New sulfur denitrator working great!

[Jon_W79]

Forgive me here, trying to understand this further. Are you saying that while my nitrate levels are high maybe nutrients available to the corals are low and still available as a food source that carbon dosing won't utilize? I have over-simplified the heck out of this but just trying to make more sense here.




Could it be that the media wasn't bad and that by taking it out and putting it back together had a better air tight seal? Not questioning just trying to find out the reason sulfur wouldn't work?

I still think that you might have an air leak on the recirculation pump. An easy test for an air leak, and possible solution would be to take most of the pump cover off and put the pump in a container of aquarium water, and make it so the SD output goes into the container(this is what I'm doing). You may want to start over at one drop a minute(about 3.33 ml). If this makes the nitrite go away, then you found the cause of the nitrite.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

I still think that you might have an air leak on the recirculation pump. An easy test for an air leak, and possible solution would be to take most of the pump cover off and put the pump in a container of aquarium water, and make it so the SD output goes into the container(this is what I'm doing). You may want to start over at one drop a minute(about 3.33 ml). If this makes the nitrite go away, then you found the cause of the nitrite.

I'm not sure I understand, what would I be looking for? Are you saying put the denitrator in a bucket of aquarium water to the point the recirc pump is submerged?

 

[Jon_W79]

I still think that you might have an air leak on the recirculation pump. An easy test for an air leak, and possible solution would be to take most of the pump cover off and put the pump in a container of aquarium water, and make it so the SD output goes into the container(this is what I'm doing). You may want to start over at one drop a minute(about 3.33 ml). If this makes the nitrite go away, then you found the cause of the nitrite.

I'm not sure I understand, what would I be looking for? Are you saying put the denitrator in a bucket of aquarium water to the point the recirc pump is submerged?

You would be looking for your nitrite test showing that there is zero nitrite. I think this picture explains what I'm talking about. This keeps air from getting into the pump and into the SD.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

You would be looking for your nitrite test showing that there is zero nitrite. I think this picture explains what I'm talking about. This keeps air from getting into the pump and into the SD.

Absolutely! Thank you!

 

[NO3]

Forgive me here, trying to understand this further. Are you saying that while my nitrate levels are high maybe nutrients available to the corals are low and still available as a food source that carbon dosing won't utilize? I have over-simplified the heck out of this but just trying to make more sense here.




Could it be that the media wasn't bad and that by taking it out and putting it back together had a better air tight seal? Not questioning just trying to find out the reason sulfur wouldn't work?

It's a good questions and I certainly don't have the correct answer. I can only speak for myself, I didn't have a air tight seal the first time I set mine up. I thought to myself, the media is probably bad now so I replaced it.

NO3

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Just an update, nitrites sky high. Maybe I created a nitrite generator. It really sucks that science only gets you so far in this hobby. Nothing is ever cut and dry, there is no such thing as “do x and y will happen”. There is just so much we don’t know about reef chemistry to where we just have to guess.

nobody knows why these things produce nitrites and what to do if they get “stuck”. It seems my cycle is stuck. I remember reading a scientists debate here about how he swore up and down that cycles can’t get “stuck” and little ole community college me Just shut him down with real world data... take that!

one more week of this $200 dollar nitrite creator before I throw it into a wall outside. I also am doubting any scientific theory that nitrates are even bad at this point. I am now closing in on 100 and my sps are fine. It’s all a guessing game at this point.

my system is immune to processing nutrients and my nitrate levels are stuck. I don’t need a fancy PhD in science to tell em otherwise... so frustrating! I bet if I stopped skimming my nutrient levels will stay the same...

 

[NO3]

Hello all,
Hope everyone is doing well and your fish are happy. I just wanted to give an update on my tank. All of my readings are zero and I added some fish yesterday. Just took a quick video

NO3

 

[NO3]

I’m not sure why the video isn’t playing

NO3

 

[mtfish]

So I was watching the inside of the chamber and see active bubbles rising through the sulfur and calcium media to either get sucked out the effluent or back through the recirc pump.

Still a high amount of nitrites (YES NITRITES, not NITRATES) and I just simply wish I knew what that means! I read that nitrites are part of the process but when I seem "stuck" I am not sure if that means I don't have enough sulfur, my bacteria colony isn't mature or if I have an air leak somehow?

I ordered Bacter M to kick start this thing, its apparently designed to kick start sulfur denitrators.

