Nitrogen management by using elemental sulfur. The application of BADES.

[Belgian Anthias]

BADES ( Biological Autotrophic Denitrification with Elemental Sulfur)
BADES takes place everywhere in the aquarium where a biofilm may grow. It may take place everywhere where HS is produced. If nitrate is present HS is used for denitrification, by which sulfur or and sulfate is produced, depending on the NO3/HS ratio. The produced sulfur is a reserve and will be used for denitrification when the NO3/HS ratio increases and HS availability is insufficient. ( ref:). This is the BADES process.
In marine aquarium conditions, it will be mainly Thiobacillus denitrificans which are responsible for denitrification using elemental sulfur. T.d. can use a lot of sulfur compounds and has an aerobic and an anaerobic pathway, it can use both oxygen and nitrate as an oxygen source. T.d. only grows on elemental sulfur if following an anaerobic pathway, needing nitrate. (ref
One may not underestimate the autotrophic denitrification capacity as a lot of HS may be produced in an aquarium and knowing +- 40% of the bacteria present in a normal nitrifying biofilm are following an anaerobic pathway. A normal nitrifying biofilm may export +- 15% of the total nitrogen processed in the biofilm due to natural denitrification. ( ref:) One may not underestimate the importance of the presence of nitrate for maintaining a healthy biofilm and a healthy aquarium.
Autotrophic denitrifiers do NOT need anoxic conditions (<0.5pppm DO) for using an anaerobic pathway, as do most heterotrophic denitrifiers. T.d. can switch pathways as needed in zones where oxygen is limited available, in zones where the oxygen supply can not follow the demand (OMZ, oxygen minimum zones), not very rare in a microworld where growth takes place at a logarithmic rate and BOD ( biological oxygen demand) is doubled from one moment to another. This means that +- 40% of the space in a normal biofilm can be used for denitrification if sulfur is made available and not only small anoxic zones.

In normal aquarium conditions +- 80% of nitrogen processed can be removed by using BADES columns.

Nitrogen management is made very easy by adding some elemental sulfur as a substrate for a growing biofilm. Passive or active nitrogen management, managing the nitrogen export rate as desired, just by making proper use of BADES.

One does not need anything special to apply BADES as sulfur is inert in seawater. One can put everywhere, as needed.
I prefer the application in a refugium or biofilter by wich nitrogen removal rates are made manageable and controllable.
BADES can be used in many different ways for exporting nitrogen.

For applying BADES one just needs some elemental sulfur and some filter cloth +- 0.5 -1cm thick.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Your links go to articles in a language other than English.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Your links go to articles in a language other than English.

Some pages are available in English. Left top corner and select English. Articles in English may not be up to date with the original. Links to other pages may not work. or not be available in English. The original pages are in Dutch. Most references are consultable by clicking on them and most are in English. We do not translate articles any more as Google translate does it better.
If used in ref we always use the original article where the info was made available. Al info may be used for personal use only.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

All what is needed for exporting nitrogen, making use of BADES.

This is how BADES columns or rolls are made.

 

[ichthyoid]

Sulfur based denitrification in aquaria went through a popular phase here in the US about 10-15 years ago. I used to have one. It worked, until it didn’t & was ‘finicky’.

I also have a methanol based denitrification filter which works by way of heterotrophic methanogenic bacteria. That filter was a far better solution for me when used on a 150 gallon FOWLR system.

My current build is going to use Tropic Marin’s All for Reef + amino’s. If it doesn’t work, I’ll pull the methanol filter out and put it back online. Just my $0.02

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Sulfur based denitrification in aquaria went through a popular phase here in the US about 10-15 years ago. I used to have one. It worked, until it didn’t & was ‘finicky’.

I also have a methanol based denitrification filter which works by way of heterotrophic methanogenic bacteria. That filter was a far better solution for me when used on a 150 gallon FOWLR system.

