DIY Sulfur Denitrator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
MammothReefer
Active member
Does anybody know if I can convert a Downdraft Calc Reactor, or do I need to figure out a way to reverse the pump to make it an updraft? or with a downdraft do I just reverse the media?
This is what I'd be using
This is what I'd be using
IMO it is not a must to have downdraft. One of the main reason for having downdraft is to reduce water channelling or other meaning is to have better and evenly contact between water and media. So updraft is some what more effective than downdraft for a given setup but well you can live around it and have downdraft if it's convenience for you. I don't think reversing the media is the need neither, as many they just mixed them all together.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12772695#post12772695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MammothReefer
Does anybody know if I can convert a Downdraft Calc Reactor, or do I need to figure out a way to reverse the pump to make it an updraft? or with a downdraft do I just reverse the media?
This is what I'd be using
djfrankie
In Memoriam
Good to see you finally added that extra media. As your tank nitrates go lower you'll notice a significant reduction in gas build up.
Any way you can have the venting line higher than your tank's water line and just leave it open for now? Kind of an automatic venting line per say
djfrankie
djfrankie
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12772695#post12772695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MammothReefer
Does anybody know if I can convert a Downdraft Calc Reactor, or do I need to figure out a way to reverse the pump to make it an updraft? or with a downdraft do I just reverse the media?
This is what I'd be using
It will be very easy to reverse flow on that unit. Reversing the flow will actually work more efficient since it won't pack down the media as top down flow would.
HTH,
djfrankie
Black71gp
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12784325#post12784325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by djfrankie
Good to see you finally added that extra media. As your tank nitrates go lower you'll notice a significant reduction in gas build up.
Any way you can have the venting line higher than your tank's water line and just leave it open for now? Kind of an automatic venting line per say
djfrankie
ya i was thinking about this.. just leaving it slightly cracked.. it is higher than tank.. so it should be fine.. just water will not go through the arm media.. which is no big deal.. i always have high alk anyway.. so last night i had to take like two hand fulls out because i only put the pad in.. and the gas would cause the media to rise to high and the pump would suck it up.. so i put egg crate on top of the filter pad to help keep the media held down.. should still work just as fine.. i had to have the recirc pump off for a few days and the nitrates jumped again.. so hopefuly this will get them back down and use the auto degasser and be good to go with 0 nitrates.. last time i checked tank was down to about 30...
pecan2phat
Active member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12784325#post12784325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by djfrankie
Any way you can have the venting line higher than your tank's water line and just leave it open for now? Kind of an automatic venting line per say
djfrankie
dj,
If the reactor is pressurized, wouldn't leaving the degass line cause an continous flow? My dj reactor will do that if the line is left open. Should I not be putting a valve at the effluent line and just at the incoming water line as to not pressurize the reactor?
Thanks.
djfrankie
In Memoriam
It will depend on how you are feeding the reactor. For example, in my tank I run a Mak4 pump for return so it will not work because the head pressure on that pump is really high. However, if you're feeding your reactor with a smaller pump, let's say a Maxijet, then it will be OK to leave the line open. Better yet, you can gravity feed the reactor from one of your overflow boxes and be done with it. You just have to make sure the sump can handle the extra water volume in this case.
I would generally suggest this only for people that are having extreme issues with gas build up such as Black71gp.
Hope this makes sense.
djfrankie
pecan2phat
Active member
I originally tried to feed off a MJ1200 that was tee'd off to a couple of phosban reactors. It would work until the recirc pump was turned on, then the effluent flow was lost. I switched out the MJ1200 to a Mag 5 and all is well.
I was just curious whether the reactor should or should not be pressurized as this could be determined by where the valve is placed.
All's well so I'll just leave everything alone. Thanks.
I was just curious whether the reactor should or should not be pressurized as this could be determined by where the valve is placed.
All's well so I'll just leave everything alone. Thanks.
Black71gp
New member
i just have mine opened and it is runnign most of the flow threw the first chamber and i have it set only a small drip from the second.. just to keep water movign.. i dont really need the bufferign of the second chamber right now.. so just useing the vent as water out is working for me for the time being.. plus keeps my gas build up down untill everything is all set it and tank nitrates are down as well.. seems to be workign this way so far just fine...
kcress
New member
Update:
18th day since I started the Bio Reactor up.
