Sulfur Reactor journey.

[brainchild24]

This thread is a brief review of my experience using the Aquamaxx T2 sulfur denitrator. This is my second product from Aquamaxx as I am running the T2 calcium reactor and the quality of construction and materials used continue to impress. I started down this path as I could not reduce my nitrates below 16ppm (measured with RedSea NO3 test) regards of the size of water changes. I have a totally of 400 gallons in my system and a ton of large fish.

I started the reactor about four weeks ago and it quickly cycled after the first week the nitrates from the effluent read zero at a drip rate of 3 per second, I increased the rate to about 6 per second and let it sit for another week and waited till the output read zero once again. After two weeks I checked my tank parameter and to my surprise, the display tank nitrate levels read 10pp which at this point I started to believe that there was something to this reactor. Week three and my third increase in drip rate and the display tank is reading 6ppm NO3 (yay!!!). If you are wondering how I determined the drip rate I used google's metronome, just search for the term and the app will appear (60bpm = 1 drip per sec). Now I am at week four and just shy of a steady stream and the display tank is at 4ppm and coral that survived this whole ordeal at starting to opening up and regain a bunch of their color. Will continue to post updates in regards to progress and tips I learn along the way.

 

[brainchild24]

Oh, I realized I forgot to post setup info:

reactor: Aquamaxx T2 sulfur denitrator
media: - CaribSea L.S.M. Live Sulfur Media 1 Gallon (the reactor took the full gallon)
- Two Little Fishies REBORN CALCIUM REACTOR MEDIA
pump: Eheim CompactON 300 Pump (as you don't need a bunch of flow)
probe: ORP probe from my Apex with self-made reverse polarity pigtail connector.

Fill rate was based on manufacture specification and I will post pictures once I get a chance.

 

[moondoggy4]

Thanks for sharing, I will be setting my Nitrate reactor as well. I bought a bunch of Lifegard Quiet one 400 pumps, I could use those or my Kamoer adjustable peri pump, decisions decisions.

 

[EnderG60]

Watch your Alk levels. Sulfur reactors like to eat up alk. And watch your phosphates. I forgot that part for about 5 years and now my rocks are full of it.

 

[moondoggy4]

Thanks for the tip

 

[brainchild24]

EnderG60, yeah I have calc media running in the reactor and I also run a calcium reactor which has kept the dkh pretty stable, as to the phosphate I am running a 70gallon fuge with a bunch of macroalgae which is harvested once a month.

It is nice now that the tank parameters are within the normal range, everything is starting to look really nice, as all I have to do is feed the tank, watch a few parameters once a week, and perform a water change once a month... Oh and of course add more frags.

 

[Sara17]

Great info guys thanks

 

[brainchild24]

Just a quick update my system nitrates are officially under control @ 0.50ppm... the reactor is at a steady stream of about 30ml/min and the output NO3 is at 0.25ppm. From all of the research I have done, you don't want your tank to bottom out in regards to Nitrates as you will starve your corals or you will have to dose NO3 and feed heavily. I now just feed my fish twice a day and when I remember dose RedSea's Reef Energy A+B (which works out to about once a week).

 

[brainchild24]

Picture of the reactor.