My current build is going to use Tropic Marin’s All for Reef + amino’s. If it doesn’t work, I’ll pull the methanol filter out and put it back online. Just my $0.02

We do not promote commercial products.

The investment for using BADES is nihil, some elemental sulfur which will last a very long time, some chicken grit and for a dollar filter cloth. For a fist full of 1 dollar bills one may be happy for many years.

I think you are not informed correctly.
I do not think using BADES was very popular in the US as mainly SD ( sulphur denitrators) where and are used which are kept anoxic. BADES does NOT need it, anoxic conditions, as explained, and it was never recommended by Hignette, Longouette, And Co, the developers of the MAAO system , to keep such reactors, based on BADES, anoxic (<0,5ppmDO). In 1996 they published: BADES works fine at DO levels of 3ppm and still workes at a flow rate of 10l/h/liter sulfur used, this when targetting 0 Nitate in the effluent., using a 1% reactor. Using BADES in closed reactors, targetting 0 nitrates in the effluent is not recommended.
if it was very popular in US, how comes most reefers have no clue how BADES works and still uses an SD as it was a carbon-based denitrator and try to keep these things anoxic. We do not recommend using SD or methanol reactors in a life support system due to the high risk for human error. But it works very good to lower high nitrate levels if the reactor is big enough and is managed correctly.

If your methanol reactor works better as the SD I am sure you never used the SD correctly, did not follow the basic guidelines, or tried to keep it anoxic. An SD must be big enough! How much sulfur did you use?

BADES based reactors are used in marine systems since the 90ties based on the MAAO system but it was never recommended to keep such reactors anoxic. A reactor based on BADES works at high flow and has still oxygen in the effluent. No need for constant dosing, no risk for clogging due to high growth rates, no risk for overdosing methanol which may kill corals.

Using organic carbon based products will remove from the autotrophic carrying capacity of the system! Dosing based on the nitrate level may lead to overdosing, removing most if not all autotrophic carrying capacity, and create a high C:N ratio. Corals do not like a high C:N ratio. Carbohydrates may kill corals! ref: https://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:makazi:het_water:filtratie:vodka Dosing organic carbon does NOT export nitrate-nitrogen or any nitrogen from the system and managing the nitrogen content is NOT possible as the nitrogen export rate is not predictable. Using amino-acids this even may increase the nitrogen content as nitrogen may stay and carbon is exported as CO2. Dosing carbon needs daily attention.
As amino-acids are the building stones of protein, maybe adding them may mess up a lot of natural processes? What kind of amino-acids? polar or apolar? essentail or non essential? How these supplements influence enzymes and live carrying and essential proteins in a closed environment? Has this been investigated? Any references?

A basic rule: never add products of which one does not know what they contain, exactly, or what the effect may be in the long term, even when considered reef safe after a long period of use. No system is the same and overdosing is always possible.
Promoting the growth of one type of bacteria will kill others, maybe essential bacteria, certainly when they have to compete for the same nutrients.

The threat is about being able to manage the nitrogen content, by making use BADES.

Managing the nitrogen content is not possible using an anoxic kept denitrator, SD, or methanol. The flow is very limited and controlled with the intention to keep the reactor anoxic and not in the function of the nitrogen content and the desired daily removal rate, which makes it impossible to correct the daily nitrogen export rate in function of the daily overproduction.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

We do not promote commercial products.

Please no not react to promoting commercial products! Do not use the names of commercial products! This is not about one commercial product being better than another.
Of course one may discuss the different ways of nitrogen export, making it possible to manage the nitrogen content and provide full control of the nitrogen export rate.
BADES is NOT a commercial product, it is a biological process that can be used for nitrogen export in many different ways and applications.

We may discuss different applications, not the brands of reactors and or filters used.

For managing the nitrogen content, which means having full control over the daily nitrogen export rate, and the nitrate level in the reef system, BADES can be used in the function of the daily nitrogen overproduction. For lowering the nitrate level only a bit more like the daily nitrate overproduction must be exported daily. The nitrogen cycle will be closed by daily export of the daily nitrogen overproduction, this way the usable nitrogen reserve in the form of nitrate is kept steady at the desired level.

