Can a sulfur denitrator leak sulfur?

[Cory]

I built a sulfer denitrator tube thing. Its a 3" abs pipe with an end cap on one side and holes drilled all around it. Inside is filled with elemental sulfer (the yellow beads).

Ive noticed lately my tanks water has the exact same smell as elemental sulfer. It doesnt smell like h2s but elemental sulfer. Any ideas? Fish and coral seem fine as usual. No3 was previously 150ppm now its 2.5ppm.

 

[lapin]

You can pass the effluent thru crushed coral and that will help absorb the sulfate.

 

[Cory]

You can pass the effluent thru crushed coral and that will help absorb the sulfate.

This isnt a standard denitrator. Its a passive design. Theres no effluent. You think its h2s?

 

[Sam816]

Can you share some pics of your set up? I am interested in trying it in my system. My nitrates are bw 10-20ppm right now but I added 2 more fish recently. Expecting nitrates to rise.

 

[Reefvision]

I’m not sure, but I think without flow through the sulfur will start to break down / be consumed. It needs “ food “ (I.e.no3) . I noted if flow was off on my reactor fed by power head feed for more than aprox 1/2 hr or more , I would get the “smell “. After flow resumed it will stop. Hope you can get handle on this issue as I am curious if your design is viable. Bringing nitrate down from 150 to 1 seems very impressive to me.

 

[Cory]

Its not pretty but it works. Small holes drilled all around. End cap on bottom with a few holes. I zip tied some plastic rocks to it so it looks nicer from the front. Could be put in the sump. Oh and it put panty hose around it so none of tbe beads escape but now my emperor angel shreds it up. No beads came out, so its probably not needed.

 

[Cory]

Fwiw @Belgian Anthias inspired me to build one. But his design was just a filter sock (felt) filled with media in a low flow area. I wanted it to be stronger and put in my tank, at the moment i didnt have a sump. Now i do though.

 

[Cory]

Bump for Randy

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't think you can smell elemental sulfur. If you smell something, it is a breakdown product such as hydrogen sulfide or an oxide of sulfur.

 

[Cory]

I don't think you can smell elemental sulfur. If you smell something, it is a breakdown product such as hydrogen sulfide or an oxide of sulfur.

Do you think no3 is zero and thats why h2s is forming? Last i checked it was 2.5ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you think no3 is zero and thats why h2s is forming? Last i checked it was 2.5ppm.

Does the starting sulfur have any odor before going in?

There generally is some overlap between the consumption of different electron acceptors (O2, nitrate, S, etc.) so it is not always one completely used up then the next in line starts being used.

 

[Cory]

Does the starting sulfur have any odor before going in?

There generally is some overlap between the consumption of different electron acceptors (O2, nitrate, S, etc.) so it is not always one completely used up then the next in line starts being used.

Yes the sulfur beads had a slight h2s smell before going in. But now the tanks water smells like that faintly in the sump or aquarium. Its been 3 or 4 months since its been setup and this is the first time ive noticed this smell in the water. Normal? Safe?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes the sulfur beads had a slight h2s smell before going in. But now the tanks water smells like that faintly in the sump or aquarium. Its been 3 or 4 months since its been setup and this is the first time ive noticed this smell in the water. Normal? Safe?

I'm not sure. Sorry to be inconclusive.

 

[Cory]

Heres an update. After adding a beckett skimmer with a pan world ps 200 running it, the smell is gone! Previously i just had a diy airstone skimmer that was very lacking in performance.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Fwiw @Belgian Anthias inspired me to build one. But his design was just a filter sock (felt) filled with media in a low flow area. I wanted it to be stronger and put in my tank, at the moment i didnt have a sump. Now i do though.

BADES columns are only one of many possible BADES applications and can and should be used in high flow areas. It has the combined function of a remineralization filter and a denitrator. it has a high biological oxygen demand ( BOD). Did I advise it must be placed in a low flow area? I do not think so.
As far as I recall you did not follow the basic rules for making BADES columns. The Basic rules are based on proper research and testing, not giving problems. ref MB Anthias2020

BADES-rolls may not be more than 4-5cm thick, with the filter cloth of 0.5 to 1 cm.. This is for a reason. For using BADES we try to prevent anoxic conditions! What did you do in an attempt to make it stronger?
BADES rolls are very effective in removing nitrogen and nitrate following the basics. Too much nitrogen and nitrate may be removed if not managed.

