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

[Ponraj A]

It depends on the tank and setup, for me my reactor works just fine with no vodka, less than 1ppm when i last tested after stopping vodka

I am currently dosing 12ml of VSV per day at the rate of 1ml for every two hours. My nitrate is standing still at 2.5ppm (Salifert) with heavy feeding of 4 times a day (artemia, black worms, TDO pellets & DIY shrimp meat). I have tried reducing my dosage to 8ml per day and my nitrate went till 5ppm. I am having less rocks than you may be around 15kgs and sand bed of 2.5". Below are the things I like to change and plan to do by this week,

• To get bacterial bio diversity, I am planning to start with the dosage of Prodibio biodigest and Bioptim
• Want to reduce the carbon dosing as my pH is swinging from 7.99 to 8.18 for 24hrs with alk of 8.4dkh.

Do you have any suggestions please.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

What size pump would you recommend ? I have a Mj 1200 on it now put notice it was very strong for the reactor during water test had to keep the gate valve almost closed

Hope there’s no more leaks this time [emoji23]

I like.

 

[chicago]

Just left Lowe’s. Some big. 6 inch pipe with y connectors and caps. Thinking of capping the end of the y so stands up straight. Then second chamber is the angled y. It will hold a lot of media even at only two feet.

Do have a question. Who is using the yellow balls. Ceramic sold on Amazon’s?

 

[chicago]

Looking at this stuff on amazon

 

[CNDReef]

I don’t see why you couldn’t use that

 

[chicago]

Next question. Of those of you using these. Do you have also other media in the sumps. I say this because I saw a video where the poster thought that in order to reduce nitrate the whole process had to take place in the block. They suggested. That if only nitrate was being processed that the reaction did not work. Stated another way he believed the whole amonia to nitrite to nitrate to nitrogen gas all had to take place close to each other within a single block. Marine pure block, I personally disagree as the Arobic Bactria are everywhere for the ammonia to nitrite to nitrate process.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hope this isnt a side track. Just found out like 4 days ago, product eliminates ammonia(absorbs) so no nitrates.
Zeovit.

 

[Khaotic]

I use aquaneat from amazon, its probably the cheapest solution. I put other media in my sump but only because i had extra after i built my reactor. The whole process will take place in the reactor if you have the flow adjusted right. The goal is to let all the oxygen in the water be used up before it reaches the end of the reactor because the bacteria you need requires a lack of oxygen.

 

[chicago]

i am building this as a denitrator.. i am not removing all my biological

 

[Khaotic]

i am building this as a denitrator.. i am not removing all my biological

You dont need to. I use this, a dsb, and cheato to keep my nitrates under 2ppm. Prior to cheato it was still 2ppm. This is a good method, mine just requires flow adjustments every few days as i guess the valve is closing itself? Idk.

 

[chicago]

so is this the only manner you control the biological exchanges.. ? i will not be relying solely on this for that.. i cant.. too many fish ect.. i was going to install this to lower nitrates

 

[crs751]

Need some help dealing with an odor coming from my reactor. I've had this running for several months and recently noticed a strong odor from the discharge. It is not a sulfur smell but more like a vinegar smell. I does a mixture of vodka and vinegar, but mostly vodka. The odor is strongest when I increase flow through the reactor. I was doing 10ml/day but reduced it to 5ml/day. What does anyone recommend to solve this issue?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I've had that too. Now when this does happen, not often, my diy denitrator I close incoming effluent valve and out going valve let it circulate within reactor for 2 days , helps some times. Mines a sulfur denitrator. Hope this helps.

 

[Khaotic]

so is this the only manner you control the biological exchanges.. ? i will not be relying solely on this for that.. i cant.. too many fish ect.. i was going to install this to lower nitrates

This is pretty much it, i have a 4x4ft deep sand bed 4-6 inches, maybe deeper in some areas. 250+lbs of rock. I have a skimmer but after i finally got it dialed in the pump died.

I feed pretty heavy and its been fine.

This will work wonders if you need some extra filtration to lower nitrates.

 

[Khaotic]

Need some help dealing with an odor coming from my reactor. I've had this running for several months and recently noticed a strong odor from the discharge. It is not a sulfur smell but more like a vinegar smell. I does a mixture of vodka and vinegar, but mostly vodka. The odor is strongest when I increase flow through the reactor. I was doing 10ml/day but reduced it to 5ml/day. What does anyone recommend to solve this issue?

Im not sure, i quit dosing anything into my reactor, i would guess maybe the flow is too much to use up everything you are dosing into it so you are smelling some coming out. How much water are you flowing through your reactor?

 

[crs751]

Not really sure of the flow, but I did reprogram the dose to 2ml per day. Maybe I'll limit the days of the week too.

 

[Khaotic]

Not really sure of the flow, but I did reprogram the dose to 2ml per day. Maybe I'll limit the days of the week too.

Mine is like a drizzle from 2 air line size tubes. Just enough for it to hold together into a stream and not start breaking into drips.

 

[crs751]

Getting a strong sulfur smell from my reactor. Too much flow, not enough flow or something else? Please advise how to correct this. Thanks

 

[Khaotic]

Getting a strong sulfur smell from my reactor. Too much flow, not enough flow or something else? Please advise how to correct this. Thanks

Not enough flow most likely

 

[fightinghippo]

Getting a strong sulfur smell from my reactor. Too much flow, not enough flow or something else? Please advise how to correct this. Thanks

For me increasing flow got rid of the smell