Using BADES, one may export nitrate-nitrogen only, which will not much influence the limited carrying capacity of most reef systems.
One may remove TAN ( Total Ammonia Nitrogen) by using a biofilter, a refuge, which makes it possible to manage and adjust the carrying capacity in function of the bioload, now and in the future.
One may do both using a simple biofilter based on BADES, using elemental sulfur as a base and substrate for a growing nitrifying biofilm.
A nitrifying biofilm growing on shell grit may export +- 15% of all TAN processed by the biofilter as N2. A nitrifying biofilm growing on a mix of sulfur and shell grit may export >50% of TAN processed. Using BADES in rolls ( see photo above) this may be >80%.

For exporting nitrogen, only some elemental sulfur is needed, and some filter cloth.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

BADES is used for a very long time and has been subject to a lot of research and is used in many big public marine aquaria for decades. Everything of BADES is known, all side effects are well known and covered and are easily compensated or avoided by using BADES correctly.

During his long term investigation, and before using BADES in MAAO and St Malo aquarium, Marc Longouet used BADES for >6 years in different experimental setups of which reef aquaria which have had no water changes during the period of research of +- 7 years, without any issues linked to the use of BADES.


For exporting nitrogen, only some elemental sulfur is needed, and some filter cloth.

 

[ichthyoid]

“Managing the nitrogen content is not possible using an anoxic kept denitrator, SD, or methanol. The flow is very limited and controlled with the intention to keep the reactor anoxic and not in the function of the nitrogen content and the desired daily removal rate, which makes it impossible to correct the daily nitrogen export rate in function of the daily overproduction.”

I am not disputing whether your system works. Rather that methanol has worked better for me in the past. The quoted statement above is just not accurate. My NatureReef methanol based denitrification filter maintained excellent water quality. It was run on a 150 gal (570 liter) system successfully for over 2 years. There has recently been a resurgence of methanol denitrification. See video below-

Re-Introducing Methanol Denitrifiers to the Hobby

I want to reintroduce an old, forgotten, but incredibly effective and safe technology back to the hobby. In this video, I'll show you guys a different type of d

reefs.com

 

[Belgian Anthias]

“Managing the nitrogen content is not possible using an anoxic kept denitrator, SD, or methanol. The flow is very limited and controlled with the intention to keep the reactor anoxic and not in the function of the nitrogen content and the desired daily removal rate, which makes it impossible to correct the daily nitrogen export rate in function of the daily overproduction.”

I am not disputing whether your system works. Rather that methanol has worked better for me in the past. The quoted statement above is just not accurate. My NatureReef methanol based denitrification filter maintained excellent water quality. It was run on a 150 gal (570 liter) system successfully for over 2 years. There has recently been a resurgence of methanol denitrification. See video below-

Re-Introducing Methanol Denitrifiers to the Hobby

I want to reintroduce an old, forgotten, but incredibly effective and safe technology back to the hobby. In this video, I'll show you guys a different type of d

reefs.com

I have no doubt it does, but such a denitrator can not do the job the same way as when using BADES. It is technically and practically not possible.

First of all, it is not my system, that honor goes to Hignette, Longouet and Co. And to CMF De Haes for BADES biofilters and other applications, who did the most research and writing. BADES is used for several decades and has many different applications. I only use the information provided by the work of many others, which may and must be credited for.

What is the max daily flow rate of a methanol denitrator at a nitrate content equal to the oxygen content ?

Example: If an aquarium system produces 1ppm nitrate daily and the nitrate reserve is kept steady at the minimal risk level of 0.9 ppm based on a phosphate level of 0,1 ppm, the total system volume must pass the reactor at least once a day. If the phosphate level is only 0.05 ppm, the recommended measurable usable nitrate reserve must be < 0.5ppm which means the daily flow must be doubled to be able to remove daily the same daily nitrate overproduction of 1 ppm.
The reactor influent always contains +6ppm DO. How a carbon-based denitration may remove 1ppm nitrate daily at a nitrate level of 0.9ppm? One only can remove what is supplied!

