Are Sulfur Denitrator still a thing?

[pookie]

Long Story Short, I have 2 tanks that have very high nitrates but I am concerned about my smaller tank for now... The picture is the tank in question. This is a temporary tank for my harem that I'm building (I raised them and yes they are the same clutch) I have been around 40ppm nitrate which isn't crazy but will rise as they grow. I feed 6 times daily with autofeeders and no aggression over the food! Either way, the nitrates are going up and I'm doing 75% water changes weekly and came across sulfur denitrators. I see they consume alkalinity like crazy and drop pH... as this is going to be an anemone-only tank I'm wondering if this is the best solution for me. I don't have all the money in the world and waiting for a bigger tank to come across. As of now, I cannot put a protein skimmer on there because it would have to be a hang-on (I hear they flood a lot), and no room anyway, I have had no luck with refugiums and even if I wanted to I still don't have that much room. That leaves sulfur... would anyone see this going wrong or is this a thing of the past? I've also tried carbon dosing with nopox for 5 months now and still don't see a real change on my main 90-gallon tank.

 

[Peace River]

There are multiple threads that touch on sulfur denitrificators in the R2R chemistry forum.

Here is a link to a video on a sulfur reactor that you may find interesting:


In addition, you could also do large water changes and/or turn to a product like Dr Tim's Waste Away.

 

[X-37B]

Yes they work well. Check my build for info.

 

[Peace River]

Yes they work well. Check my build for info.

Genuine question: Would you run this in a relatively small system that doesn't have a sump and currently only uses a HOB filter?

 

[pookie]

That's what I'm concerned about... i won't have enough filtration to handle it but I'm no expert also very far fetched question but could you put the sulfur in a standard brs reactor or do I need one that can de gas?

 

[X-37B]

Genuine question: Would you run this in a relatively small system that doesn't have a sump and currently only uses a HOB filter?

If you you used a small reactor and a Kamoer it would work, imo.
I used the coral bones in the reactor to reduce the amount of sulfer used and keep the ph up as the effluent is acidic.

 

[X-37B]

That's what I'm concerned about... i won't have enough filtration to handle it but I'm no expert also very far fetched question but could you put the sulfur in a standard brs reactor or do I need one that can de gas?

You don't need to degas. You could use any media reactor. One end is in the sump and the Kamoer pulls it through the reactor. Very simple to run. It can be set to keep your no3 at whatever number you want.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Other methods are seemingly much more popular, such as growing macroalgae, ats, and organic carbon dosing.

 

[pookie]

Other methods are seemingly much more popular, such as growing macroalgae, ats, and organic carbon dosing.

I wish I could do this for this tank although I don't have a skimmer nor the room for a Refugium atm and no macroalgae to stock it. I don't want to use my lfs chaeto because it's disgusting and algaebarn is just so expensive...i have sea lettuce in my main display but doesn't really do the job I was hopeful for.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Main drawback is alk consumption, IMO.

 

[pookie]

Main drawback is alk consumption, IMO.

Would kalkwasser be enough for the alk and the ph or do I need to do a 2 part? Also can the two hang on back filters, handle the sulfur.?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would kalkwasser be enough for the alk and the ph or do I need to do a 2 part? Also can the two hang on back filters, handle the sulfur.?

Kalk will shift the problem to rising calcium. An alk only supplement like baking soda is the best way to offset it, IMO.

 

[pookie]

Kalk will shift the problem to rising calcium. An alk only supplement like baking soda is the best way to offset it, IMO.

Thank you for letting me know, think I'll just wait til I get my bigger tank. I have a bigger problem with phosphate being 2.03!!! Running gfo now. I'm sure it's all pellets being fed daily...

 

[Fliper]

Long Story Short, I have 2 tanks that have very high nitrates but I am concerned about my smaller tank for now... The picture is the tank in question. This is a temporary tank for my harem that I'm building (I raised them and yes they are the same clutch) I have been around 40ppm nitrate which isn't crazy but will rise as they grow. I feed 6 times daily with autofeeders and no aggression over the food! Either way, the nitrates are going up and I'm doing 75% water changes weekly and came across sulfur denitrators. I see they consume alkalinity like crazy and drop pH... as this is going to be an anemone-only tank I'm wondering if this is the best solution for me. I don't have all the money in the world and waiting for a bigger tank to come across. As of now, I cannot put a protein skimmer on there because it would have to be a hang-on (I hear they flood a lot), and no room anyway, I have had no luck with refugiums and even if I wanted to I still don't have that much room. That leaves sulfur... would anyone see this going wrong or is this a thing of the past? I've also tried carbon dosing with nopox for 5 months now and still don't see a real change on my main 90-gallon tank.

Sulfur is the most amazing thing that this hobby has ever experienced but nobody talks about it.

Mainly, because most people set the reactor up wrong (it needs to cycle which takes about 2 months) and then they say it doesn’t work (yeah - because their nitrates didn’t drop in 2 days like they expected).

There are 2 videos on YouTube (search sulfur denitrator) and watch the videos. Set up the reactor correctly and follow the cycle process and in 2 months, nitrates will remain below 10ppm (or lower depending on your system and your bio load)

If you want lower nitrates when it’s done cycling…add more pellets. Be careful, too many pellets will bottom your nitrates out to 0 and that isn’t good.

 

[pookie]

Sulfur is the most amazing thing that this hobby has ever experienced but nobody talks about it.

Mainly, because most people set the reactor up wrong (it needs to cycle which takes about 2 months) and then they say it doesn’t work (yeah - because their nitrates didn’t drop in 2 days like they expected).

There are 2 videos on YouTube (search sulfur denitrator) and watch the videos. Set up the reactor correctly and follow the cycle process and in 2 months, nitrates will remain below 10ppm (or lower depending on your system and your bio load)

If you want lower nitrates when it’s done cycling…add more pellets. Be careful, too many pellets will bottom your nitrates out to 0 and that isn’t good.

I know, with all the carbon dosing now it kinda faded but I've had horrible luck with carbon dosing (been about 6 months now) still not seeing a reduction in my bigger tank tempted to sulfur for it too but for now I'm doing the small one. I have all the equipment I need for it but I'm going to wait until I upgrade the tank then start it. Also decided I want a ritteri nem which needs very clean water so.

 

[Fliper]

I know, with all the carbon dosing now it kinda faded but I've had horrible luck with carbon dosing (been about 6 months now) still not seeing a reduction in my bigger tank tempted to sulfur for it too but for now I'm doing the small one. I have all the equipment I need for it but I'm going to wait until I upgrade the tank then start it. Also decided I want a ritteri nem which needs very clean water so.

Carbon dosing sucks. Sulfur is set it and forget it (but you have to set it correctly). It takes patience.