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

[Tmmste]

in 4 days time (5 day old reactor) from no3 1.0 to 0... the filtermedia was seeded in the sump for 2 weeks.

 

[CNDReef]

Awesome

 

[Tmmste]

The flow through the reactor here is 1L per 2.5 minutes. which is 576L per 24h. This is 1,44x my net tank volume per day. Donovan indicated a flow of max 10% of the tankvolume per day.. however mine is 14,4x higher (144%).. so I wondered why I am having success with a relative hight flow through the reactor. Tank size is 400L net, reactor volume is 15L (filled with chunks of live rock/siporax 25mm/yellow ceramic balls).

 

[CNDReef]

I think it depends on the size of the reactor vs size of tank vs how high the nitrates are. Most reactors are relatively small compared to yours and most people using one have a beginning no3 of 50+
Too many variables

 

[xclusive252]

Following

 

[Flippers4pups]

I haven't seen much discussion on the effects of PH.

• Does continued use cause issues of PH drop in the water collum?
• What's the typical PH of the affluent coming out of the reactor?

The other questions I have would be:

• What other media could be used instead of ceramic media? Can coral/rock rubble achieve the same effect in colonizing anaerobic bacteria.
• What about deep sand bed/plenum approach in a reactor?

 

[CNDReef]

Either of those could work. A few people on this thread have used rock ruble in their reactors with success.
The dsb is being debated in a thread here already with designs as well

 

[Flippers4pups]

Either of those could work. A few people on this thread have used rock ruble in their reactors with success.
The dsb is being debated in a thread here already with designs as well

Is a second chamber always needed for degassing/pH buffering?

 

[CNDReef]

The second chamber is the anaerobic chamber where the magic actually happens. The water gets completely depleted of oxygen and that bacteria in there will convert nitrate to gas. The trick is keeping it from getting oxygen and from ( fill in with correct name ) smelling like rotten eggs. That’s the sweet spot

 

[Flippers4pups]

The second chamber is the anaerobic chamber where the magic actually happens. The water gets completely depleted of oxygen and that bacteria in there will convert nitrate to gas. The trick is keeping it from getting oxygen and from ( fill in with correct name ) smelling like rotten eggs. That’s the sweet spot

It's the reverse of a sulfur reactor then.

 

[CNDReef]

Almost the same i would say. Sulfur reactor works on sulfur pellets, which are a carbon source and media at the same time. This one you’ll need to add a carbon source like vodka to the media like you would to the tank. Essentially your carbon dosing a reactor full of porous media and creating a anaerobic zone to convert the nitrate.

 

[CNDReef]

FYI I’m trying to sound all smart about it but I’m not a scientist. Just trying to pass on what I’ve read and understood.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Almost the same i would say. Sulfur reactor works on sulfur pellets, which are a carbon source and media at the same time. This one you’ll need to add a carbon source like vodka to the media like you would to the tank. Essentially your carbon dosing a reactor full of porous media and creating a anaerobic zone to convert the nitrate.

Yes, that what I understand on how they function. No problem.

Running off a manifold, is there a possibility that during a power failure, air trapped in the plumbing gets forced into the reactors on power up? I wouldn't think it would be a issue if your controlling flow into the reactor using a ball valve.

 

[CNDReef]

don’t think it hurt it , unless it’s going to be a reoccurring thing. You can also put a check valve after the manifold in your case and none of the air/water would move out of the reactor while the power is off

 

[Flippers4pups]

don’t think it hurt it , unless it’s going to be a reoccurring thing. You can also put a check valve after the manifold in your case and none of the air/water would move out of the reactor while the power is off

It's just at start up that it would force air into the reactor. I believe a quick shot of air passing through wouldn't kill off the anaerobic colonies. Might be wrong though.

 

[CNDReef]

Not sure , need some scientists in this conversation lol

 

[ravi197699]

Since I am waiting for my display tank, I am taking care of filteration part, I bought this acrylic box that was used as sand filter from freshwater hobby guy and I decided to convert this into nitrate reactor, I got 102 pcs of these ceramic media which is very porus and i used all of these ceramic tubes and it will hold 50 pcs more which i ordred this morning. water will enter from top 1" port and drain from bottom, drain will come up to keep the water in reactor. here are some of the pictures of the reactor..
Attached Thumbnails

 

[Tmmste]

Since I am waiting for my display tank, I am taking care of filteration part, I bought this acrylic box that was used as sand filter from freshwater hobby guy and I decided to convert this into nitrate reactor, I got 102 pcs of these ceramic media which is very porus and i used all of these ceramic tubes and it will hold 50 pcs more which i ordred this morning. water will enter from top 1" port and drain from bottom, drain will come up to keep the water in reactor. here are some of the pictures of the reactor..
Attached Thumbnails

Same stuff as the yellow (kintama ?) balls, I do wonder what makes them yellow and if they leach anything. Thusfar no ill effects on my tank. I have 1kg of this matterial in the reactor.

 

[ravi197699]

Same stuff as the yellow (kintama ?) balls, I do wonder what makes them yellow and if they leach anything. Thusfar no ill effects on my tank. I have 1kg of this matterial in the reactor.

I have used these tubes for reactor that I put together when I had my 350 gallon and no ill effects, I sold that reactor to buddy of mine and he has it on his 300 gallon reef tank and it is working fine, He had refugium which slowly died due to no nitrates and very very low phosphates due to this reactor. I trust this media, 2 years of use and working great...

 

[Tmmste]

I have used these tubes for reactor that I put together when I had my 350 gallon and no ill effects, I sold that reactor to buddy of mine and he has it on his 300 gallon reef tank and it is working fine, He had refugium which slowly died due to no nitrates and very very low phosphates due to this reactor. I trust this media, 2 years of use and working great...

Good to know! Nice reactor. This one will be just one piece? As it wil not be be gravity fed, how are you going to move water with a slow rate? Or will water enter above and exit below? (and then resticting flow or something)