New sulfur denitrator working great!

[ca1ore]

I purchased it second hand, with no identifying label. But yes, it does appear to be an AE made unit. Some minor difference from what I see on the website, so probably just an older design. I've had to remove the masterflex from the reactor - needs a higher flow than it can manage. In about six weeks I have reduced nitrates from 40 plus (maybe even approaching 80 - my eyes don't resolve the colors all that well) down to about 5. I'm going to dial the reactor back a bit to try to stay at that level.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Awesome find grabbing one up second hand! I know Bill’s workmanship is outstanding but finding a relative deal on one is huge!!!

 

[Belgian Anthias]

All you need to know about BADES, the use of elemental sulfur to control the nitrogen content, to close the nitrogen cycle and manage the nitrate level, keeping the nitrate level at the level as desired by the manager.

Makazi Baharini [en:badess:start]

www.baharini.eu

No reactor is needed to use BADES and manage the nitrogen content.

Makazi Baharini [en:badess:bades:het_bio-filter_dat_geen_nitraat_produceert]

www.baharini.eu

 

[ca1ore]

Awesome find grabbing one up second hand! I know Bill’s workmanship is outstanding but finding a relative deal on one is huge!!!

Perhaps more importantly, it came with a lifetime supply of sulfur granules - which are hard to find these days.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Yes, and I think sulfur denitrator produces hydrogen sulfide faster due to the fact that it is sulfur based.

Why and how?
HS is produced by anaerobic degradation of organic material ( which means the filter content is degrading due to bad management) or by the reduction of sulfate for respiration due to the lack of nitrate. ( flow rate!)

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Sulfur based reactors ( BADES reactors) work fine in oxic conditions ( + 0,5ppm DO), no need for keeping BADES reactors anoxic as it where carbon-based denitrators.

BADES bio-filters work fine at normal aquarium conditions.

In a nitrifying biofilm, denitrification takes place and HS is produced, used as a sulfur source transforming nitrate into nitrogen gas and HS back to sulfate or elemental sulfur, depending on the nitrate availability, following the HS:NO3 ratio. Bij adding elemental sulfur as a substrate for the biofilm to grow, the autotrophic denitrification capacity of a nitrifying biofilm can be increased considerably.

I can not advise sulfur denitrators for to be used in a reef aquarium if the reactor is kept anoxic by limiting the flow .

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Perhaps more importantly, it came with a lifetime supply of sulfur granules - which are hard to find these days.

Are used in greenhouses for disinfecting, used in burners.

Makazi Baharini [en:makazi:chemie:zwavel]

www.baharini.eu

 

[ca1ore]

I can not advise sulfur denitrators for to be used in a reef aquarium if the reactor is kept anoxic by limiting the flow .

Am inclined to agree with that. I've found mine to work better with higher flow - which in part is why I am not using the masterflex.

 

[ca1ore]

Took about 7 weeks from initial setup to 5 mg/l of nitrates. Reactor appears to have clogged up a bit, so will need to clean it out this weekend. After that I'm hopeful it'll just run without intervention.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Took about 7 weeks from initial setup to 5 mg/l of nitrates. Reactor appears to have clogged up a bit, so will need to clean it out this weekend. After that I'm hopeful it'll just run without intervention.

What is or was your flow rate?

 

[Belgian Anthias]

A BADES reactor is a moving bed reactor, the sulfur between two patches, not pressed together, in a way it can move around slowly but not swirl. A filter should prevent debris may enter the reactor. If the sulfur is mixed with calcium carbonate the reactor may clog fast depending on the calcium media used.

