can a sulfur denitrator be dangerous?

[Belgian Anthias]

Sulphur in the reefaquarium

Sulphur must have been very important in forming the oceans as there is a lot of it, mostly present as sulphate. But this sulphate content seems not to be very important for keeping reef aquaria as salt mixes do vary a lot in sulphate content. https://reefhub.pl/test-of-marine-salts/ Elemental...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[AndyB]

Hi all, thanks for the information in this thread its been really useful to me having just purchased a Korallin sulphur reactor. Am I right in my understanding that there there are conditions where H2S output could be an issue which is potentially dangerous to humans (i say potentially as i think there are a few variables that influence this).

Is just testing Nitrates going into the reactor a good enough test or would anyone recommend specifically testing for H2S?

Cheers
Andy

 

[jasonrusso]

Hi all, thanks for the information in this thread its been really useful to me having just purchased a Korallin sulphur reactor. Am I right in my understanding that there there are conditions where H2S output could be an issue which is potentially dangerous to humans (i say potentially as i think there are a few variables that influence this).

Is just testing Nitrates going into the reactor a good enough test or would anyone recommend specifically testing for H2S?

Cheers
Andy

The lethal level and the level that you can smell the H2S are very different. Basically, you will smell it LONG before it is harmful.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Hi all, thanks for the information in this thread its been really useful to me having just purchased a Korallin sulphur reactor. Am I right in my understanding that there there are conditions where H2S output could be an issue which is potentially dangerous to humans (i say potentially as i think there are a few variables that influence this).

Is just testing Nitrates going into the reactor a good enough test or would anyone recommend specifically testing for H2S?

Cheers
Andy

If used and managed as a BADES reactor ( the reactor is NOT kept anoxic) HS production will be used in the reactor for nitrate reduction, reproducing sulfate and or sulfur. In a marine aquarium, H2S is a small part of total HS production as most stays dissolved. If H2S is smelled a lot of HS is present and this is not normal. Normally, produced HS not used up for nitrate reduction will be oxidized if the reactor is not kept anoxic. Also, a BADES reactor system is always followed by an aeration device to drive out gasses as N2 and CO2 to stabilize pH and to nitrify any NO2 left over to nitrate. This device can be a skimmer or a bio-skimmer or just an airstone in a tube with some grit. If the flow rate is kept high enough the risk for H2S overproduction is about 0. In a BADES reactor managed to target 0 nitrates in the effluent sulfate reduction and HS production is unavoidable, but normally it is all used up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi all, thanks for the information in this thread its been really useful to me having just purchased a Korallin sulphur reactor. Am I right in my understanding that there there are conditions where H2S output could be an issue which is potentially dangerous to humans (i say potentially as i think there are a few variables that influence this).

Is just testing Nitrates going into the reactor a good enough test or would anyone recommend specifically testing for H2S?

Cheers
Andy

I do not think that H2S production in this setting is a human safety concern.