we are pretty shore that autotrophe bacteria are active and growing because heterotrophe de-nitrification is not possible because the oxygen level will be to high for them to become active. Now we are cultivating some bacteria that are able to survive without external ( organic) feeding and are able to oxidize sulphur. Now flow can be decreased slowly, it may take a few days, even weeks, to the point where BADESS will be in balance and removes the daily production daily,
It takes more time to have an active reactor but at that stage there is time enough . BADESS will be able to remove a lot of nitrate at very low nitrate levels. The reactor is capable of removing high quantities of oxygen and creating the ideal environment for the activity needed. As the production will increase when more animals are introduced and these animals grow and multiply, BADESS can grow easily with the system removing every day the nitrate that is produced .
Used as part op the system BADESS will become a part of the biological system and will be able to control and close the nitrogen-cycle at low nitrate levels. When a 1% reactor is used the daily production can go up to 1ppm daily while keeping on the same low nitrate level. When a more elevated production may be suspected because a very crowded tank is planned, than a 2% reactor can be used.

When using BADESS it is not mandatory that the effluent has 0 nitrate. (0 test-kit!) When PH reading is available in the reactors, after some time of experience PH reduction will give an idea about the activity in the reactor.
The aim is to remove the daily production daily and keep the desired nitrate level stable, this way closing the nitrogen-cycle.
BADESS will be a success only when this objective is accomplished.
It can not work? Try it! No harm can be done. Only possible when the reactor is big enough!

 

[Belgian Anthias]

That is what I ment! - 200 mv is to low!! It is ideal for heterotrophs.

Still wrong.
Heterotrophs include: obligate aerobes,obligate anerobes and faucltative bacteria Obviously , -200mv is not ideal for heterotrophs,at least not as a group. Certainly not for those using organic C as those are facultative and use free oxygen as well as oxygen from nitrate. When using scientific terminology it's important to know what it means and use it correctly .

What do these posts add to the discussion?

What is an ideal ORP reading for heterotrophic and autotrophic de-nitrification, that is what we were talking about? That is what I had in mind. And apologies for using terminology that can be mis-understood. As I am a Fleming and speak a weird kind of Dutch It is possible that my English comes over a bit weird for some people. And as I am getting older I must ask: we where discussing de-nitrification and anaerobic conditions using ORP??

Does [/B]When using scientific terminology it's important to know what it means and use it correctly mean that in the future we have to use terms as for example the term "mixotrophe chemo-autotrophe de-nitrifyers" in stead of "autotrophs" when discussing de-nitrification on elemental sulfur because "autotrophs" are plants!
Do we need a scientific degree or must I be honoris causa in micro-biology to post on this Thread?
Understanding very basic maths and taking in account the most influential parameter as there is "the daily nitrate production" is more than enough for managing a BADESS correctly.


Someone says to me I am waisting my time.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

"T

"The flow rate through the Sulphur-Nitratereductor is very slow.
Control the flow rate: The flow rate through the filter has to be checked regularly. The optimum
is approx. 0.5 to 1 l/hr. This has to be re-adjusted from time to time."

The parameters are: 320 gal system ( +-1200l), nitrate level between 1 ppm and 2.5 ppm not steady. Flow between 0.5l/h and 1l/h. reactor 2 gal sulfur.

Best performance: 2.5mg/l x 24l/day = 60mg daily
Minimal performance; 0.5mg/l x 24l/day = 12mg/day

difference of 5x

Suspecting that the same amount is fed every day

Average performance: 1mg/l x 24l/d = 24mg/day or .0.02ppm for a 1200l system. This is a very low nitrate production. Nitrate level will increase only 2ppm in 100days without the denitrator.
What I can not solve is how your nitrate level can go up and down between 1 and 2.5 ppm because normally it would take almost 100 days to increase from 1ppm to 2.5 ppm without a de-nitrator. For this reason I suspect that most of the time the reactor is removing nothing at all and that may be the reason that when flow is increased immediately nitrite is detected. As flow is balancing between 0.5 l/h and 1l/h, this means double flow, double nitrate and oxygen to reduce. At nitrate levels between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm this is a big difference. Are you sure that the effluent is 0 nitrate most of the time? Would it be possible that the small nitrate quantity is removed (0.02ppm daily) mostly by heterotrophs. This could also be the reason why nitrite is detected when flow is increased.


