Sulphur media
- Thread starter Cory
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I´m not sure but here is two articles that can give you ideas what to use
www.researchgate.net
nepis.epa.gov
Sincerely Lasse
(PDF) Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification: Diversity, biochemistry, and engineering applications
PDF | Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification refers to the chemolithotrophic process coupling denitrification with the oxidation of reduced inorganic... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
www.researchgate.net
Document Display | NEPIS | US EPA
Sincerely Lasse
OP
OP
From it:
One basic requirement for growth of autotrophic denitri-
fiers is the simultaneous presence of electron donors (reduced
sulfur compounds) and accepters (N oxides).
One basic requirement for growth of autotrophic denitri-
fiers is the simultaneous presence of electron donors (reduced
sulfur compounds) and accepters (N oxides).
Yes and going deep in my head - I think I have read that the yellow stuff is elemental sulfur
Sincerely Lasse
Sincerely Lasse
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Yes, it is "pure" sulfur, which is mostly a cyclic ring of 8 atoms.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Why should it? I'm not sure why you assume it is highly reactive. It can burn, but like a piece of wood, doesn't just ignite on its own. It requires an activation energy.
OP
OP
Okay, well my understanding is that most elements are rare to find in a unaltered form in nature. Like aluminum gets a coating of oxide and iron to iron oxide. So i assumed sulphur would form something too. But i dont know much about chemistry thats why I asked. It almost seeemed like a trick to say you can buy elemental sulfer. That said, I learned something new today
Belgian Anthias
Valuable Member
It is pure elemental sulphur. Used for BADES ( Biological Autotrophic Denitrification on Elemental Sulphur), in bio-filters and -reactors. ref: https://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=nl:badess:start
OP
OP
Hey ive been reading a lot of your posts about bades lately and they are interesting. Is it true this system doesnt need a low oxygen environment to remove nitrates?
Can you say how to buid one? Is it essentially the same as a sulfur denitrator except the flow rate is faster?
My understanding is that normal nitrogen cycle bacteria grow on the surface of sulfur beads consuming oxygen, but underneath the beads, sulfur bacteria get a low oxygen zone and remove nitrates because of the bacterial film above it. Correct?
After reading more about bades, it seems that a disolved oxygen of 3ppm or less is required passing over the sulphur media to permit the biological process to work. How do you know you have 3ppm oxygen or less?
Last edited:
OP
OP
Ive been wanting to start a sulphur denitrator or bades reactor, my main concerns or problems are I cannot find pelletized elemental sulphur locally and i hate waiting for a shipment of ultra over priced sulphur when its a byproduct of gas and diesel. Being in Alberta Canada, oil and gas is the thing. We got a few storage sites for sulphur around alberta but they are far and dont answer email or phone. Snobs lol.
My other concern is alkalinity dropping from sulphur bacterial processes and will this scary bright yellow media raise sulphur in my aquarium? Anything to worry about?
My nitrates are 150 ppm and up now. Nothing looks bad or hurt but coral isn't growing like it should. It grows, but cery slowly. My fish get fed normally but a panther grouper, emperor angel, couple of tangs, and a big orange spot rabbitfish all eat lots. I feed the panther grouper a shrimp from the supermarket which i believe is causeing no3 to raise.
My other concern is alkalinity dropping from sulphur bacterial processes and will this scary bright yellow media raise sulphur in my aquarium? Anything to worry about?
My nitrates are 150 ppm and up now. Nothing looks bad or hurt but coral isn't growing like it should. It grows, but cery slowly. My fish get fed normally but a panther grouper, emperor angel, couple of tangs, and a big orange spot rabbitfish all eat lots. I feed the panther grouper a shrimp from the supermarket which i believe is causeing no3 to raise.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Depletion of alkalinity is a concern with a sulfur denitrator. Raising of sulfate is not, against the huge background already there.
You can always compensate a little of the alkalinity drop by letting the effluent from the denitrifier go over coral gravel. If you are running balling or similar methods you can lower that because you get both calcium and alkalinity from the coral gravel.
Sincerely Lasse
Sincerely Lasse
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
it does not dissolve in water.
Will adjust the ph to lowest of around 7.8 in the effluent - if I remember right.
Sincerely Lasse
Sincerely Lasse
Sallstrom
2500 Club Member
We had a sulphur filter in a cold water system before. We had the water out drip over crushed coral gravel for a while but had to remove it because KH and Ca increased too much. So it does something
But that was a system without stony corals and with a low calcium and alkalinity consumption.
I haven’t tried in a reef tank. But I guess it would work similar to a calcium reactor, depending on pH on the water out of the filter. I don’t remember now what pH we had, but I can check tomorrow.
