Denitrator Help

FX CharityCorals · Dec 9, 2009

Ok Im a little confused.

I made a a DIY denitrator and it has been setup for about 2.5months. The problem is the ph coming out is 6.8 but the nitrates are the same going in as they are coming out? It seems like with the ph being low it should be anerobic at this point and reducing the nitrates

ReefGeezer · Dec 9, 2009

Do you smell any sulpher (rotten egg)?

FX CharityCorals · Dec 9, 2009

No its pretty clean smelling still, but the sulfur media is turning black but the drip rate is 1-2 a second yet.

ReefGeezer · Dec 9, 2009

Ah, sulpher denitrator. I'm afraid I'm not to smart about them. I can only guess is that the drip rate is too slow and sulphuric acid is being generated by anaerobic processes.

Paul_N · Dec 9, 2009

What sulphur media did you use? They have one that is seeded and one that is not. The one not seeded takes longer to "kick in". Make sure the drip rate is 1/sec to start and not 2/sec. To get it started that could make a difference since it's essentially 2X the flow rate.

FX CharityCorals · Dec 9, 2009

Caribsea LSM so the live version

Paul_N · Dec 9, 2009

You have a pic of the unit?

FX CharityCorals · Dec 10, 2009

No pic of the unit but its a 10 in RO Di unit cartridge and I have about 40 ft of line coiled running from a maxi jet into the unit to exhaust the oxygen before hitting the media.

Paul_N · Dec 10, 2009

BlackGPGT said:
I have about 40 ft of line coiled running from a maxi jet into the unit to exhaust the oxygen before hitting the media.

I never had to do this. My feed line was only 2 or 3 ft straight shot. How big is your tank and how much sulphur media do you have in your unit?

Here is a pic of the one I built. It was 24" tall and 4" dia pipe on a 100 gallon total system. The denitrator is the big unit to the right with the clear top. The feed line enters just below the maxijet that is a recirculating pump. I also had a maxi jet in the sump feeding it. My effluent from the denitrator would then go into the chamber behind it that was filled with ARM and this would bring the ph back up before entering the tank.

FX CharityCorals · Dec 10, 2009

I did the line to avoid plumbing in a recirc pump. I have a denitrator I built that has the recirc that is doing fine. Im just puzzled on the low ph but no reduction in nitrates on the other unit.

Paul_N · Dec 11, 2009

I would say the lack of recirculating flow may be causing your problem. So you're using a single canister from a RO/DI unit? I recall somebody on the thread when I was building mine did that and he also had problems. Not 100% sure.