DSB in a bucket for nitrate control - Page 12

mr.wilson · #**276** 02/05/2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lewy
How about I rub it in a bit more and take some pics at the LFS of some locally caught black and white ocellaris.

I guess a population that evolved from apes and marooned prisoners deserves such a beautiful paradise.

Are there any fish exporters in Darwin? I have an importing company in Canada.

RichConley · #**277** 02/05/2007, 02:45 PM

Yikes. I'd be worried about people doing mean things to my outdoor sumps.

tgunn · #**278** 02/05/2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
Yikes. I'd be worried about people doing mean things to my outdoor sumps.

If it was actually warm enough here to have my sump outside I guess I'd have to worry about all the malathion they spray for mosquito control.

Tyler

Nitro350Z · #**279** 02/08/2007, 06:08 PM

I would like to say that I have read through the whole topic, all 52 pages so far.

I only have a small 12g nano, but I'll setup a RDSB to test it out and see what it does on my tank. Should also help as it does add volume to my tank and should make it a little bit easier controlling levels. I only wish I had enough room for a sump. Since I don't have a sump, I'm setting up as a pressurized closed system. the top of the bucket being held in place by a steel X construction with 4 clamps which hold onto the side of the bucket and silicon along the rim.

My tank has only been running for a few months and has a very small bio-load. Only a few hermits, snails and Xenia are in it. This should help me out later when I get around to adding more livestock.

Just to end, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who contributed to this really lengthy thread. It was a very interesting read.

the other tang · #**280** 02/09/2007, 02:54 PM

Nitro, since you read the entire thread I am probably repeating myself but here goes. I had a short run with my first rsdb but will fire my new one up tonight. What i think I learned is this. By seeding my rsdb with livesand from the bottom of my 4"sb i think I sped up the process some. How much, I really don't know and don't think this is knowable. What I did see was a drop in Nitrates in 2 weeks, not to 0 but it was young.

Has anyone tried this? First what is the minimum temp for the bacteria to thrive? I want to run a closed loop through the rsdb contained in tubing coil divoriced from the rdsb itself from a cold water source. Again the water will not be mixing with water in the rsdb, just circulating this is not a denitrator or an attempt at one. I don't need much of a drop in the summer only 2-4 degrees. The rsdb itself could accomplish this sitting on the concrete floor, but to early to tell in the new house.

nyvp · #**281** 02/09/2007, 04:38 PM

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...77#post9201077

48x24x12 400lbs of sand fed by 4 phosban reactors

cristhiam · #**282** 02/09/2007, 04:55 PM

Quick question on the RDSB, I don't have a sump can I tight seal the 5G bucket? with seleacone? and use a pump strong enough to push water down and then up? about 5'? Thanks

Nitro350Z · #**283** 02/09/2007, 05:56 PM

You could do that, but the pressure that would be exerted on the bucket lid would be immense. You'd have to do something like I did with the clamps, better yet you need a thick walled water container that has a small lid.

If its a closed system, then the pump doesn't need to be very strong because the water thats going down one tube is also pushing the water up in the return, your pump just feels the pressure from the water that is above it(the pump that is). The problem is with the container, a large surface area with even a small pressure is enough to pop the lid if its not properly sealed and held shut. A few dozen pages back someone showed the numbers. I have only about a 1ft of head pressure on the bucket and thats ~100lbs on the lid on a 4g bucket.

Would be a lot easier if you had either a container with a really small lid, or if you could get it closer to your display.

HTH

cristhiam · #**284** 02/09/2007, 08:26 PM

I have a 5G salt bucket , the one that twist to close, will a MJ 1200 be able to push water? or I need a bigger pump. I guess I have to play with it and see. I'm in between this and a denitrator sure the DSB sounds easier.

the other tang · #**285** 02/10/2007, 11:33 AM

Nitro is dead on, I tried to use a water container with a 3" lid as stated a couple pages back and instead of the lid the side wall was the weakest link and blew. I am now building a IO salt bucket and did silicon the lid on. i am fairly confident the lid will stay sealed, the lid itself is my concern, i read the post nitro is referring to, my head psi is only 2 static. The surface of the lid will be the problem if there is one, I might try to elevate the entire thing to help this. I will post results as I am firing it up today.

cristhiam · #**286** 02/10/2007, 04:08 PM

That's the same 5G bucket I have, it looks thick and the lid is the one that screws, but not sure. What kind of pump are you going to use? let use know how it works, do you have a pic?