Normally a BADES reactor removes nitrate after a week ( nitrite production is going down) and should be full operational after 3 weeks. Nitrite production is normal in the first weeks and should not be prevented by limiting the flow even more. To start up a BADES reactor, connected to the system, a bio-skimmer in line after the BADES reactor will prevent nitrite to enter the system. As the effluent should always be aerated before entering the display to drive out CO2 and stabilize pH and almost everybody uses a skimmer a BADES reactor is connected to the skimmer. A bio-skimmer is a skimmer with some media on the bottom ( exhaust), sand for a fish only, shell grit for a reef tank.
A BADES reactor can be conditioned disconnected from the system by connecting it to a big bucket filled with water from a water change and some bottom sand. Nitrate is added. Urean 30 can be used for BADES biofilm reactors. This way the conditioning can easily be followed up and the max flow and capacity of the reactor determined. This way the reactor is easily conditioned at a high flow rate.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Would it be possible to provide some pictures and examples of BADES reactor filtration?

A BADES reactor is a moving bed reactor, the sulfur between two patches, not pressed together, in a way it can move around slowly but not swirl. A filter should prevent debris may enter the reactor. If the sulfur is mixed with calcium carbonate the reactor may clog fast depending on the calcium media used.

Normally a BADES reactor removes nitrate after a week ( nitrite production is going down) and should be full operational after 3 weeks. Nitrite production is normal in the first weeks and should not be prevented by limiting the flow even more. To start up a BADES reactor, connected to the system, a bio-skimmer in line after the BADES reactor will prevent nitrite to enter the system. As the effluent should always be aerated before entering the display to drive out CO2 and stabilize pH and almost everybody uses a skimmer a BADES reactor is connected to the skimmer. A bio-skimmer is a skimmer with some media on the bottom ( exhaust), sand for a fish only, shell grit for a reef tank.
A BADES reactor can be conditioned disconnected from the system by connecting it to a big bucket filled with water from a water change and some bottom sand. Nitrate is added. Urean 30 can be used for BADES biofilm reactors. This way the conditioning can easily be followed up and the max flow and capacity of the reactor determined. This way the reactor is easily conditioned at a high flow rate.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

A reactor for the application of BADES can be the same as used for any application for which a reactor is used. A reactor can be any seawater safe container.
The difference between a BADES reactor and a sulfur denitrator is the way the reactor is managed. A sulphur denitrator can easily be transformed into a BADES reactor.
The BADES prefix is used to indicate that it is an application where elemental sulfur is used for stimulating autotrophic denitrification without the need fo an anoxic kept reactor (<0,5ppmDO). When using a BADES reactor, the reactor is NOT managed as if it were a heterotrophic denitrator, a reactor based on carbon addition, which must be kept anoxic by limiting the flow, the way a sulphur denitrator is often managed.
In a sulphur denitrator, the BADES process takes place. In a BADESS reactor the BADES process takes place without keeping the reactor anoxic.
One does not need a reactor for the application of BADES.
BADES : Biological Autotrophic Denitrification using Elemental Sulphur.
ref: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:start&rev=1573384854

By using BADES in an SBNMS, the nitrogen content can easily be controlled and managed, the nitrogen balance restored.
ref: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:sbnms&rev=1567523447

 

[Jase4224]

I put a sulphur reactor on my RSRxxl750 5 weeks ago as my nitrates were 20-50ppm. I used a modified (to fit in the stand) korralin calcium reactor with Caribsea sulphur/calcium mix.

After 24 hours of operation the effluent nitrates were 0. I turned up the flow every day for 5 days and to this day have never got an effluent nitrate reading above 0.

As for my tank the nitrates dropped down to 2ppm in a week and have been stable since. I’m amazed how great a sulphur reactor works.

Two caveats I have found is 1) slightly decreasing Alkalinity. I counter this by dripping 2 teaspoons of bi carb twice a week so no big deal. 2) Also the effluent really does need to be oxygenated so I just run it back through my filter socks and I figure the CO2 will help grow algae in my fuge.

PH stable at 8.2

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I put a sulphur reactor on my RSRxxl750 5 weeks ago as my nitrates were 20-50ppm. I used a modified (to fit in the stand) korralin calcium reactor with Caribsea sulphur/calcium mix.

