sulfur denitrator

[hedgedrew]

Hey guys. I posted this accidentally in the filtration section but wanted it here so sorry if you've seen this before. I need some real life experiences with sps and people who have kept them with sulfur denitrators. I've heard rumblings about issues like : ph., alkalinity, and most of all irritation from sulfates them selves on sps. I don't know if people's issues are from stripping nutrients like biopellets, or bacterial blooms, or what. I have one cycled ready to go in a smaller hospital tank. It definitely got cloudy but ok now. And it definitely works as I change water from main system to that tank nitrtae is gone in 48 hrs. So do I hook up or not can't get no3Less than 15 to 20 ppms with max already vodka vinegar dose. I'm already running 120ml of vodka equivalents on 1500 gallons and when I push up I stn. Anyone have thoughts. I can cycle biopellet reactor also instead. I am afraid of this sulfur and drip rate. I have an orp probe in there and it is minus 200 to 250. Its running with arm media on top but maybe I need to run it through more buffer stuff before it hits tank. Ph in hospital tank is def lower than main tank from this reactor. But its way oversized for tank.

 

[RxMike]

Hello Drew,

I run a sulfur dinitratifier on my 300 gallon reef. Total of 550 gallons of water. I use the GEO reactor. I have the ARM sulfur media on bottom of the reactor with the calcium media on top. The effluent from my reactor is reading zero nitrates. My reef is probably reading around 10 to 15. I have large fish. I dont think I can get better. Maybe my reactor is undersized for my water volume. I have my effluent drip into my sump. I noticed a filmy substance on the water surface directly under where the effluent hits the water surface. it looks like scum on a pond surface. I tried moving the effluent line to an area of the sump that has more water movement. It helped somewhat but I am not sure.

I have been dealing with STN recently. I have checked into everything but my dinitrat reactor as a cause of the STN. I cant control nitrate without this. My nitrates have been as high as 50 before. Also what is the ORP probe used for? Sorry for hijacking your thread. I think you are raising some good questions. I am not sure if the dinitratfier reactor has a detrimental effect on SPS...????

 

[hedgedrew]

Rx mike. I use vodka vinegar and have nitrate at those levels also. My stn situation is amazing. Changed my light and I feed my corals zoo and phyto now during day too. I can't tell if the trigger in my hospital tank with this big reactor looks worse than he does after big water change. Meaning he don't like reactor. How bad has your stn been. I wonder if it's bacteria or the sulfides. So I keep and orp probe inside ans well keep eye on drip also. We try to keep orp at neg 150 to neg 250. But it does swing a little too much for my tastes. Maybe cause it's in small tank now. I know someone who has the 20k gallon tank in wi who had to take his off and his corals had issues he thinks from sulfides. Maybe he just stripped water or caused bacterial bloom also. Ok I'm done. I have no idea and may try it. But I'm scared.