Could my water/tank be incapable of growing bacteria? I have never had nitrate issues over the past 4 years and now I am approaching 50+ with very minimal feeding! Carbon dosing never worked (tried for over 6 months with zero results). Large water changes also don't seem to do anything. (changed 800G on my 350G over 3 days and it barely made a dent)

I have tried 4 different nitrate test kits as well as had two LFS confirm my readings are correct. I think my tank decided it's going to be immune to any attempt to lower nitrates and laughs at science. I pretty dang frustrated at this point, I really have a hard time not getting triggered. While I don't have coral problems I know that if nitrates keep rising I am going to reach critical mass. It's like a pressure tank that keeps rising. At what point do corals die from too high nitrates? 100? 200? 300? over the coarse of 6 months I have gone from 0-5 to 50+ (test kits are so far orange/pink I don't even know what they are)

Here is a link that may help. Nitrite stalls when incomplete. Need to slow drip rate to reduce NO3 before it will consume NO2.

nitrite in sulphur reactor - Reef Central Online Community

nitrite in sulphur reactor The Reef Chemistry Forum

www.reefcentral.com

 

[purp]

Just an update, nitrites sky high. Maybe I created a nitrite generator. It really sucks that science only gets you so far in this hobby. Nothing is ever cut and dry, there is no such thing as “do x and y will happen”. There is just so much we don’t know about reef chemistry to where we just have to guess.

nobody knows why these things produce nitrites and what to do if they get “stuck”. It seems my cycle is stuck. I remember reading a scientists debate here about how he swore up and down that cycles can’t get “stuck” and little ole community college me Just shut him down with real world data... take that!

one more week of this $200 dollar nitrite creator before I throw it into a wall outside. I also am doubting any scientific theory that nitrates are even bad at this point. I am now closing in on 100 and my sps are fine. It’s all a guessing game at this point.

my system is immune to processing nutrients and my nitrate levels are stuck. I don’t need a fancy PhD in science to tell em otherwise... so frustrating! I bet if I stopped skimming my nutrient levels will stay the same...

How confident are you in your nitrite test kit? Any time i get weird readings, i retest, and if they still dont make sense confirm with another test kit entirely. A test kit using a different method would be even better. If two methods confirm the results, I would feel much more confident in the outcome.

 

[BugXprt]

If extra air or bubbles are trapped in the denitrator got this response from aquamaxx.
Bubbles trapped in the denitrator is a natural part of the denitrification process, and can be purged by tilting the reactor and running the effluent fully open. After purging, you can return back to the normal rate.

Thanks,

AquaMaxx Technical Support


I was wondering if you still have any problems, I'm dealing with air, and my nitrates still seem high. I have a YouTube video on skullreefer. Last video shows my Denitrator. Thoughts?

 

[BugXprt]

i just read the first page,
i have been using Korallin Sulphur denitrator for about 8-10 yrs.
Slow drip will cause hydrogen sulfide gas which in large numbers is deadly to fish. first sign will be smell. second fish will swim like drunk.
As the bacteria matures you will need to adjust the flow. making it flow faster, or else H2S gas will form.
Mine is almost fully opened on flow. it works so well that Nitrates remain 0 but i dont want them to be 0 so i dose Sodium Nitrate to keep it at 2-5ppm.

Doing so will deplete alkalinity fast and drop pH so compensate for that.

What about all the gas being produced and having high nitrates still with effluent. Fix?

 

[BugXprt]

My NO3 only became an issue when my tank inadvertently became a fish only tank. And laziness and overfeeding probably. When I had it jam packed with corals I couldn't keep NO3 up. Glad all is back on track.

What second release valve are you talking about? I do see a bunch of air bubbles I haven't seen before which I believe is N2 gas.

Can you help me, please watch my latest upload for my issue, sound like maybe you had same. Solution?

 

[SeaDweller]

Can you help me, please watch my latest upload for my issue, sound like maybe you had same. Solution?

What issue are we talking about?
1) my laziness?
2) lack of NO3 with corals?
3) gas bubbles?
If you’re talking about your high NO3, you’re probably gonna want to do multiple 50%+ WC to get them down to easier to manage levels.
Your effluent became dark red/purple almost immediately which tells me either your reactor isn’t broken in yet (probable) or your tank is really 100+ ppm. Mine was 300. I had to do 5 or so 120 gallon water changes all within 1-2 weeks. Is that what you’re referring to?

