Donovan's Nitrate Destroyer

Im interested in building one of these for the sole purpose of providing my tank with bacterioplankton for my filter feeders. At the moment i do not want to lower my nitrate though. Would it be possible to dose the reactor with a carbon and potassium nitrate solution. Is potassium nitrate soluble in vodka, vinegar, vit c etc.? Randy holmes?

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dingodan87
Doesn't simply dosing the tank with vinegar at low levels do that.

The reason we all build nitrate destroyers was that dosing even high levels of a carbon source (vinegar , sugar, NOPOX or ethanol) wasn't effectively reducing nitrates.
Our presumption is/was that this was because most of the carbon was being consumed aerobically. So the idea behind the reactors was to more efficiently dose carbon to bacteria in an anerobic environment.

If you want to dose into a reactor for some reason, you could simply make the flow be very very high, in which case, the carbon would be much less efficiently used anerobically and the effect on nitrates should be greatly reduced (i.e. it won't lower nitrates).
 
nematode said:
dingodan87
Doesn't simply dosing the tank with vinegar at low levels do that.

The reason we all build nitrate destroyers was that dosing even high levels of a carbon source (vinegar , sugar, NOPOX or ethanol) wasn't effectively reducing nitrates.
Our presumption is/was that this was because most of the carbon was being consumed aerobically. So the idea behind the reactors was to more efficiently dose carbon to bacteria in an anerobic environment.

If you want to dose into a reactor for some reason, you could simply make the flow be very very high, in which case, the carbon would be much less efficiently used anerobically and the effect on nitrates should be greatly reduced (i.e. it won't lower nitrates).
Click to expand...
My purpose is to generate bacterial feed for filter feeders. I want to grow more bacteria than my tank would naturally produce via low level vinegar dosing which i have tried. I want the nutritional benefits of bacterial reactors such as zeolite and this nitrate destroyer without turning my tank into an ulns

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I see what youre saying about increasing the flow to generate aerobic bacteria instead of anaerobic thus reducing the effect on nitrate, but my assumption is i would still be nitrite deficient to generate the bacterial populations i desire. I also dont know which is of better food source but people seem to notice benefit from nitrate reactor effluent and filter feeders so id like to try to replicate that

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I could slso use sodium nitrate if that works better... im not sure what the pros cons are of one over the other

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Nitrate Destroyer ?...LOL ! you could just as easily put a plenum (Jaubert method)in a separate tank with 4-6" of FCC substrate plumb it inline with your main tank and see ZERO nitrates without having to use additives etc....
 
Without trying it, how can be sure which is more effective? I have a separate tank 60lt deep sand bed, which can not be compared to 12lt Donovan's reactor , not only as far efficiency but also controllability, at reducing no3.
hottuna said:
Nitrate Destroyer ?...LOL ! you could just as easily put a plenum (Jaubert method)in a separate tank with 4-6" of FCC substrate plumb it inline with your main tank and see ZERO nitrates without having to use additives etc....
Click to expand...
 
I started mine yesterday.. flow is too high though.. but I am curious what the effect on no3 will be with this flow rate.

contains 15L
65 cm high
78f2be72eab49fb2c6e05665ccde2163.jpg


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gregkn73 said:
Without trying it, how can be sure which is more effective? I have a separate tank 60lt deep sand bed, which can not be compared to 12lt Donovan's reactor , not only as far efficiency but also controllability, at reducing no3.
Click to expand...
a deep sand bed is a whole lot different than a bed with a plenum underneath. Read up on the Jaubert method.
It works ,very efficiently . a "natural" nitrate reducer without having to input a carbon source...
 
Also to achive layering of various size substrates would require me to order alot online. Localy i have fluval biomax rings, calcium reactor media and marine pure spheres. Is it necessary to layer the different sizes as shown? I notice the dymico only uses calcium reactor media and i will be utilizing a manual backwash feature in mine. This question may be best suited for donovan sad to hear he passed

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Last edited:
Hallo guys. I read all threads in r2r about DND and also this thread.
I want to use big DND 6 inch pvc pipe, 1 m high, twin tower, U shape. It should be maintain NO3 in my farm, for fish and corals sps dominant. I want to use ATS as Phosphate removal. Small skimmer runs only night for maintain the CO2 contain.
I will go through small carbon dosing about 6 times/day.
How can I apply DND for such farm with variable loads bi weekly? Fishes and coral frags coming in and out.
I have 8 tanks/systems each 3000 l (about 800 gallon)
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

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