After 24 hours of operation the effluent nitrates were 0. I turned up the flow every day for 5 days and to this day have never got an effluent nitrate reading above 0.

As for my tank the nitrates dropped down to 2ppm in a week and have been stable since. I’m amazed how great a sulphur reactor works.

Two caveats I have found is 1) slightly decreasing Alkalinity. I counter this by dripping 2 teaspoons of bi carb twice a week so no big deal. 2) Also the effluent really does need to be oxygenated so I just run it back through my filter socks and I figure the CO2 will help grow algae in my fuge.

PH stable at 8.2

What is your flow rate at the moment?

 

[Jase4224]

What is your flow rate at the moment?

I calculated about 300L/79gal per 24 hours. So a light stream I guess is how I’d describe what it looks like coming out. I can definitely turn this up though I have no doubt it can handle much more, probably because it is a recirculating design. I’m only using about 1L of sulphur and .5L of calcium carbonate so this is extremely efficient.

Also I have observed that my calcium is increasing. This is easy for me to see as I don’t have corals yet.

 

[ca1ore]

What is or was your flow rate?

Still ‘is’ as I’ve not disconnected it yet .... and may not. Running full out (for the unit I have). Thinking of putting a 1/4” flow meter on it. Nominally running at about 500 ml/minute.

 

[ca1ore]

After 24 hours of operation the effluent nitrates were 0. I turned up the flow every day for 5 days and to this day have never got an effluent nitrate reading above 0.

Hmmn, took mine weeks to build up the necessary denitirication bacteria to get to zero nitrates on the effluent.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I calculated about 300L/79gal per 24 hours. So a light stream I guess is how I’d describe what it looks like coming out. I can definitely turn this up though I have no doubt it can handle much more, probably because it is a recirculating design. I’m only using about 1L of sulphur and .5L of calcium carbonate so this is extremely efficient.

Also I have observed that my calcium is increasing. This is easy for me to see as I don’t have corals yet.

This is a very high flow rate for such a small reactor. ( 12,5l/hour /litre S).

Taking this BADES system as an example:
A high flow rate is needed to remove the daily nitrogen overproduction daily at a low nitrate level. A lot of oxygen is entered (6mg/l x300l) and a lot of it must be consumed for making enough denitrification possible. Theoretically, the reactor removes +- 600 mg nitrate daily ( 2mg/l x 300l at 0 effluent) wich means +- 150mg nitrogen is removed daily or 0.2 ppm ( 0.8 ppm nitrate) + the nitrate produced within the reactor by simultaneous nitrification. If the level is kept stable at 2ppm this is the daily nitrate removal rate.

If you want to lower the nitrate level to 1ppm while keeping the same daily nitrate removal rate the flow must increase x2. I think the reactor will be too small to handle this.

At a very high nitrate level , 1 liter sulphur is able to remove +- 4grams nitrate daily. When the nitrate level descends the flow must increase to be able to keep the same daily nitrate removal rate. As more oxygen is entered the denitrification efficiency of the BADES reactor will decrease.

For example, when the nitrate overproduction in this system increases to 1ppm daily, which may be considered normal, the flow must increase x5 to be able to remove the daily nitrate overproduction, enough for to keep the nitrate level stable at 2ppm
That is why it is advised for an SBNMS to use a 1% BADES reactor. ( 1% of the total system volume) The BADES reactor must be big enough to handle the increasing oxygen quantity entered to be able to remove the same daily nitrogen overproduction
This makes it possible for the BADES reactor to follow the needs of a growing aquarium system.

 

[Jase4224]

Hmmn, took mine weeks to build up the necessary denitirication bacteria to get to zero nitrates on the effluent.

Yeah I keep reading that from other people’s experiences. No idea what the go is with mine it really surprised me at how quickly it worked and how stable it is. I feel like it’s much more capable though.