The reactor used can remove 3grams or 3000mg nitrate daily at high nitrate levels and between 300mg and 700mg in the operating range of 1-2.5ppm. Every day!
For removing this very low production a 1liter reactor would be more than big enough if one is needed at all.

 

[CHSUB]

The parameters are: 320 gal system ( +-1200l), nitrate level between 1 ppm and 2.5 ppm not steady. Flow between 0.5l/h and 1l/h. reactor 2 gal sulfur.

Best performance: 2.5mg/l x 24l/day = 60mg daily
Minimal performance; 0.5mg/l x 24l/day = 12mg/day this does not apply, no3 removal remains fixed, based on surface area inside reactor and flow

difference of 5x

Suspecting that the same amount is fed every day

Average performance: 1mg/l x 24l/d = 24mg/day or .0.02ppm for a 1200l system. This is a very low nitrate production. Nitrate level will increase only 2ppm in 100days without the denitrator.
What I can not solve is how your nitrate level can go up and down between 1 and 2.5 ppm because normally it would take almost 100 days to increase from 1ppm to 2.5 ppm without a de-nitrator. For this reason I suspect that most of the time the reactor is removing nothing at all and that may be the reason that when flow is increased immediately nitrite is detected. As flow is balancing between 0.5 l/h and 1l/h, this means double flow, double nitrate and oxygen to reduce. At nitrate levels between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm this is a big difference. Are you sure that the effluent is 0 nitrate most of the time? Would it be possible that the small nitrate quantity is removed (0.02ppm daily) mostly by heterotrophs. This could also be the reason why nitrite is detected when flow is increased.


The reactor used can remove 3grams or 3000mg nitrate daily at high nitrate levels and between 300mg and 700mg in the operating range of 1-2.5ppm. Every day!
For removing this very low production a 1liter reactor would be more than big enough if one is needed at all.

You keep applying your system, based on a work done by Marc L. in 1991 which imo is outdated and inaccurate, to my system which uses ORP and is giving very satisfactory results. Prior to installing the reactor no3 would reach 50 ppm between bi-monthly 50% WC when all visible detritus was removed and vinegar was dosed at a rate of .8 ml/gal daily. Since the reactor was installed and working properly; no3 is now maintained @ a maximum of 2.5ppm or slightly greater without vinegar and a larger fish load. I process 15 to 18 gallons of DT water per day. Doing an 18 gallon WC per day with no3 free water will give excellent results. Why do you try to process so much water and allow no3 to escape the reactor, just slow the flow to remove all no3? Your calculation can not be applied to a reactor using ORP and a dosing pump because the flow is changing as no3 increases; the flow is corrected so the effluent stays no3 free. When no3 goes higher than acceptable, in my case higher than 2.5ppm, I do a WC. This is important when using a Sulfur Reactor to restore ion balance.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

The parameters are: 320 gal system ( +-1200l), nitrate level between 1 ppm and 2.5 ppm not steady. Flow between 0.5l/h and 1l/h. reactor 2 gal sulfur.

Best performance: 2.5mg/l x 24l/day = 60mg daily
Minimal performance; 0.5mg/l x 24l/day = 12mg/day

difference of 5x

Suspecting that the same amount is fed every day

Average performance: 1mg/l x 24l/d = 24mg/day or .0.02ppm for a 1200l system. This is a very low nitrate production. Nitrate level will increase only 2ppm in 100days without the denitrator.
What I can not solve is how your nitrate level can go up and down between 1 and 2.5 ppm because normally it would take almost 100 days to increase from 1ppm to 2.5 ppm without a de-nitrator. For this reason I suspect that most of the time the reactor is removing nothing at all and that may be the reason that when flow is increased immediately nitrite is detected. As flow is balancing between 0.5 l/h and 1l/h, this means double flow, double nitrate and oxygen to reduce. At nitrate levels between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm this is a big difference. Are you sure that the effluent is 0 nitrate most of the time? Would it be possible that the small nitrate quantity is removed (0.02ppm daily) mostly by heterotrophs. This could also be the reason why nitrite is detected when flow is increased.


The reactor used can remove 3grams or 3000mg nitrate daily at high nitrate levels and between 300mg and 700mg in the operating range of 1-2.5ppm. Every day!
For removing this very low production a 1liter reactor would be more than big enough if one is needed at all.