Such anoxic kept denitrators ( SD or methanol) can only be used to lower a high nitrate level, not for managing the nitrogen content and certainly not for supporting the carrying capacity of the system. Due to the high risk for human error, we do not recommend anoxic kept denitrators for to be used in a life support system.
Using BADES in a reactor this is not difficult at all as a BADES reactor operates fine at a daily flow rate of 1x 2x the system volume, this if the reactor is big enough, following the general basic rules of the MAAO method.
A BADES biofilter may operate at an hourly flow of the total system volume and still will export nitrate.

To export nitrogen, all that is needed is some elemental sulfur and some filter cloth.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

There is a big difference between removing nitrogen from the water column and exporting it out of the tank, close the nitrogen cycle.

There is a big difference between the ability for exporting some nitrogen and having full control over the daily nitrogen export rate and the nitrate level. Using an anoxic denitrator one does not have the tools, one can only export some nitrogen.

Using BADES the user will decide how much nitrate is exported daily and can change the export rate as desired ( between certain limits, depending on the nitrate level and the volume of the reactor) if a reactor is used it must be big enough, this is very important!

To manage natural processes one must be able to have control over what is going on.

To export nitrogen, all that is needed is some elemental sulphur and some filter cloth.
To make the nitrogen export manageable we can use BADES in a refuge, biofilter, or bioreactor.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Why good nitrogen management is important?

Is decisive for the carrying capacity, needed for supporting the bio-load present. Is based on the capacity to remove TAN ( Total Ammonium Nitrogen) within a certain time frame. It prevents acute and long term ammonia poisoning.

Will limit the risk for phosphorus starvation considered one of the main causes of coral bleaching.

Will have an influence on the remineralization rate and the presence of DOC. Corals do not like a high DOC content

Will have an influence on growth rates. The nitrogen source used is decisive for growth rates of microorganisms and algae. When Nitrate-nitrogen is used growth rates are reduced. What is measured is what is not used at the moment of measuring.

Controlling the usable nitrogen reserve in the system. Important in a closed environment where growth takes place at a logarithmic rate.


The use of a biofilter?
it makes active management of the nitrogen content of the system an easy task.
It makes active management of the carrying capacity possible by which the carrying capacity is not limited anymore and may follow the increasing bio-load at all times, as desired. The carrying capacity of the system can be adjusted to the desired bio-load, now and in the future.
It makes the nitrogen export rate manageable and controllable. Usable nitrogen considered not needed or too much can be exported as needed or and as desired.
It makes the display of a natural reef possible, the combination of a coral reef and its typical high bioload.

For exporting more nitrogen only some elemental sulfur is needed, and some filter cloth.

 

[ichthyoid]

You’ve obviously convinced yourself that methanol denitrification cannot work. If that were true, then why is it the number 1 method used for bacterial denitrification of waste water in the US? Billions of gallons of water is treated at waste water plants all over the US, using methanol as the bacteria fuel source.

The fact is, methanol works so well in marine aquaria that after some time most users begin adding strontium nitrate to the reactor, in order to supplement nitrogen & drive phosphate levels down, to ULN levels if desired.

Yes it requires anoxic conditions, and as such is run as a batch process, using a fill pump & dosing pump, both on a timer or controller.

Do you actually have experience using a carbon based denitrification process?

I have used- methanol, acetate & ethanol. All 3 worked, with minor caveats as any successful process is likely to have.

I will now be using formate as the carbon source, on my new system build. It offers advantages beyond what the others do.

Best of luck with yours.

http://www.methanol.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Methanol-Denitrification-Importance-of-Denitrification.pdf

 

[Belgian Anthias]

You’ve obviously convinced yourself that methanol denitrification cannot work. If that were true, then why is it the number 1 method used for bacterial denitrification of waste water in the US? Billions of gallons of water is treated at waste water plants all over the US, using methanol as the bacteria fuel source.

