Sulfur Denitrator questions.

[Fliper]

Thank you.

Can you please clarify below, I feel like something is missing ... are we trying to match affluent with tank water?

No. Don’t try to match it. It will match on its own.

All you have to do is measure the affluent every 48hrs.

If the affluent is 0, increase flow rate (by 2-3ml per minute) and wait 48hrs.

Repeat this until the affluent matches the tank (1-20 nitrates) This is going to take 2 months (or about that long).

You aren’t trying to get the affluent to match the tank, but it will eventually on its own. Your nitrates will be between 1-20ppm.

If you want them lower, add a little more sulfur and start over (it won’t take that long to cycle the 2nd time - it goes fast)

Do not add too much sulfur from the start - or you will wonder why your fish are dead.

If you smell rotten eggs - increase your flow rate until the smell goes away. Or, take some sulfur out of the reactor.

I highly recommend watching videos on YouTube about setting up a sulfur reactor. There are 2 videos on YouTube right now (search sulfur denitrator) and watch the videos.

Do not deviate from the instructions on setting up a sulfur reactor or it won’t work. It’s important to follow the cycle process.

I think the confusing part is the matching part. Basically, one day you will check the affluent and it will have 10 nitrates (for example). Several days will go by and the nitrates will stay at 10). They won’t go down. Well, up until that point, you’ve been increasing the flow rate when the nitrates were 0 and waiting when you had nitrates!

So, you wait. But…the nitrates don’t go down! Guess what? Your tank and the affluent from your reactor will match at this time! You’re done!

If you want your nitrates lower than the match (maybe you want them at 5ppm) then add a little sulfur (very little) and start over (at 1 drip per second). You should cycle the 2nd time in about a week or so (it’s quick)

Then again, you might not need to! You might like your nitrates where they are!

If you have 0 nitrates in your tank, take some sulfur out or you will create gas. Deadly gas (for your fish anyways).

The amount of sulfur in the post picture was a deadly amount. Way too much!

Start by using 1 liter for every 100 gallons. You can add or subtract if you need to (if you smell rotten eggs/subtract, if your nitrates are high coming out of the reactor when they match the tank/add sulfur.)

 

[14 foot reef]

This is such a simple process, most all the comments are over thinking, over doing, over worrying.
Hook up a negative orp probe make sure it doesn't go to high 300 + for long periods of time, and watch your nitrates disappear. That's it.

I did this in the early 90' kinda forgot about it, then started up my reactor and nitrates went from 45 to 10 over a couple of months..

That's it....... try to stop over thinking this very simple process

 

[Fliper]

This is such a simple process, most all the comments are over thinking, over doing, over worrying.
Hook up a negative orp probe make sure it doesn't go to high 300 + for long periods of time, and watch your nitrates disappear. That's it.

I did this in the early 90' kinda forgot about it, then started up my reactor and nitrates went from 45 to 10 over a couple of months..

That's it....... try to stop over thinking this very simple process

I use an orp controller to turn the feed pump off if the orp gets below -300.

To cycle the reactor, I test the affluent every 48hrs. If it’s 0 nitrates, I increase the flow rate (2-3ml per min).

If there’s nitrates, I wait 48hrs and test again.

My way (certainly not the only way) takes about 2 months as well.

I’ve heard other people say they fill the reactor with water and let it sit for a week - then it works. Hmmmm. Sounds too good to be true lol.

 

[14 foot reef]

I use an orp controller to turn the feed pump off if the orp gets below -300.

To cycle the reactor, I test the affluent every 48hrs. If it’s 0 nitrates, I increase the flow rate (2-3ml per min).

If there’s nitrates, I wait 48hrs and test again.

My way (certainly not the only way) takes about 2 months as well.

I’ve heard other people say they fill the reactor with water and let it sit for a week - then it works. Hmmmm. Sounds too good to be true lol.