Here is the reactor's output.
Here is what my tank is at now, (this is straight tank water no dilution).
I wonder if I will need to actually reduce my media further to prevent starvation...
The output is about 7.4ph which has brought my tank down to 7.6ph
Now that the conversion rate is going to drop I wonder if the output ph will rise. I also wonder if the 200 pounds of crushed coral will rise to the occasion and bring the ph back up. Any suggestions on that guess? Sadly I didn't measure my tank's original ph before running the reactor for a week. (dang!)
18th day since I started the Bio Reactor up.
Here is the reactor's output.
Here is what my tank is at now, (this is straight tank water no dilution).
I wonder if I will need to actually reduce my media further to prevent starvation...
The output is about 7.4ph which has brought my tank down to 7.6ph
Now that the conversion rate is going to drop I wonder if the output ph will rise. I also wonder if the 200 pounds of crushed coral will rise to the occasion and bring the ph back up. Any suggestions on that guess? Sadly I didn't measure my tank's original ph before running the reactor for a week. (dang!)
It is not too late to monitor your pH now, this unit will try to bring the tank pH down for sure and you need to bring the pH up to the correct level anyway doesnt matter what the pH was before. Just increase the air movement, like putting a fan on top of your tank also try venting the room and monitoring the pH rising.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12788271#post12788271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kcress
Update:
18th day since I started the Bio Reactor up.
Here is the reactor's output.
Here is what my tank is at now, (this is straight tank water no dilution).
I wonder if I will need to actually reduce my media further to prevent starvation...
The output is about 7.4ph which has brought my tank down to 7.6ph
Now that the conversion rate is going to drop I wonder if the output ph will rise. I also wonder if the 200 pounds of crushed coral will rise to the occasion and bring the ph back up. Any suggestions on that guess? Sadly I didn't measure my tank's original ph before running the reactor for a week. (dang!)
kcress
New member
Thanks reef_only.
I'm really getting frustrated. My reactor output while not changing in volume even a tiny bit, is changing in output all over the place. Radically!
My tank is also changing back and forth.
Look at this:
6/19 20ppm output
6/19 200ppm tank
6/20 5ppm output
6/20 20ppm tank
6/21 80ppm output
6/21 20ppm tank
6/22 40ppm output
6/23 35ppm output
6/23 20ppm tank
6/24 20ppm output
6/25 40ppm output
6/26 20ppm output
6/26 0ppm tank
6/27 40ppm output
6/27 60ppm tank
Seems odd to me..
My test kit is new.
Also the last two days on only the ouput readings I've seen something new. I put the first half of the nitrate test drops in. Immediately the color goes to the color in my last picyture above!!
If I wait about 60 seconds the color goes back to pure yellow just like the side by side tank water test. I've never seen this before. What is it?
I'm really getting frustrated. My reactor output while not changing in volume even a tiny bit, is changing in output all over the place. Radically!
My tank is also changing back and forth.
Look at this:
6/19 20ppm output
6/19 200ppm tank
6/20 5ppm output
6/20 20ppm tank
6/21 80ppm output
6/21 20ppm tank
6/22 40ppm output
6/23 35ppm output
6/23 20ppm tank
6/24 20ppm output
6/25 40ppm output
6/26 20ppm output
6/26 0ppm tank
6/27 40ppm output
6/27 60ppm tank
Seems odd to me..
My test kit is new.
Also the last two days on only the ouput readings I've seen something new. I put the first half of the nitrate test drops in. Immediately the color goes to the color in my last picyture above!!
If I wait about 60 seconds the color goes back to pure yellow just like the side by side tank water test. I've never seen this before. What is it?
chicken
Premium Member
Something does not seem right. There is no way your No3 is going to change from 200ppm one day to 20ppm the next day and then another time from 0ppm to 60ppm unless you did a 90%-100% water change in between. I suspect you have a bad test kit. I would go buy a Salifert or other respectable brand kit and retest.