The fact is, methanol works so well in marine aquaria that after some time most users begin adding strontium nitrate to the reactor, in order to supplement nitrogen & drive phosphate levels down, to ULN levels if desired.

Yes it requires anoxic conditions, and as such is run as a batch process, using a fill pump & dosing pump, both on a timer or controller.

Do you actually have experience using a carbon based denitrification process?

I have used- methanol, acetate & ethanol. All 3 worked, with minor caveats as any successful process is likely to have.

I will now be using formate as the carbon source, on my new system build. It offers advantages beyond what the others do.

Best of luck with yours.

http://www.methanol.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Methanol-Denitrification-Importance-of-Denitrification.pdf

How much nitrate may your methanol reactor export daily at a nitrate level of 1ppm?

The daily flow x the nitrate level = the daily nitrate removal rate.

What is the daily flow of your denitrator? What is the max flow for keeping the reactor anoxic?


We do know about everything about all kinds of denitrators, reactors, tube and coil denitrators , we made a study and did research about most of the possible nitrogen export and removal options.

How are you going to keep such a reactor anoxic at the flow needed to remove a daily nitrogen overproduction of 1ppm while controlling the nitrate level at 1ppm? A daily nitrate overproduction of 1 ppm is not that much!

How does one lower the level from 2 ppm to 1ppm using a methanol reactor having a daily nitrate overproduction of 1ppm?


A lot of such reactors work at drip rate and may need >10 days for handling the system volume. I have knowledge of an SD which had a drip flow of 1x the system volume every 20 days and the user was convinced having a good working sulfur denitrator. Expensive technique was used, automatic flow control based on a too low Orp reading, this to remove very little and have no control over the nitrogen removal rate at all. Such equipment is used to prevent problems caused by using it.

Do you know probably BADES takes place in your methanol reactor as in anoxic kept reactors a lot of HS is produced which may end up as elemental sulfur?

A BADES bioreactor will remove the 1 ppm entered at a daily flow of 2X the total system volume which makes it possible to remove 2ppm nitrate daily, targetting 0 nitrate in the reactor effluent, just by following the general rules published for the MAAO method. By removing the daily overproduction daily the level is kept steady. A BADES reactor becomes self-regulating. if the level increases a bit, at the same flow more nitrogen is removed, when the level decreases, at the same flow lees nitrate is exported. This if the reactor is big enough!

Nowadays MB reactors with a closed-loop or high flow reactors are used, not targetting 0 nitrate in the effluent, this limits sulfate reduction. The effluent will still contain +- 2ppm DO


I never said it does not work; what I say is that it is not possible to use an anoxic kept denitrator to manage the nitrogen content as desired. What I say is that methanol, acetate, or and ethanol may harm and kill corals if overdosed.

It works, and an anoxic denitrator, SD, or methanol can reduce a high nitrate level easily if managed correctly. But if I have to make a choice between both iI will go for a SD as it does not need regular feeding and does not clog that easily.

Exporting some nitrogen is not the same as controlling the nitrogen removal rate.
It is the intention to make use of BADES for managing the nitrogen content, controlling a very low nitrate level in function of a relatively high daily nitrogen production.
For having full control over the nitrogen content, using a reactor, a daily flow of at least 2x the total system volume is needed.

For just exporting more nitrogen all that is needed is some elemental sulfur, and some filter cloth.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Why a low nitrate level is desired?

Having nitrate is a good thing as it is an indication for good functioning remineralization and nitrification . It is the key to good nitrogen management and closing the nitrogen cycle in a closed system.

As far as I know, Nitrate is a safely stored nitrogen reserve of usable nitrogen. It is not toxic for marine life exempt at very high levels. What is the reason why reefers fora are filled with threats about nitrate problems?