Of course, when the small daily production can be removed at a level of 2.5ppm it is possible that the production can not be removed any more at 1ppm certainly when the flow decreases by half.
When the nitrate level decreases the flow should increase to keep on removing the same amount of nitrate. When flow is kept the same, less nitrate will enter the reactor as the level decreases and the level will reach a point where the daily production can not be removed any more. When flow is not corrected, the level will increase a bit when that moment is arrived and a bit more nitrate is entered. The reactor will stabilize it selfs at this level ( same production, same flow). If the reactor is big enough one can increase the flow to stabilize the reactor at a lower nitrate level. If the reactor is not big enough it will still show some nitrate or nitrite in the effluent a few days after the flow increment. ( this when within test-kit limits) That reactor has reached his max removal rate.
In this case the reactor is more than big enough and the level is high enough for standard test kits. This reactor is still operating as it was in its starting up phase but there is very little nitrate to remove which makes it more complicated. Is there any sulphur oxidized in this system?
When ORP is used to control the reactor it will take in account the increased amount of oxygen when flow increases and try to decrease the flow to keep the reactor within the ORP limits. I do not know the effect of nitrate reduction from NO3 to SO4 on ORP readings but i suppose it is minimal in comparison with the amount of free oxygen that enters the reactor when flow changes. The nitrate level will not have much effect on ORP readings compared to the oxygen level. How the removal rate (nitrate level x flow) effects ORP readings? Can ORP readings be linked to the volume of the reactor and the removal rate?

The system proves it reduces some nitrate although it is very little but can it stabilize the nitrate level even at these very low removal rates?
My opinion it is better to keep a stable level of 2.5ppm than let it go up and down between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm. Most reef habitants are used to a relative stable environment.
Managing the reactor within certain ORP readings can reduce a certain amount nitrate but can one have control over the nitrate level and the nitrogen-cycle? We were not able to manage a BADESS with ORP readings. This thus not mean it is not possible. The question is simple:how?

 

[tmz]

What do these posts add to the discussion?

Facts vs .......

 

[CHSUB]

Of course, when the small daily production can be removed at a level of 2.5ppm it is possible that the production can not be removed any more at 1ppm certainly when the flow decreases by half.
When the nitrate level decreases the flow should increase to keep on removing the same amount of nitrate. When flow is kept the same, less nitrate will enter the reactor as the level decreases and the level will reach a point where the daily production can not be removed any more. When flow is not corrected, the level will increase a bit when that moment is arrived and a bit more nitrate is entered. The reactor will stabilize it selfs at this level ( same production, same flow). If the reactor is big enough one can increase the flow to stabilize the reactor at a lower nitrate level. If the reactor is not big enough it will still show some nitrate or nitrite in the effluent a few days after the flow increment. ( this when within test-kit limits) That reactor has reached his max removal rate.
In this case the reactor is more than big enough and the level is high enough for standard test kits. This reactor is still operating as it was in its starting up phase but there is very little nitrate to remove which makes it more complicated. Is there any sulphur oxidized in this system?
When ORP is used to control the reactor it will take in account the increased amount of oxygen when flow increases and try to decrease the flow to keep the reactor within the ORP limits. I do not know the effect of nitrate reduction from NO3 to SO4 on ORP readings but i suppose it is minimal in comparison with the amount of free oxygen that enters the reactor when flow changes. The nitrate level will not have much effect on ORP readings compared to the oxygen level. How the removal rate (nitrate level x flow) effects ORP readings? Can ORP readings be linked to the volume of the reactor and the removal rate?

The system proves it reduces some nitrate although it is very little but can it stabilize the nitrate level even at these very low removal rates?
My opinion it is better to keep a stable level of 2.5ppm than let it go up and down between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm. Most reef habitants are used to a relative stable environment.
Managing the reactor within certain ORP readings can reduce a certain amount nitrate but can one have control over the nitrate level and the nitrogen-cycle? We were not able to manage a BADESS with ORP readings. This thus not mean it is not possible. The question is simple:how?

Mr. Belgium, you are not reading anyone's responses and simply stating the same thing again and again; and I don't believe language is the issue because your responses seem very lucid. Here is a passage from your most recent post; (Of course, when the small daily production can be removed at a level of 2.5ppm it is possible that the production can not be removed any more at 1ppm certainly when the flow decreases by half. When the nitrate level decreases the flow should increase to keep on removing the same amount of nitrate) It appears you believe ORP reduces flow to the reactor when no3 input levels are reduced, when it has been stated several times that flow increases with lower no3. This has been stated and confirmed more than once. If you reread post #1582 Mr. TMZ states; (More flow is an obvious step ,which I and others have noted , when nitrate levels are lower more flow brings in more nitrate). All the questions you asked in this post aren't worth responding to because they have been answered or based on your wrong assumption. I have no problem having a discussion about sulfur reactors with you, however if your not going to read my posts it's not a discussion.

