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  #126  
Old 01/08/2008, 09:53 PM
TulsaReefer TulsaReefer is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by dkuster
Just as a followup, I tested the efluent water again over the weekend. Tank nitrates are somewhere between 25 and 50 ppm, while the efluent nitrates are reading 10 ppm. Not quite zero yet, but heading in the right direction.

I also tested for calcium. Main tank is at 400 ppm while efluent is at 420 ppm. So the sulfur denitrator does add some calcium.
Yep, the reduction of nitrate by sulfur results in some free acid (H+), which can then in turn dissolve the calcium carbonate in the unit, resulting in a rise in the effluent calcium. The formula I saw for the reaction (from this article CHEMISTRY AND THE AQUARIUM by RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY ) is:

2 H2O + 5 S + 6 NO3- -> 3 N2 + 5 SO4-- + 4 H+

Which does produce some free H+. My own experience has been that after the initial drop of nitrate, my tank now doesn't really have enough nitrate on a continuous basis to really result in any significant amount of calcium being released into my tank.
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  #127  
Old 01/08/2008, 10:05 PM
TulsaReefer TulsaReefer is offline
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Looked back at my log from when I put my unit in. My tank was reading around 40 on Nitrate when I installed it. The unit took about 7 days to hit 20 on the effluent, and another 5 days after that to hit zero. So a total of 12 days to hit zero at 1 drop per second, and my unit at that time had a pretty big sulfur load in it, probably about 4 to 5 inches in the 7" diameter tube it has in it. Then once I increased the drip rate to 120 drop per minute, and it took almost 20 days to hit zero again. But then when I increased to 180 drops per minute, it only took about 7 days to get back down to zero.

One thing to consider, if your unit is outside the sump, and the room is pretty cool, it may be retarding the bacterial growth. I remember one person was having trouble getting this unit to break in, and his was in his basement, so the unit was getting really cool, low 60's. He moved it to be inside the sump, and it was much better. The bacterial growth at a low temp is much slower than at a higher temp. If you wanted, you might even try putting the unit in a water bath, maybe a tub of some sort, and dropping in an extra heater, and bringing the temp up to the low 80's. A few degrees can increase bacterial growth quite a bit, and it might help kick start the bacteria into high gear. Just a thought, but if you've got the extra equipment sitting around, and you find your effluent is pretty cool (take a sample, and check it), you might give it a a try.
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Lee
  #128  
Old 01/08/2008, 10:19 PM
melev melev is offline
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I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for that.
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  #129  
Old 01/08/2008, 10:44 PM
dkuster dkuster is offline
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I've noticed a slight drop in alkalinity. Say, from 1300 ppm to around 1250 ppm.

I'm making adjustments to bring it back up.


Quote:
Originally posted by IBASSFSH
dkuster how has your alkalinity been holding up? Anyone else?
  #130  
Old 01/09/2008, 12:08 PM
dkuster dkuster is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by dkuster
I've noticed a slight drop in alkalinity. Say, from 1300 ppm to around 1250 ppm.

I'm making adjustments to bring it back up.
D'Oh! That's my magnesium level, not alkalinity. Sorry, my bad.

My alk dropped from about 125 ppm to 120 ppm...
  #131  
Old 01/09/2008, 01:56 PM
seattownreefer seattownreefer is offline
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setup

Quote:
Originally posted by sanababit
hello guys, just ran into this post and wanted to share my experience with sulphur based denitrifiers, i build one myself out of a phosban reactor, no-no3 media from carib sea, mj1200 pump, 1/4 tubing and 1/4 ball valves, i let this thing run for 7 days getting nitrites and nitrates off the roof, ph was at 7.8, then after the break in period my trites and trates went to 0, i dropped my nitrate from 25ppm to 0 ppm in a month.