Filter systems based on BADES do not need to be anoxic.


A filter based on BADES -columns is meant to be used in a high nutrient system. with enough ammonium and nitrate production. ( aerobic remineralisation capacity!)

I always advise to us a refuge for filtration proposes, for any filtration method, as this gives the possibility to manage the flow to and from the filter with the tank and the internal flow separately, this makes it possible to manage BOD and DO content and the nitrate level in the system as desired.



If H2S is smelled this means the water is satisfied with HS. If HS is produced, it does not come from the sulfur , it comes from sulfate reduction. Autotrophic denitrification does remove HS if nitrate is available sufficiently.

 

[Cory]

BADES columns are only one of many possible BADES applications and can and should be used in high flow areas. It has the combined function of a remineralization filter and a denitrator. it has a high biological oxygen demand ( BOD). Did I advise it must be placed in a low flow area? I do not think so.
As far as I recall you did not follow the basic rules for making BADES columns. The Basic rules are based on proper research and testing, not giving problems. ref MB Anthias2020

BADES-rolls may not be more than 4-5cm thick, with the filter cloth of 0.5 to 1 cm.. This is for a reason. For using BADES we try to prevent anoxic conditions! What did you do in an attempt to make it stronger?
BADES rolls are very effective in removing nitrogen and nitrate following the basics. Too much nitrogen and nitrate may be removed if not managed.

Filter systems based on BADES do not need to be anoxic.


A filter based on BADES -columns is meant to be used in a high nutrient system. with enough ammonium and nitrate production. ( aerobic remineralisation capacity!)

I always advise to us a refuge for filtration proposes, for any filtration method, as this gives the possibility to manage the flow to and from the filter with the tank and the internal flow separately, this makes it possible to manage BOD and DO content and the nitrate level in the system as desired.



If H2S is smelled this means the water is satisfied with HS. If HS is produced, it does not come from the sulfur , it comes from sulfate reduction. Autotrophic denitrification does remove HS if nitrate is available sufficiently.

Thanks for the reply. This is my own version. It it not bades but an adaptation. I used a pipe with holes because it was in my display tank. Rolls in tbe sump hext build.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If H2S is smelled this means the water is satisfied with HS. If HS is produced, it does not come from the sulfur , it comes from sulfate reduction. Autotrophic denitrification does remove HS if nitrate is available sufficiently.

I'm not sure I understand the terms you are using, but if you mean:

"If H2S is smelled this means the water is saturated with H2S"

then that is not true. No volatile compound in seawater needs to be saturated (that is, at its solubility limit) to enter the air and be detected by smell.

 

[Cory]

If zero no3 does that mean the sulfur bacteria are increasing sulfate in my water?

 

[Reefvision]

My understanding of this process which I am not sure is correct at all is that the sulpher needs to be in fed oxygen rich flow and "regulated" to keep sulpher bacteria from consuming itself without food(no3) . I am using something similar to what @Belgian Anthias describes to slow feed/ faster feed water flow to keep No3 at ok level ( I am @ 2ppm today) after starting approx 2 months ago . Taking baby steps lol.started above 30 ppm .

 

[Cory]

My understanding of this process which I am not sure is correct at all is that the sulpher needs to be in fed oxygen rich flow and "regulated" to keep sulpher bacteria from consuming itself without food(no3) . I am using something similar to what @Belgian Anthias describes to slow feed/ faster feed water flow to keep No3 at ok level ( I am @ 2ppm today) after starting approx 2 months ago . Taking baby steps lol.started above 30 ppm .

Im at the same like 2-3ppm via salifert. Brought from 150ppm to 2.5ppm no3. I actually have to read it from the side which is pink. From the top it looks clearish.