In most cases, high nutrient levels are the result of underlying problems. Why nutrients are not used up? Why nitrate is not used up in a well-lit aquarium by photoautotrophs having theoretical an unlimited energy source?

Must nitrate be battled just because it is measured, without any reason, and most important without searching one second for the underlying reasons? By shooting the messenger one can not win battles.
Battling nitrates have become big business. In a lot of cases, the way nitrates are battled may create a lot more problems as the nitrate level ever may responsible for. For example, by dosing organic carbon-based products for no real reason. The only reason I can think of for supplementing organic carbon is when having an acute ammonium reduction problem.

For some reason nitrates, and phosphates, have become the enemy of reefers. Why? Is it because they are easily measured? As the level is an indication of what is not used, how the level can be responsible for existing or future problems. Why the level is battled instead of correcting the reason why the levels increase. Battling the levels will not solve a thing if nothing else is done!

In nature only a very low nitrate level is present. The nitrogen reserve level in ppm is very low but the availability is huge and when used replaced directly. Must we target low nutrient levels to mimic the natural circumstances or is it better to keep on

If increased nitrate levels are measured on a dying reef, are those increasing levels the reason why the reef is dying or the result of what was and is happening? Is it such a report from the nineties which is responsible?

Preventing algae growth may be a reason? But in thas case is it the nitrate availability or the source of nitrate wich is to blame?

An expensive water change just for lowering the nitrate level? Why?

Banning the biofilter? What did it solve so far?

The only reason I can think of for targetting a low nitrate level is the fact high nitrogen availability can cause coral bleaching due to phosphorus starvation during periods of increased growth ( increased temp). Also in aquaria. As most reefers target a low phosphate level, to prevent the reserves may become responsible it is best to keep on a nitrate reserve not more as 9x the phosphate content, this to prevent the nutrient reserve may become responsible for phosphorus to become the growth-limiting factor in the coral holobiont.

Exporting nitrate that is considered not needed? It is easily done by using some elemental sulfur, and some filter cloth.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I never said it does not work; what I say is that it is not possible to use an anoxic kept denitrator to manage the nitrogen content as desired.

While I am not a fan of either sulfur denitrators or carbon denitrators, your statement is seemingly odd since he is telling you he did so and was happy with it.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

How to manage the nitrogen content using elemental sulfur, it depends on the definition given to "managing" and what are the "desires"
Being able to export a bit of nitrate is not the same as being able to "manage" the nitrate export rate and the nitrate level as desired to keep the level steady at a level of choice by removing the daily nitrate overproduction daily even at a very low nitrate level, less as the daily nitrate overproduction.
"Managing" an anoxic kept reactor, the flow is managed in the function of the oxygen content which is always about the same, which means the flow rate of the reactor can not be changed much, such anoxic reactor may export a lot at very high nitrate levels but very little at very low nitrate levels. This means using an anoxic kept denitrator one is unable "to manage " the nitrate removal rate as the flow can not be "managed" in function of nitrate content and the daily nitrogen overproduction to be removed daily.

I do not know why an SD is kept anoxic because a reactor based on BADES works fine still having 2ppm DO in the effluent. It will not remove more nitrate, certainly not a low nitrate level. Also at a low to very low nitrate level the same daily nitrogen overproduction must be removed daily to keep the nitrate level steady, this if nothing was done to correct underlying causes. Of course, in anoxic conditions, 100% of the nitrate entered may be removed if the reactor is big enough, but one only can remove what is entered. If 100% of nitrate is removed, the oxygen source will become sulfate.
One of the reasons for not recommending an SD.

By SD I mean an anoxic kept reactor.


Besides using BADES, there is another very good and maybe even better method for exporting nitrogen but this threat is about nitrogen management using elemental sulfur.

BADES works best having a relatively high daily nitrogen overproduction.