The only argument against using ORP is that the reactor finds equilibrium vs. a maximum level of nitrate reduction. I have though about this at great length, and imo it's closer to the maximum.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Mr. Belgium, you are not reading anyone's responses and simply stating the same thing again and again; and I don't believe language is the issue because your responses seem very lucid. Here is a passage from your most recent post; (Of course, when the small daily production can be removed at a level of 2.5ppm it is possible that the production can not be removed any more at 1ppm certainly when the flow decreases by half. When the nitrate level decreases the flow should increase to keep on removing the same amount of nitrate) It appears you believe ORP reduces flow to the reactor when no3 input levels are reduced, when it has been stated several times that flow increases with lower no3. This has been stated and confirmed more than once. If you reread post #1582 Mr. TMZ states; (More flow is an obvious step ,which I and others have noted , when nitrate levels are lower more flow brings in more nitrate). All the questions you asked in this post aren't worth responding to because they have been answered or based on your wrong assumption. I have no problem having a discussion about sulfur reactors with you, however if your not going to read my posts it's not a discussion.

The only argument against using ORP is that the reactor finds equilibrium vs. a maximum level of nitrate reduction. I have though about this at great length, and imo it's closer to the maximum.

I am not against ORP use. I just try to know the relation between the removal rate and ORP readings. Your system removes very little nitrate but the level can not be kept steady. Why? The reactor is big enough.
Why the flow can not be increased more? As flow increases when the level decreases, in your case from 2.5ppm to 1ppmtotal flow is corrected from 0.5l/h to 1l/h. The flow is doubled but still very low and as there is 1ppm nitrate available and there is a very small production it should not be a problem to bring down the level to 0.5ppm or keep the level steady . Managing a sulphur denitrator which has very little to remove is more difficult. A BADESS works problem less when enough nitrate is produced daily for feeding the population and keep them healthy and alert.
A reactor in balance will remove the daily production. So, flow is increased or decreased till that balance is found. At that point the reactor is self regulating. When there is a bit more production, the NO3 level will increase a bit and at the same flow more nitrate is entered and will be removed until in balance again. Less production, the level will decrease, less nitrate entered, less nitrate removed till in balance again. This without ORP.

My assumption:
When ORP is used on a reactor in balance and production increases, nitrate level increases and if I am correct, ORP readings become higher ( less negative). Let us assume it was -145mv and now -140mv. When the correction is made by decreasing the flow less oxygen and less NO3 is entered which has a lot more effect on ORP as the previous NO3 increment. ( how correction can be made that the correction corresponds with the amount nitrate to remove?) But , as less NO3 is entered the nitrate level may continue to increase because it is possible the daily production can not be removed.. ORP reading will decrease and become more negative due to less O while the NO3 level increases ! The reading may be lower as as it was at the start, let us assume -160mv. Suppose the range set is between - 140 and -155, -160mv is out of range and correction to increase the flow is given, more O and more NO3. No correction will follow till out of range again while the nitrate level has increased. When less production, the opposite may happen.?
ORP is not used for BADESS at the moment. because we have a good stable system that needs very little management and keeps the level steady removing +-0.5 ppm daily. To be able to manage the NO3 level and close the nitrogen cycle we find it important the one can remove the daily production daily


The flow is increased when the nitrate level decreases. (ORP more negative? ) This may be correct when only the nitrate is taken in account and as long as the flow is not corrected But when the flow is increased more oxygen is entered which has a lot more effect on ORP than the amount of nitrate can have.. Orp will become less negative due to the oxygen. I wonder what will happen if the operating range is -50mv and -150mv or +50mv to -100mv which is suitable for autotrophe denitration. How flow will be influenced?

I have nothing against the use of ORP, but why all this technical stuff if it can be done more easily and better without.?

I repeat things so that new readers can follow a bit without going true the thread. I do not repeat things because I think you did not understand what I meant but I explain as good as I can so that everybody, also new visitors, may know what we are talking about. I am sorry if this comes over otherwise.
From know on I will only give direct reply and keep it short. Or even better I will stop posting for some time, keep on following this threat and learn.

