DIY Sulfur Denitrator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
NovaSS
New member
Hi, guys im building a denitrator from the diy plans and i have a few question if you dont mind answering them.
1. where to get good sulfur at a good price?
2. I have seachem pond matrix in my sump in media bags. would this work bottom to top? filter pad - sulfur- filter pad- then pond matrix
1. where to get good sulfur at a good price?
2. I have seachem pond matrix in my sump in media bags. would this work bottom to top? filter pad - sulfur- filter pad- then pond matrix
pyithar
New member
i've read through many pages of this thread but i still don't understand one thing. please forgive me if it's a dumb question but i'd really like to understand everything before i build this. what i don't understand is water input part. it could be fed from the over flow or tee off from the return pump or using a separate pump, right?
assuming i'm using a separate pump for water input, the amount of water going into the reactor would be way more than one drop per second which is the amount of water coming out during the cycle period. so wouldn't it cause the reactor full of water and let the water flow out of the de gas outlet? even when the de gas outlet is closed, the pump won't be able to feed the reactor anymore because it's already full of water while the motors of the pump will keep running. won't that cause the pump to burn out pretty quick? i'd like to know how that water input part works.
thank you for your time.
assuming i'm using a separate pump for water input, the amount of water going into the reactor would be way more than one drop per second which is the amount of water coming out during the cycle period. so wouldn't it cause the reactor full of water and let the water flow out of the de gas outlet? even when the de gas outlet is closed, the pump won't be able to feed the reactor anymore because it's already full of water while the motors of the pump will keep running. won't that cause the pump to burn out pretty quick? i'd like to know how that water input part works.
thank you for your time.
rclendan
New member
I use a 1/4 inch plastic needle valve on the outlet line to control flow:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231494924995?lpid=82&chn=ps
I have an on-off valve on the inlet to shut down all flow when cleaning the denitrator.
I use a siphon from my refugium ( its about 4 ft higher than the denitrator) you can use a "T" off a pump line, or use a dedicated pump if you want. put the outlet line in the top of the reactor so it vents gas and allows the effluent to return to your sump. Adjust the needle valve to control the drip rate. If you use a siphon make sure your sump can handle the extra flow in the event of a power failure. I put the suction line of the siphon tube high enough up so it will stop if the water level in the refugium drops below a minimum level.
Power head pumps can typically handle dead-heading. They wont burn out. They will thermally shutdown if they get too hot (usually not a problem submerged in the sump). That being said, You don't need a dedicated pump. You could just T a 1/4 inch plastic drinking water line fitting off the main sump to tank return pump pipe (drill and tap it, or purchase the correct T adapter). You don't need a lot of flow.
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CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
thank you both for the replies. i think i understand a bit more now.
one important change, imo, is to have the effluent exit the reactor from the top. this will eliminate the need to degas; n2 will escape with the effluent.
1fishkeeper
Premium Member
I'm back at a total loss. If I increase the drop rate more then one every two seconds my nitrate coming out of it is 40ppm. But if I have it at one drop per 15 seconds it drops down to 0ppm.
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
did you add more sulfur? what is no3 input level? if it is 40 ppm you will need a few WCs to lower it, or flow will need to remain very slow. i can run good flow through my reactor, but dt no3 is .2 to .5 ppm and i use over 2 gallons of sulfur. no3 @ 40 ppm will require a lot of dwell time.
1fishkeeper
Premium Member
I did add 2 more pounds of it. My tank is sitting at 40ppm using salifert and 40+ppm using API. Yesterday I did a 40 gallon water change and here in just a couple of minutes I will do another 40 gallons.
Can we post some pictures of "LARGE" DIY media reactors in the 2gal - 5 gal size...lots of talk about large media reactors but I haven't seen any. I'm 450gal @ 1% that would put me at 4.5gal of sulfur media...Any comments on construction of large DIY reactors would be appreciated too..
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CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
I thought about building a "big" one, but my 2+ gallon reactor is doing the job on my 330 gallon TV system. i wanted to use a clear material and was shocked at the cost of 6" clear pvc or other clear stuff!!....skimz makes a 6+ gallon reactor for about $900, add a aqua medic ORP controller ($400) and an Ehiem pump ($100) and you would have a great reactor!
kegogut
Active member
That would be a pricey reactor. DIY FTW
It's the summer of 2015, this thread has been going for years and a lot has changed....am I to understand that we have only two choices for our sulfur media.
