Donovan's Nitrate Destroyer

[araelto]

How long did it take to get the bacteria colonized enough to process the nitrate? Also, how much flow do you want entering the tower ?

 

[djbon]

With schedule dosing as mentioned earlier in this thread, in 2 - 3 weeks you should see nitrate reduction in great number. Clear indication that the bacteria colony is big enough. IME, 1% to max 5% total flow is the right number to aim. Daily test of no3 is important to determine your ideal flow for your setup.

 

[glaukos]

Here is a short video showing the tiny translucent bacteria planktons after dosing the reactor.

Cool vid donovan,thanks for sharing!

I wonder if gregkn73,following your steps set up his own reactor,if everything went smooth and how this whole thing affected his tank and corals.

 

[dartier]

I think you are right on bacteria plankton. I have diverted the effluent output away from the socks for a few days and I can see so many tiny things, almost translucent in the water when light is off with natural light in the background. This only happens after half an hour dosing carbon into the reactor. When this happens, my favia and maze corals extend their tentacles possibly feeding.

Yup. In addition to corals, pods as well, love bacteria. I have some videos on here in a thread on a bacteria plankton reactor I made that shows Munnid Isopods absolutely going crazy over a big plug of bacteria the reactor spit out. They devoured the plug in a matter of hours.

Dennis

 

[djbon]

Hi Dennis,

Do you know whether these tiny bacteria planktons are small enough for sun coral and SPS to feed on?. I do have a dozen SPS frags but wanted to get sun coral but worry of starving it. LPS does seem to feast on it.

 

[djbon]

Cool vid donovan,thanks for sharing!

I wonder if gregkn73,following your steps set up his own reactor,if everything went smooth and how this whole thing affected his tank and corals.

Hi there. I'm so eager to know how's gregkn73 reactor going on as well. I just finished another reactor for a friend of mine. Will install today at his shop and see how it goes. This one looks nicer than mine . Will post a picture or two later.

 

[nitrodude]

Since you are carbon dosing, will this remove phosphates as well?

Im running a large sulfur reactor to reduce nitrates in a large fowlr tank that gets feed handfulls or raw shrimp. Works great for nitrates but not on phosphates

 

[djbon]

Since you are carbon dosing, will this remove phosphates as well?

Im running a large sulfur reactor to reduce nitrates in a large fowlr tank that gets feed handfulls or raw shrimp. Works great for nitrates but not on phosphates

It does remove phosphate as well, provided that there is detectable nitrate for bacteria uptake. Was on 0.25 PO4 before (API), now close to zero (API & Sera). I was shocked when I test my top off water (2 liter per day), 0.5ppm PO4 has been added everyday since started my tank. RODI is my next purchase for sure.

 

[djbon]

New reactor for a friend. Let see how it goes in 2 weeks time.

 

[gregkn73]

Hi there. I'm so eager to know how's gregkn73 reactor going on as well. I just finished another reactor for a friend of mine. Will install today at his shop and see how it goes. This one looks nicer than mine . Will post a picture or two later.

Still waiting the media.

 

[ravi197699]

Thank you djbon for sharing this with us, where did you get the material and media and is there specific brand and sizes of bio rings, and bio balls are the plastics ones or the ceramic bio balls? I am planning on building one for my 500 gallon system where my nitrates are around 10 ppm

 

[djbon]

Still waiting the media.

Wow. Take so long to arrive. Just finished my third unit. Installed and pending 1st test in 1 week time. His tetra no3 test off the chart (dark red).

 

[djbon]

Thank you djbon for sharing this with us, where did you get the material and media and is there specific brand and sizes of bio rings, and bio balls are the plastics ones or the ceramic bio balls? I am planning on building one for my 500 gallon system where my nitrates are around 10 ppm

Hi there. All material for the reactor are made from pvc available at hardware shop. For 500g, 4" pvc pipes are recommended. As for bio rings and balls, you can use any brand available at your local lfs. Get those with micro holes on it. Even coral rubbles will work just fine. Refer to my sketch on first page for more info on the design and materials needed. My latest picture is the simplified design, much faster to build.

 

[ravi197699]

Hi there. All material for the reactor are made from pvc available at hardware shop. For 500g, 4" pvc pipes are recommended. As for bio rings and balls, you can use any brand available at your local lfs. Get those with micro holes on it. Even coral rubbles will work just fine. Refer to my sketch on first page for more info on the design and materials needed. My latest picture is the simplified design, much faster to build.

Thank you for reply, I have the materials available and I am going to build this with 4" pipe, I like your original design better and I am going to mount both tube reactors on ABS cutting board so that It is easier to move them around.

 

[nitrodude]

Would adding a recirulation pump make this set up more efficient?
Similar to a sulfur reactor or a ca reactor, larger pump recirculates the water in the reactor and a a small pump to feed it.

 

[djbon]

Thank you for reply, I have the materials available and I am going to build this with 4" pipe, I like your original design better and I am going to mount both tube reactors on ABS cutting board so that It is easier to move them around.

Yeah, the original design will stand on itself for easy placement due to flat bottom. The simplified design is leak proof so you can place it outside the sump. Good luck with your project and don't forget to share your result

 

[djbon]

Would adding a recirulation pump make this set up more efficient?
Similar to a sulfur reactor or a ca reactor, larger pump recirculates the water in the reactor and a a small pump to feed it.

I don't think that is necessary as it does remove nitrate efficiently.

 

[eciiaia]

How long did it take to get the bacteria colonized enough to process the nitrate? Also, how much flow do you want entering the tower ?

 

[ravi197699]

Bought 4" pvc tubes, flanges for base, top threaded cap, quick connect 3/8 fittings, Waiting on large ceramic bio rings and medium bio rings, I will post pictures of the progress..

 

[djbon]

How long did it take to get the bacteria colonized enough to process the nitrate? Also, how much flow do you want entering the tower ?

* 1st week bacteria is seeded once a day. 5th day should start seeing slime on socks if you do catch the effluent with filter socks. Nitrate start dropping on 2nd week. Large drop 3rd week onwards. Just monitor the number at effluent output every few days and adjust the flow accordingly.

** Start your flow at lowest, fine stream roughly 1ml per second. Once nitrate start to drop, increase the flow a bit. Once DT no3 below 10ppm, you can set the flow at 5% of total volume in litre per hour.