 

[1fishkeeper]

Well I'm at a total loss with my reactor my nitrates keeps on climbing up. It has been up and running for a month now still what's coming out is the same as the tank. I still have it at one drip per second and de-gas it everyday but little to no gas comes out. My salfert test reads 25ppm and API is at 30ppm. I guess what gets me after reading through this full thread people were having their NO3 drop out of the reactor after a week or so. I built mine just as the original posters design and size. Maybe I will add more sulphur media to it and see if that helps at all. But I'm almost getting to the point of breaking my tank down and starting it all over again because I have lost all of my SPS and I don't even want to think how much money I have in dry white skeletons sitting around.

 

[CHSUB]

Well I'm at a total loss with my reactor my nitrates keeps on climbing up. It has been up and running for a month now still what's coming out is the same as the tank. I still have it at one drip per second and de-gas it everyday but little to no gas comes out. My salfert test reads 25ppm and API is at 30ppm. I guess what gets me after reading through this full thread people were having their NO3 drop out of the reactor after a week or so. I built mine just as the original posters design and size. Maybe I will add more sulphur media to it and see if that helps at all. But I'm almost getting to the point of breaking my tank down and starting it all over again because I have lost all of my SPS and I don't even want to think how much money I have in dry white skeletons sitting around.

how big is your tank, and how big is your reactor? i was never able to bring down no3 with my reactor, and i use over 2 gallons of sulfur. imo, it will maintain no3 and you will, a some point, be able to get a nice stream of no3 free effluent from it. most expect "miracles" from a sulfur reactor, imo they work but not as well as some claim. that said, i'm very happy with my reactor, i maintain <2.5 ppm no3 with huge inputs of food. i would slow flow more, i went 6 days with no flow through the reactor before no3 went to 0 inside the reactor and then started flow as slow as i could, it would even stop sometimes.

 

[CHSUB]

I am not against ORP use. I just try to know the relation between the removal rate and ORP readings. Your system removes very little nitrate but the level can not be kept steady. Why? The reactor is big enough.
Why the flow can not be increased more? As flow increases when the level decreases, in your case from 2.5ppm to 1ppmtotal flow is corrected from 0.5l/h to 1l/h. this is an example from Aqua Medic, not my reactor The flow is doubled but still very low and as there is 1ppm nitrate available and there is a very small production it should not be a problem to bring down the level to 0.5ppm or keep the level steady . Managing a sulphur denitrator which has very little to remove is more difficult. A BADESS works problem less when enough nitrate is produced daily for feeding the population and keep them healthy and alert.
A reactor in balance will remove the daily production. So, flow is increased or decreased till that balance is found. At that point the reactor is self regulating. When there is a bit more production, the NO3 level will increase a bit and at the same flow more nitrate is entered and will be removed until in balance again. Less production, the level will decrease, less nitrate entered, less nitrate removed till in balance again. This without ORP.

My assumption:
When ORP is used on a reactor in balance and production increases, nitrate level increases and if I am correct, ORP readings become higher ( less negative). Let us assume it was -145mv and now -140mv. When the correction is made by decreasing the flow less oxygen and less NO3 is entered which has a lot more effect on ORP as the previous NO3 increment. ( how correction can be made that the correction corresponds with the amount nitrate to remove?) But , as less NO3 is entered the nitrate level may continue to increase because it is possible the daily production can not be removed.. ORP reading will decrease and become more negative due to less O while the NO3 level increases ! The reading may be lower as as it was at the start, let us assume -160mv. Suppose the range set is between - 140 and -155, -160mv is out of range and correction to increase the flow is given, more O and more NO3. No correction will follow till out of range again while the nitrate level has increased. When less production, the opposite may happen.?
ORP is not used for BADESS at the moment. because we have a good stable system that needs very little management and keeps the level steady removing +-0.5 ppm daily. To be able to manage the NO3 level and close the nitrogen cycle we find it important the one can remove the daily production daily


The flow is increased when the nitrate level decreases. (ORP more negative? ) This may be correct when only the nitrate is taken in account and as long as the flow is not corrected But when the flow is increased more oxygen is entered which has a lot more effect on ORP imo, false than the amount of nitrate can have.. Orp will become less negative due to the oxygen. I wonder what will happen if the operating range is -50mv and -150mv or +50mv to -100mv which is suitable for autotrophe denitration. How flow will be influenced?

I have nothing against the use of ORP, but why all this technical stuff if it can be done more easily and better without.?