the other tang · #**287** 02/10/2007, 04:43 PM

I am using a mj1200 as recommended way back in this thread. It works great, I am flushing the sand as we speak it has a slight sulphur smell since i changed container. I am just doing my water change through it slooooowly to flush it. i let about 1g through then stop for an hour and repeat. The smell is not nearly as strong now, 5g to go. I can tell you the normally flat lid is convex under the head pressure alone, not sure exactly how much pressure the pump and resistance will add. i don't have pics yet, i have a new camera and need to play with it. I also need to get photo shop in a bad way.

timrandlerv10 · #**288** 02/11/2007, 07:09 PM

1) i read the whole @#$#@ thing
2) to that guy in australia...put some neat things in your fuge for me...i'll be by to pick them up next summer. winter. june.
3) why the discussion about pressure? there is something i am just NOT GETTING.
4) my hopes:

i have an over flow that will come down 2 feet, land on one end of a 10G, go through a bubble barrier, hit 6" of cheato and maybe something else (bare bottom, maybe some rubble, NO SAND), then get skimmed, then drop another 2 feet, bend 90 degrees, then go across this:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/pro...uct%5Fid=19339

then fall out the other side through a 1" bulkhead, then get mag 5'd back up to the top of my tank where it comes out of a 1/2" pvc through a hydor onto my nem.

i havent CUT/DRILLED anything yet, so feel free to make corrections and suggestions now.

after i start cutting, i dont want to hear it!!!

i dont have the bucket or bulkheads yet, and after those two purchases, i can prolly sneak another 30-40 bucks.

fire away!

(PS--n-ates around 10. always. hate that.)

Phillybean · #**289** 02/12/2007, 12:22 AM

Would a RDSB work in a sump instead of a bucket? I have a remote fuge.

the other tang · #**290** 02/12/2007, 09:27 AM

Tim, i think you are on the right track. With the lid just make sure it has planty of reurn capacity and go.

Philly, Sure it has been done for years. There are a few advantages of a remote but in sump works well. Some even sit a bucket in the sump, best of both worlds.

RichConley · #**291** 02/12/2007, 12:29 PM

5 gallon water cooler bottle. 5 gallon water cooler bottle....

the other tang · #**292** 02/12/2007, 01:45 PM

Rich there was a pic somewhere of a 5g water cooler bottle. I can't find it. I could probably figure out how to seal it if I tried , but it's easier to reverse engineer. The pic was decent but if I remember it either didn't have a detailed description or a close up of exactly how he did it. I can put mine in a low light area and would like to watch sedient and such so the clear container would be handy.

silverwolf72 · #**293** 02/22/2007, 02:34 PM

Just curious if any one had tried having the water enter at a right angle and have the drain in the middle. This would create a whirl pool and should increase the contact time with the sand bed.

Safedad · #**294** 02/22/2007, 04:14 PM

Silverwolf, I am using a 5 gal bucket and have 90 degree couplings at the entrance and exit tubes. They are close to each other so the water will "theoretically" travel around the top before exiting. In my case, I chose this setup to fit my space.

Safedad · #**295** 02/22/2007, 04:18 PM

After reading my reply I am not sure it was clear. Stated another way: The inlet line enters the top of the bucket and then is diverted 90 degrees. It theoretically flows around the inside top edge of the bucket. After going almost all the way around there is another 90 degree (facing the opposite direction as the inlet) that turns the water into the exit line and in my case back into the sump.

silverwolf72 · #**296** 02/22/2007, 06:40 PM

I think you might have a issue with stuff collecting in the middle, thats why I was think of having the drain in the middle instead of the outside.

the other tang · #**297** 02/23/2007, 10:04 AM

Does anyone have a way of capping a 5g water cooler jug for this? I know I can rig it up, but would rather use something thats proven.

Safedad · #**298** 02/23/2007, 10:54 PM

Silverwolf, You could be right. My water goes through a filter sock and my red torpedo filter full of TBPC carbon before ending up in the RDSB. I don't plan on opening it up for years, but when I do, we'll find out.
??Who am I kidding about leaving anything alone for years in this hobby!

PaintGuru · #**299** 02/26/2007, 10:14 AM

Is there any reason you can not do a slower flow through the unit assuming detritus is not enterting with it? I think if I pop this in my sump area, the ideal source, without making me add another pump, would be water from my phosphate reactor. Thoughts?

the other tang · #**300** 02/26/2007, 11:26 AM

Paint guru this was talked about some oh 15-20 pages back in this thread at some length. You can probable get most of your questions answered there. I think the issie with that is tuning it correctly as oppposed to the idiot proof flow over method. The flow through would make it more like a coil denitrator and need proper tuning as not to as o2 to the entire sand bed.