Poor Man's Nutrients Control - Donovan's Nitrate Destroyer

[Donovan Joannes]

Pretty cool concept.

So far it does the job pretty well. Surprisingly it works on PO4 too. Being poor man setup, the denitrator only cost less than USD10 yearly to run (cheap 80 proof vodka, a liter white vinegar and table sugar). My messy tank...

 

[Fishfinder]

Very cool

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Very cool

Thanks. Hopefully it will help a bit to reefers around the globe.

 

[pickupman66]

This is interesting. I have used off and on a Coil denitrator system over the years. it has worked fairly well, but somehow I keep getting away from it. I like this. it looks simple enough and I have an entire chamber in my sump I could house it in. I also have an extra channel on my doser. ill tag alog here.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

This is interesting. I have used off and on a Coil denitrator system over the years. it has worked fairly well, but somehow I keep getting away from it. I like this. it looks simple enough and I have an entire chamber in my sump I could house it in. I also have an extra channel on my doser. ill tag alog here.

Hi there. I tried coil denitrator as well but it clogged fairly fast. I have built close to 20 units of this design and they are working fine. Using auto doser for carbon addition is better, splitting the daily dosage is a good idea. Good luck to you

 

[ReefBeta]

Isn't it just basically nutrition reduction by carbon dosing? I could just dosing carbon and let the bacteria grow in bio filters, live rock/sand etc., right? Don't see the need for this reactor to allow carbon dosing to work.

 

[CNDReef]

This way there's more surface area for it to grow needing less live rock and not having the potential cyano outbreak in the display

 

[ReefBeta]

This way there's more surface area for it to grow needing less live rock and not having the potential cyano outbreak in the display

Yeah. I can see that as a level up bio filter for carbon dosing. But for a true poor man's build, it's easier to just start with a bottle of vodka, isn't it. If later it really show the need for additional biofiltration capacity, you can then add this reactor in. In my case, I never find the need to add additional biofiltration for the purpose of carbon dosing.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

This way there's more surface area for it to grow needing less live rock and not having the potential cyano outbreak in the display

You are right my friend. Not only cyano, a lot of things feeds on organic carbon if available. That is the reason why you have to go slow to avoid O2 depletion and crashing a tank.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Yeah. I can see that as a level up bio filter for carbon dosing. But for a true poor man's build, it's easier to just start with a bottle of vodka, isn't it. If later it really show the need for additional biofiltration capacity, you can then add this reactor in. In my case, I never find the need to add additional biofiltration for the purpose of carbon dosing.

You are correct also my friend. But in order for direct dosing to work, the surface area not only have to be huge, it must be able to host denitrfying bacteria in a low or absent O2. Which means it has to be deep in the rocks, how deep I don't know either. In a chambers like this, the aerobic and anaerobic zones are separated and maximised as O2 is consumed a long the way out, leaving a massive amount of denitrfying zone at the second chamber. Can you believe a 75G at 80ppm NO3 can be stripped of nitrate in 3 weeks?. I can strip my tank of NO3 in less than 2 days. Another pros of having bio media in a reactor are no bacterial bloom outside the chambers, less chances of over dosing (even in you accidentally over doing it, it will be consumed faster and clogged the reactor but will clear up on itself in a day or two by stopping dosing). I also read somewhere saying that the absent of light increases denitrfying process, so the dark chambers is another features well fitted the criteria. Why poor man?. No pump or light needed, easy and cheaply to build, cost almost nothing to keep it running.

 

[SteveO64]

Nice set up.

 

[qldbulldog]

G'day Donovan, this looks really easy, have you had any need to dismantle your reactor for cleaning/unclogging etc?
What amount of vodka (what a waste ) do you dose daily?
Thanks.

 

[CNDReef]

G'day Donovan, this looks really easy, have you had any need to dismantle your reactor for cleaning/unclogging etc?
What amount of vodka (what a waste ) do you dose daily?
Thanks.

I also agree it's a waste so for every ml I give my tank I do a shot lol

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Nice set up.

Thanks steve. I think its too simple and doesn't look appealing...

 

[Donovan Joannes]

G'day Donovan, this looks really easy, have you had any need to dismantle your reactor for cleaning/unclogging etc?
What amount of vodka (what a waste ) do you dose daily?
Thanks.

I was using a 3" pipe before, much taller than the current one. When my fountain pump went kaput and tripping my main supply, I rebuild this current unit from 4" pipe and reused back the media in it. I throw away most of the small rubble. I never dismantle the old unit (online since February 2016 until March or April this year). Currently dosing 5ml vodka daily. Yup, I like vodka as well but I bought a cheap vodka for my tank, USD 7 for a litre, mixed with vinegar and sugar. Last for a year LOL

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I also agree it's a waste so for every ml I give my tank I do a shot lol

I bought a better one for myself, Absolut vodka LOL

 

[jeff williams]

I'm curious, why can't you just use one type of media like matrix or de-nitrate in both sides of the reactor. This media harbors both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria? Have you tried this?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I'm curious, why can't you just use one type of media like matrix or de-nitrate in both sides of the reactor. This media harbors both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria? Have you tried this?

Simply because it will clogged. The different shapes and holes (rings) will ensure proper flow. Matrix or denitrate alone will re-arrange itself when shaken or move, reducing the areas that water can flow freely. Uneven shapes, big sizes balls (over 1") and the middle holes on rings prevent clogging even if the medias are coated with bacteria.

 

[Brad Vaughn]

I was using a 3" pipe before, much taller than the current one. When my fountain pump went kaput and tripping my main supply, I rebuild this current unit from 4" pipe and reused back the media in it. I throw away most of the small rubble. I never dismantle the old unit (online since February 2016 until March or April this year). Currently dosing 5ml vodka daily. Yup, I like vodka as well but I bought a cheap vodka for my tank, USD 7 for a litre, mixed with vinegar and sugar. Last for a year LOL

Donovan, what's your ratio of sugar and vinegar to vodka? Recipe?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Donovan, what's your ratio of sugar and vinegar to vodka? Recipe?

Same with DIY nopox for vinegar and vodka. I added a tea spoon of sugar for taste LOL. You can skip sugar if you like, even vodka alone will work.