Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator Arrived Today— Let’s Track What Happens

[JumboShrimp]

(Photo is of my leak-test tonight.)

I got my hands on a Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator today— actually two— one for each of my 150-gallon FOWLERS. It took months to track these down, due to some sort of a worldwide shortage. Literally more than one place told me they were waiting for the shipping container to get here from Germany; the store that had me on their waiting list blasted through about 75 of them in a day.

Here are some relevant beginning stats:

PH: 7.4
NITRITES: 0
NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

I’ll run the BioDenitrator per the instructions and see where we are after about a week (to allow denitrifying bacterial to colonize the media), and then we’ll see where we are. Wish me well!

PHOSPHATES:

 

[Feet4Fish]

(Photo is of my leak-test tonight.)

I got my hands on a Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator today— actually two— one for each of my 150-gallon FOWLERS. It took months to track these down, due to some sort of a worldwide shortage. Literally more than one place told me they were waiting for the shipping container to get here from Germany; the store that had me on their waiting list blasted through about 75 of them in a day.

Here are some relevant beginning stats:

PH: 7.4
NITRITES: 0
NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

I’ll run the BioDenitrator per the instructions and see where we are after about a week (to allow denitrifying bacterial to colonize the media), and then we’ll see where we are. Wish me well!

PHOSPHATES:

Looking forward to your insight and updates!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Here’s the first update, 1week down the road; I’m being patient (even more so than when letting a new skimmer break-in), and am remaining optimistic.

Per the instructions, I lowered the output rate down to one-drop-per-second yesterday, and tested the effluent levels today. No change from the input (display tank) water yet— although the colors may be ‘slightly’ lighter than they were (API test):

NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I thought that the Korallin had a different lid when it is used for denitractor? It did not have the eheim pump on top. What pump are you using to feed the reactor?

 

[jda]

They are kinda like a CaRx where they just slowly and consistently do their thing. Over time, they work really well but do nothing quickly. The only difference in the two is the plumbing where there is no co2 input - you can buy a quick kit to convert the denitrator into a CaRx, or just plug a CaRx to become a denitrator. The pumps are on top of both.

Nearly all aquarium stuff from Germany/Japan/etc. availability suffered with the Trump Executive Order Tariffs. Hope to see some Giesemann Lights making it here again along with PanWorld pumps from Japan. Glad that the Korallin Stuff is here again. I almost had a former exchange student who lives in Hanover buy me a Korallin and mail it to me - plenty of them in the EU.

The sulfur has been hard to find for some. Hope that it is available with ease again. If you end up liking them, then stock up.

 

[Rmckoy]

Following to see how well
They work in time .
Was considering changing over to a sulphur reactor but was advised against it .

apparently rowaphos is much easier to use .

phosphates 5.0 and 160 nitrates . Wow ...

 

[JumboShrimp]

It came as a package @Blue Spot Octopus, pump, sulphur, crushed stone.

 

[KrisReef]

No one is ever going to photograph my leak test.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Right, @Rmckoy ? My fish are all colored nicely and are healthy as horses. But one tank has pretty thick Cyno on the rocks and sand; the fish however can’t seem to care about the high phosphates and nitrates. They are just thankful for all the food they get each day… As in eight times a day or more…. Lol!

 

[Rmckoy]

Right, @Rmckoy ? My fish are all colored nicely and are healthy as horses. But one tank has pretty thick Cyno on the rocks and sand; the fish however can’t seem to care about the high phosphates and nitrates. They are just thankful for all the food they get each day… As in eight times a day or more…. Lol!

I’m assuming with nutrient levels that high there are no corals ?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Correct— the benefit of Fish Only with Live Rock. (FOWLR)

 

[Rmckoy]

Correct— the benefit of Fish Only with Live Rock. (FOWLR)

I’m still going to follow to see how this reactor works .
If it’s easy to tune with lower nutrient levels it might be easier than changing carbon and rowaphos every other week

 

[jda]

I will swear that my fish were less aggressive and had better color with parameters more near reef levels. Of course, nothing scientific or conclusive, but I did like how well the coralline grew instead of ugly algae when I kept n and lower and the salinity at reef levels even in my FOWLR... mostly reef type wrasses, triggers, eels and a few Genicanthus Angelfish. Most of what I kept were larger reef fish plus a Golden Puffer.

Lan Chloride is easier and cheaper than GFO. Do some math and put a bit in your ATO and let it work over a 4-6 months in slow fashion. The rock and sand will have bound a lot, so this could take a long time.

 

[JumboShrimp]

As a reference photo, this is the Evil Enemy Cyno we are aiming to combat!

 

[JumboShrimp]

About 12 days in, and no changes to the effluent coming out of the unit yet. I would say it's like watching/waiting for a pot to boil-- but clearly that is faster.

NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

JumboShrimp have you tried Chemi Clean to combat the cyno? It will make you restart your reactor though, or pull it and run it in a 5-gallon bucket for a week.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I did. I would say I was a fan of it for tanks in the 20-gallon range, but in my 150 a week after it made ‘most’ of it peel away from the rock, it somehow turned out to be fuel for a Cyno spread all over the sand.

 

[JumboShrimp]

About 3-days-short of a month running. No changes yet. Did I buy a lemon?

NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

 

[Jon_W79]

About 3-days-short of a month running. No changes yet. Did I buy a lemon?

NITRATES: 160+
PHOSPHATES: 5.0

Does the sulfur denitrator effluent have zero or near zero nitrate? What is the strategy for increasing the effluent flow?

 

[JumboShrimp]

That’s the problem— a month in and the effluent is still 160+ Nitrate... same as the display tank.

I have it at 1 drop per second (per the instructions). “If... the nitrate level of the effluent is lower than the nitrate level of your aquarium water, the BioDenitrator has begun reducing nitrate (NO3).” “It will take 4-6 weeks for denitrifying bacteria to fully colonize the media in the BioDenitrator.”

So technically I’m not at 6 weeks yet, only 4, but I was expecting some lowering of 160+ in the effluent.