1. CaribSea LSM
2. Prilled sulfur they used for gardening of questionable quality (buy on eBay) or local weed shop.
3. ? any others
1. CaribSea LSM
2. Prilled sulfur they used for gardening of questionable quality (buy on eBay) or local weed shop.
3. ? any others
Belgian Anthias
New member
waw. Very expensive nitrate removal system.
Any plastic container with a lid that can be closed air tight will be suitable for building a fluidized sulfur denitrator system. As the system is not pressurized even a PET bottle will do.
And why ORP? ORP can be used for a carbon driven heterotrophe denitrator but is not suitable for managing a sulfur denitrator system. When ORP is used to manage the flow the sulfur denitrator system will only be able to reduce nitrate. To be able to control the nitrate level one has to be able to manage the flow in accordance with the nitrate level in the system. How this can be done using ORP? In a good functioning sulfur reactor +-80% or more of the available space is used to reduce oxygen and only +- 20% or less for reducing nitrate (nitrate level of +- 1ppm, daily production +-1 ppm)
A sulfur denitrator must NOT be used the same way a carbon driven reactor is used!
Belgian Anthias
New member
*** the system is not pressurized any plastic container with a lid that can be closed air tight will be suitable.( Curtec containers) A big lid makes it easy accessible. Make it fluidized by a little pump which is plumbed in a closed loop. This way the flow is easily managed without obstruction the pump. Pump not on top because otherwise it will take up gasses. Media must move slow and gently not swirl around. In line with flow control and out line. The same for the calcium reactors. *** the effluent must be aerated a degassing vent on top is not really necessary. When the inline is on top and outline on the bottom ( Weipro reactors) a degassing vent is necessary on top.
For a good working reactor a 1% reactor will do when the total volume of the system has to pass the reactor max once a day to be able to remove the daily production every day.
The 1% reactor is only needed when the desired nitrate level is 1ppm or less. When the desired level is 2ppm or higher a 0.5% reactor will do.( fish only thank) Any size of reactor will be able to reduce some nitrate but only a reactor that is big enough will be able to reduce the nitrate level from 40ppm to 1 ppm or lower and keep it there.
Belgian Anthias
New member
Where high nitrate levels are present the system is turning at max reduction capacity. This means that a lot of ammonium may be present. Take attention to PH! When PH is low ( below 7.8) big water changes may increase the PH for a short time to 8.5 which may provoke ammonium unbalance producing ammonia which may be enough to kill sensitive animals.
Belgian Anthias
New member
sulfur denitrator
sulfur denitrator
It takes only 12 day's for a sulfur denitrator to work satisfactory.
After 24h the reactor will already show activity when the oxygen level is brought below 3ppm. Then nitrate will be reduced to nitrite. This process goes on till almost all nitrate present is reduced to nitrite to peak after 8 to 10 days. Then the nitrite level will start to reduce and nitrogen gas is formed. It will take +-2 days for the nitrite to become near 0. The reactor is now ready.
To get the reactor ready for removing high nitrate levels the reactor is connected to a separate container that contains system water with high nitrate level ( 40ppm?) In the container nitrate will decrease and nitrite increases within 24 h and continue for +-8- 10 days; Then nitrite level will start to decrease fast. When nitrite in the container is near 0 than the reactor is ready to put in line. Depending on the flow this can be done in 12 days.
sulfur denitrator
It takes only 12 day's for a sulfur denitrator to work satisfactory.
After 24h the reactor will already show activity when the oxygen level is brought below 3ppm. Then nitrate will be reduced to nitrite. This process goes on till almost all nitrate present is reduced to nitrite to peak after 8 to 10 days. Then the nitrite level will start to reduce and nitrogen gas is formed. It will take +-2 days for the nitrite to become near 0. The reactor is now ready.
To get the reactor ready for removing high nitrate levels the reactor is connected to a separate container that contains system water with high nitrate level ( 40ppm?) In the container nitrate will decrease and nitrite increases within 24 h and continue for +-8- 10 days; Then nitrite level will start to decrease fast. When nitrite in the container is near 0 than the reactor is ready to put in line. Depending on the flow this can be done in 12 days.