Using BADES may provide full control over the nitrogen export rate and the nitrate level but all that is needed for exporting nitrogen is a bit elemental sulfur and some filter cloth, no need for a reactor! As using BADES will also remove ammonium nitrogen it becomes part of the carrying capacity.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

While I am not a fan of either sulfur denitrators or carbon denitrators, your statement is seemingly odd since he is telling you he did so and was happy with it.

Me neither! I will never advise the use of anoxic kept denitrators for to be used in life support systems as they are very vulnerable to human error. They work fine for lowering a high nitrate level but for "managing" a low nitrate level when having a high daily nitrogen overproduction they are not suitable.

One may be happy with it, why not, but there are better and much more reliable ways to export nitrogen. Adding Methanol or any other carbon hydrate to a reef tank, If I was a coral and had the choice, I would rather not be in that tank.

To export nitrogen, only a bit of elemental sulfur is needed, and maybe some filter cloth. No reactor or any other expensive equipment needed.

 

[Lasse]

Thanl you @Belgian Anthias for at last coming up with a description of BADES rolls in a separate thread.
I have a few questions.

You are talking about both nitrification and denitrification. The nitrification needs a lot of oxygen - and in your construction - as I can see - it is only the first µm of the filter cloth that will promote nitrification - if they are placed in a oxygen rich area. In your opinion - is it better to do a lot of small "rolls" if you place them in a reactor and should it be a high flow reactor or a low flow reactor? If you use them as "passive" - should they be placed in a high flow area (lot of oxygen), a refugium (high in oxygen) or....?

In your opinion - if you use the "rolls" in a passive mode (no reactor) - is it good to use an old style nitrification filter - often named "nitrate factories" by people not understanding that they are just optimized for that purpose - in order to manage the nitrification

You are talking about managing the nitrate removing (either of us want it to be zero what I understand). How you do that - with the amount of rolls? Taking out or putting in rolls?

When should you introduce these rolls - from the start or after a month or two.

Is it possible to mix elementary sulphur in an old fashion undergravel filter (or DSB with normal or reversal flow) and still get these effects (not easy to pick out however)

@Randy Holmes-Farley I think this is partly a new concept based on old knowledge. It is not - IMO - total comparable with the old sulphur based denitrifiers even if it use the same microbiology.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[MabuyaQ]

Thanl you @Belgian Anthias for at last coming up with a description of BADES rolls in a separate thread.
I have a few questions.

You are talking about both nitrification and denitrification. The nitrification needs a lot of oxygen - and in your construction - as I can see - it is only the first µm of the filter cloth that will promote nitrification - if they are placed in a oxygen rich area. In your opinion - is it better to do a lot of small "rolls" if you place them in a reactor and should it be a high flow reactor or a low flow reactor? If you use them as "passive" - should they be placed in a high flow area (lot of oxygen), a refugium (high in oxygen) or....?

In your opinion - if you use the "rolls" in a passive mode (no reactor) - is it good to use an old style nitrification filter - often named "nitrate factories" by people not understanding that they are just optimized for that purpose - in order to manage the nitrification

You are talking about managing the nitrate removing (either of us want it to be zero what I understand). How you do that - with the amount of rolls? Taking out or putting in rolls?

When should you introduce these rolls - from the start or after a month or two.

Is it possible to mix elementary sulphur in an old fashion undergravel filter (or DSB with normal or reversal flow) and still get these effects (not easy to pick out however)

@Randy Holmes-Farley I think this is partly a new concept based on old knowledge. It is not - IMO - total comparable with the old sulphur based denitrifiers even if it use the same microbiology.

Sincerely Lasse

It is nothing more than a sulphur based Donovan's nitrate destroyer. And like that system effluent in relation to size determines nitrate levels. Still causes pH to drop like the old sulphur denitrators so you need calciumcarbonate media at the effluent (increasing space needed to run this system), still run the risk of sulfate getting dumped in the aquarium, still requires a lot of maintenance to prevent either the sulphurbeads or calciumcarbonate media from clogging up and becoming anoxic. So just as uncontrolled and dangerous as any other unmonitored system of nutrient export.