 

[BugXprt]

What issue are we talking about?
1) my laziness?
2) lack of NO3 with corals?
3) gas bubbles?
If you’re talking about your high NO3, you’re probably gonna want to do multiple 50%+ WC to get them down to easier to manage levels.
Your effluent became dark red/purple almost immediately which tells me either your reactor isn’t broken in yet (probable) or your tank is really 100+ ppm. Mine was 300. I had to do 5 or so 120 gallon water changes all within 1-2 weeks. Is that what you’re referring to?

Don't remember saying lazy, but maybe, my problem is the bubbles, it's been about 8 weeks or more now? If I slow down there is more gas. I'm wondering if the sulfer to compact with inadequate circulation of water through it, maybe I should mix all the media up to give more surface area room. Maybe?

 

[SeaDweller]

Don't remember saying lazy, but maybe, my problem is the bubbles, it's been about 8 weeks or more now? If I slow down there is more gas. I'm wondering if the sulfer to compact with inadequate circulation of water through it, maybe I should mix all the media up to give more surface area room. Maybe?

I just cleaned mine out cuz it was nasty. Detritus, biofilm, bacterial sludge... it was running but clogged, so efficiency was down. I never had gas build up. If you have gas build up, tip it so it runs out of the effluent line. It’s probably N2 gas being produced. So either your NO3 is really that high or your reaction in the SDN isn’t complete yet, based on the color of your effluent. The effluent should be clear on a salifert year if it’s working properly.

If it turns dark pink almost instantly there’s probably too much NO3 for it to process or is showing you a false positive.

Mine wasn’t running efficiently until I got the tank NO3 to about 15-25 ppm. Then it zipped right along, and I couldn’t keep up NO3 production. In my reactor I’m using the Skimz Sul Pur stuff (best IMO) and the small little prills from eBay.

 

[BugXprt]

When staring the SD, you have to let the bubbles out every day. For the first 2 weeks, I’d let the bubbles out twice a day. Then every day. Letting bubbles out is part of the process but it’s not the main IMHO. The main thing is time and patience. Trust me, I am the most impatient person there is but you just have to be.

You will see phases that occur in the SD. The water inside the reactor will become cloudy, when you see that raise the drip rate and it will become clear after a day or so. Then test your water and if the readings are high, go back to the slower rate.

NO3

Can we see someone letting bubbles out, I open my valve and it sucks in air, compromiseing the recirculating pump.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

@Jon_W79 was able to help me, his suggestion to take out some rocks and create more "blank" space at the top for water to set has gotten rid of my nitrite issue. I have about 4-5 inches of space above my calc media now.

I still get bubbles but that is not air from a bad connection, I feel that is from the reactor process inside. I just have to open the effluent out and tilt the unit until the air escapes out the effluent. Takes a bit of time...

Right now my tank is SLOWLY seeing lower nitrates and by slow I mean very slow but at least it's not going up! My effluent is now nitrite free but I am still seeing around 15 no3 via my test kits. The tank is now no longer deep pink on the kit which is good.

I am going to give it several months, at this point if I open up the drip rate will my bacteria colony catch up or am I hurting it by introducing too much oxygen inside?

***I Personally believe that because we no longer can buy the sulfur from the aquarium supply companies we are stuck with that stuff from ebay/amazon (prills). All the past reports of people seeing results within 8 weeks are due to the fact that their media may have been pre-seeded. If you look at folks using the prills, it seems they have eventually seen results but at a MUCH slower pace than the 8 weeks.

 

[Jon_W79]

I think you should reduce the drip rate enough so you can get 0 nitrate(or very close to it), and then increase it each day(if you measure 0 nitrate)1 drip a second, or about 3 ml a minute(I recommend that you use a measuring cup and a timer). I think that if you do some large water changes it might could help you increase the drip rate a lot faster(water changes might could get the drip rate you have now to measure 0 nitrates). If you dose some iron that might also help you increase the drip rate a lot faster. I'm injoying the results of my sulphur denitrator. Right now it's making almost 50 gallons of 0 nitrate water a day.

 

[nldemo]

What is the procedure because the last time i just took it off line and emptied it and then had to restart it again when the Nitrate went up. There must be a way to throttle these reactors down that still preserves some of the bacteria?

Just a shot in the dark, but what if you changed the media ratio? Something like 1/4 sulfur to 3/4 calcium?