2 things to remember, at start up, send all the outflow from denitrifier to a bucket so you dont send anything you dont want into your tank and at first set the outflow of denitrifier at about a drop a second until the break in period is over you can increase the outflow

and now for the good part, here are some pictures.

here are the results

well just wanted to share, happy holidays

sana
im gonna try your setup and ordered the parts through marine depot. i have a couple questions if you dont mind. why the mj1200, isnt it to much gph for the sulfur? was it hard controlling the rate with the 1/4in ball valve due to the pressure of the pump? i cant tell by the pic, did ya fill up all the way with sulfur and then an inch of crushed coral? what was your drip rate? thanks
apollo
  #132  
Old 01/09/2008, 03:03 PM
packer packer is offline
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These units run at a slow rate. At a higher rate I think the unit would not be void of O2 and the bacteria to deal with nitrate need to have that void. Also the units have a pump to circulate the water within the chamber, allowing for no dead spots and acculimation of "sulphur rotten egg issues".
  #133  
Old 01/09/2008, 04:24 PM
seattownreefer seattownreefer is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by packer
These units run at a slow rate. At a higher rate I think the unit would not be void of O2 and the bacteria to deal with nitrate need to have that void. Also the units have a pump to circulate the water within the chamber, allowing for no dead spots and acculimation of "sulphur rotten egg issues".
which unit are ya refering to?
  #134  
Old 01/09/2008, 04:59 PM
sanababit sanababit is offline
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hello seattownreefer, i got an mj1200 because the pump is used on two more reactors, one with phosban, one with carbon and the other with no-no3 sulphur media, this thing pumps like 250 gph and i had it at hand, so i divide the flow between the three.

the reactor is filled up with no-no3 media from one sponge to the other, since the media comes blended with aragonite you will not need to add calcium media, the drip rate can be worked with the ball valve, first start at one drop a second, it can be done.

remember test, test, test, until you are happy with the nitrate coming out off your denitrifier, it will take like 7 days for the reactor to cycle. good luck

sana
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What the heck is that new thing in my tank?
  #135  
Old 01/09/2008, 05:03 PM
sanababit sanababit is offline
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on a side note, please take note that the outflow of the denitrifier will have low ph, like 7.8 or so, this is IMO did not have an impact on my tank, you should also keep an eye on alk, again IME it did lower my alk a bit, i just dose a little bit more of 2 part, my next step from here is getting a calcium reactor and making my tank as self sufficient as i can.
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What the heck is that new thing in my tank?
  #136  
Old 01/09/2008, 05:38 PM
seattownreefer seattownreefer is offline
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thanks sanabit!. i see that you have a sump, where abouts did ya drip the effluent from the sulphur reactor? back to the return pump? the order of sequence for your 3 stage was sulphur, phosphate, then carbon? thanks
apollo
  #137  
Old 01/10/2008, 12:58 AM
sanababit sanababit is offline
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seattownw, the pump is pumping to three different reactors, so i divided the flow between the 3, i did not daisy chain them togheter, if you just want to make a denitrifier you can use a smaller pump, one that pumps 40 gph perhaps, or if you have a sump, tee off of the return pump and send it to your denitrifier.

remember 1 drop a second for 7 days, test, and after you feel good with results you can up the outflow to 2-3 drops a second
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What the heck is that new thing in my tank?
  #138  
Old 01/10/2008, 01:48 AM
seattownreefer seattownreefer is offline
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thanks for the tips and clarification.
Quote:
Originally posted by sanababit
seattownw, the pump is pumping to three different reactors, so i divided the flow between the 3, i did not daisy chain them togheter, if you just want to make a denitrifier you can use a smaller pump, one that pumps 40 gph perhaps, or if you have a sump, tee off of the return pump and send it to your denitrifier.

remember 1 drop a second for 7 days, test, and after you feel good with results you can up the outflow to 2-3 drops a second
  #139  
Old 01/10/2008, 01:22 PM
packer packer is offline
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I have a Midwest Aquatic unit. The phos reactor DIY seems great but I wonder about clogging media issues over time with it. The way it is running it seems the flow is by drip line only with no internal circulation created via a pump as with the Midwest or Korralin units that have an Ehim pump on top of the unit. Would love an update in a few months on how the DIY is going.
  #140  
Old 01/10/2008, 01:40 PM
seattownreefer seattownreefer is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: seattle
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Quote:
Originally posted by packer
I have a Midwest Aquatic unit. The phos reactor DIY seems great but I wonder about clogging media issues over time with it. The way it is running it seems the flow is by drip line only with no internal circulation created via a pump as with the Midwest or Korralin units that have an Ehim pump on top of the unit. Would love an update in a few months on how the DIY is going.
will do. the tlf phosban reactor at least has a upflow design. so if ya at least get the flow adjusted to a drip, i believe it will work.
 

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