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

[crs751]

Just set mine up today. Nitrates are at 50ppm. Anxious to see how this works on my tank.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Just set mine up today. Nitrates are at 50ppm. Anxious to see how this works on my tank.

If it works, send me 2 nos of pink airstones

 

[crs751]

I'll keep you posted.

 

[crs751]

I started seeding it with Microbactor 7

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I'll keep you posted.

Can't wait. Any pictures?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I started seeding it with Microbactor 7

The best in my experience! Drop some into the display and wait. Should clear up your water column.

 

[crs751]

Three days in, seeding daily with MB7 and feed starting today with VSV solution. Checked nitrates and still at 50 so no drop yet. Might have the flow too fast so I dropped it more of a trickle. We'll see what happens from there.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Three days in, seeding daily with MB7 and feed starting today with VSV solution. Checked nitrates and still at 50 so no drop yet. Might have the flow too fast so I dropped it more of a trickle. We'll see what happens from there.

Might take a few days before nitrate start being processed. Trickle is not necessary, a fine continuous stream is the lowest I will recommend.

 

[crs751]

OK thanks. I'll keep seeding for two more days and continue feeding. Patience is key I supose.

 

[T.J]

what I dont understand is once you get the bacteria seeded in there why must you keep dosing carbon ? could the bacteria just feed off what the tank gives it ?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

what I dont understand is once you get the bacteria seeded in there why must you keep dosing carbon ? could the bacteria just feed off what the tank gives it ?

Reef tank is lack of organic carbon, a much needed component required by bacteria to multiply and thrive. Of course it will survive without any added carbon but that is not sufficient to reduce the amount of nutrient we add into the tank.

 

[Pjones]

Great thread I have learned a lot reading along. I wondered why inflow is not from the bottom of the tubes to allow water flow to stir media if it started to clog?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Great thread I have learned a lot reading along. I wondered why inflow is not from the bottom of the tubes to allow water flow to stir media if it started to clog?

Being poor man, bottom inlet means you need a pump (you are against gravity, so an added running cost) and crack your head thinking about carbon dosing.

I have made this denitrator as simple and as cheap as it can gets. As you know, there are several changes made by our friends here. There is no restriction how you made it, as long as you understand the criteria to make it works.

 

[T.J]

creating a bacteria system your tank can not support without feeding carbon ..what happens if you forget to feed them wont there be a massive die off causing some sort of problems ?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

creating a bacteria system your tank can not support without feeding carbon ..what happens if you forget to feed them wont there be a massive die off causing some sort of problems ?

I have yet to see any major die off due to lack of carbon feed. Organic carbon dosing is not their only food, it is just an extra supplement as all tank do produce some, mostly from algae and fish/corals foods. Any specific reason for not feeding the reactor?.

Any die off shouldn't be massive, as there is no way the bacteria foods vanished in a split second. Those perished will be skimmed off or eaten by corals, sponges, filter feeders or other inhabitants. I doubt there will be any ill effects of no carbon feeding. It will reduce bacteria population in the reactor overtime for sure, but a catastrophic failure is very unlikely.

 

[T.J]

I have yet to see any major die off due to lack of carbon feed. Organic carbon dosing is not their only food, it is just an extra supplement as all tank do produce some, mostly from algae and fish/corals foods. Any specific reason for not feeding the reactor?.

yeah trying to make something with lil maintenance as possible...

 

[Khaotic]

I didnt carbon dose mine for two days and when I checked last night I still have what I assume to be nitrogen production. No other way air magically started getting in there. So I would assume you don't need to dose every day but it's most efficient if you do? I'm no expert just my guess.

 

[Khaotic]

yeah trying to make something with lil maintenance as possible...

Im sure one of these would still benefit your aquarium, it would still provide lots of room for bacteria to grow. It just wouldn't be as efficient as it would be with carbon. People dose carbon to help bacteria thrive but lots of people have great tanks without carbon dosing.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

yeah trying to make something with lil maintenance as possible...

For ease of maintenance (dosing carbon is the only maintenance needed ), get an auto doser.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I didnt carbon dose mine for two days and when I checked last night I still have what I assume to be nitrogen production. No other way air magically started getting in there. So I would assume you don't need to dose every day but it's most efficient if you do? I'm no expert just my guess.

It all depends on bioload. I have 15 fishes on 75G and they poop a lot. My sea cucumber is pooping all the time!. Twice dosage daily is what I need to keep nitrate in check. I am overdosing once a month (on purpose), doing so will keep a healthy bacteria population that is ready to work overtime when I overfeed my tank (on purpose as well).