I repeat things so that new readers can follow a bit without going true the thread. I do not repeat things because I think you did not understand what I meant but I explain as good as I can so that everybody, also new visitors, may know what we are talking about. I am sorry if this comes over otherwise.
From know on I will only give direct reply and keep it short. Or even better I will stop posting for some time, keep on following this threat and learn.

imo and ime, ORP is effected more by no3 reduction then o2 input levels with increased flow.

 

[1fishkeeper]

Total water volume is around 250 gallons. Right now I'm running just shy of a gallon of sulphur. I guess this weekend I will add more to it and kill the flow for a week an see if that helps.

 

[rclendan]

Well I'm at a total loss with my reactor my nitrates keeps on climbing up. It has been up and running for a month now still what's coming out is the same as the tank. I still have it at one drip per second and de-gas it everyday but little to no gas comes out. My salfert test reads 25ppm and API is at 30ppm. I guess what gets me after reading through this full thread people were having their NO3 drop out of the reactor after a week or so. I built mine just as the original posters design and size. Maybe I will add more sulphur media to it and see if that helps at all. But I'm almost getting to the point of breaking my tank down and starting it all over again because I have lost all of my SPS and I don't even want to think how much money I have in dry white skeletons sitting around.

Does it leak? It sounds like the ORP is not getting low enough. Mine cycles within an hour or two after I close it up after cleaning. To force a low ORP and speed the cycle, you can add a bit of carbon, like a small amount of sucrose, and close off the effluent line completely for a few hours and let it circulate the same water. Then measure the effluent, if you smell rotten eggs, then you know the ORP has dropped very low and the bacteria are active. You can then slowly increase the flow to a normal rate.

 

[1fishkeeper]

Does it leak? It sounds like the ORP is not getting low enough. Mine cycles within an hour or two after I close it up after cleaning. To force a low ORP and speed the cycle, you can add a bit of carbon, like a small amount of sucrose, and close off the effluent line completely for a few hours and let it circulate the same water. Then measure the effluent, if you smell rotten eggs, then you know the ORP has dropped very low and the bacteria are active. You can then slowly increase the flow to a normal rate.

For the first week I had a small drip per 10 seconds where my MJ connected but salt creep has plugged it up. I guess when I open it up to add more sulphur to it this weekend I will add some sucrose to it. Then let it fill and close it up and let it run for a week with just the water in it with out any coming out of it.

 

[lexzbuddy]

I'm new to sulphur

I'm new to sulphur

I just set up my sulphur reactor on Friday night. By Monday zero nitrate coming out. It was hooked up to a tub of live rock that I have cycling as I was not keen to hook it up to my main tank until I was sure it was working.

So on Tuesday I hooked it up to my main tank, I was at 20 ppm nitrates as a baseline.

Wednesday the nitrate was at 8 ppm.

Today, Thursday the nitrate is at 0.25 ppm.

So, what now? Do I take some sulphur out of the reactor or can I just let it keep going?

Seriously, what now? Never had nitrates this low before so I suppose I just want someone to hold my hand and say it's alright.

I was sceptical before this and didn't think it would work this fast. I was very wrong, this is incredible. I have tried all sorts and nothing really worked apart from water changes. Deep sand bed, loads of ceramic media, live rock coming out of my yin yang. Seriously amazing. What's the catch?

 

[tmz]

I'd increase the flow through the reactor as a first step to prevent the complete depletion of oxygen and nitrate .

If organic material enters the reactor from the tank water from food ,organic carbon dosing ,etc, and the water in the reactor becomes anoxic( all the nitrate and oxygen are used up by the sulfur bacteria) heterotrophic sulfate reducing bacteria,as may be indicated by hydrogen sulfide production ,will thrive. Increasing the flow helps prevent anoxic conditions.



A sulfur reduction adjustment might be a second step if the reactor design wont accommodate enough flow to prevent anoxia and/ or if there is a concern about excessive sulfur compounds. Opening the reactor would likely require some recycling time after air exposure.


I prefer to start with smaller amounts of sulfur than some others do ; mine worked very well with only 1 gallon of sulfur for 500 gallons with a baseline of over 50ppm ;some others prefer much more as much as ten gallons of sulfur for that water volume. I had planned to add a second and or third tube of sulfur to the set up if needed with the flexibility to easily increase and reduce sulfur amounts; it wasn't necessary.

 

[lexzbuddy]

thanks

thanks

Thanks TMZ, I really appreciate your help.

 

[1fishkeeper]

We'll a month and a half and it's now reading 0ppm nitrates. I'm a happy camper now just to keep on testing it and up the flow.