This is the example of simple. Bravo Fliper

 

[BZOFIQ]

Well, seems I need to restart mine after all these years as my nitrates on the new tank are creeping up even with large water changes.

 

[BZOFIQ]

No. Don’t try to match it. It will match on its own.

All you have to do is measure the affluent every 48hrs.

If the affluent is 0, increase flow rate (by 2-3ml per minute) and wait 48hrs.

Repeat this until the affluent matches the tank (1-20 nitrates) This is going to take 2 months (or about that long).

You aren’t trying to get the affluent to match the tank, but it will eventually on its own. Your nitrates will be between 1-20ppm.

If you want them lower, add a little more sulfur and start over (it won’t take that long to cycle the 2nd time - it goes fast)

Do not add too much sulfur from the start - or you will wonder why your fish are dead.

If you smell rotten eggs - increase your flow rate until the smell goes away. Or, take some sulfur out of the reactor.

I highly recommend watching videos on YouTube about setting up a sulfur reactor. There are 2 videos on YouTube right now (search sulfur denitrator) and watch the videos.

Do not deviate from the instructions on setting up a sulfur reactor or it won’t work. It’s important to follow the cycle process.

I think the confusing part is the matching part. Basically, one day you will check the affluent and it will have 10 nitrates (for example). Several days will go by and the nitrates will stay at 10). They won’t go down. Well, up until that point, you’ve been increasing the flow rate when the nitrates were 0 and waiting when you had nitrates!

So, you wait. But…the nitrates don’t go down! Guess what? Your tank and the affluent from your reactor will match at this time! You’re done!

If you want your nitrates lower than the match (maybe you want them at 5ppm) then add a little sulfur (very little) and start over (at 1 drip per second). You should cycle the 2nd time in about a week or so (it’s quick)

Then again, you might not need to! You might like your nitrates where they are!

If you have 0 nitrates in your tank, take some sulfur out or you will create gas. Deadly gas (for your fish anyways).

The amount of sulfur in the post picture was a deadly amount. Way too much!

Start by using 1 liter for every 100 gallons. You can add or subtract if you need to (if you smell rotten eggs/subtract, if your nitrates are high coming out of the reactor when they match the tank/add sulfur.)

@Fliper


Thank you.

Any chance you can link these two videos for reference?

 

[Fliper]

@Fliper


Thank you.

Any chance you can link these two videos for reference?

I’d watch both of these. The first one is the short version and the other one is an in depth conversation between 2 guys who both have sulfur reactors.



And this next one is incredible. A 37 minute conversation between 2 guys who run sulfur reactors. Follow these guys advice and you will succeed.

 

[jman930]

It’s been a while so I will post another update. The reactor is working great. I have 60ml going through it with a Kamoer pump. I think that’s roughly 20ish gallons per day with 0 ppm nitrate effluent. It’s been a few weeks that I have had that flow but my fowlr tank has over 75ppm nitrates (that’s as high as the Hannah will show) and no signs of being reduced. My -orp seems to balance out around 120 to 150 now with the flow I have going through it. If I increase the flow the orp can rise to -75 but then after a few hours it is back to its base. I’m guessing the reactor could be pushed to 100+ ml of flow over time but my bigger question is why my display nitrates are not reducing.

I have 5 tangs ranging from 8-14” and feed nori primarily 2 times a day. Almost an 8 1/2 by 11 size sheet of nori total. No pellets or flakes.

I would have expected to see a drop by now. Unless the nitrates are so high the reactor would never bring them down alone.

 

[Davileet]

I would like to resurrect this thread for a question I have on my new denitrator.

I am following the video from the Hydros guys, and increasing flow to the reactor which is currently at 0 NO3 and ~30mL/min. I have seen my tank go from 75+ NO3 down to about 15. The effluent from the reactor is still currently at 0.

Do I keep increasing flow at this point or should I be removing media to try and match the tanks nitrate levels at 40mL/min?

I am afraid to bottom out my corals food source by increasing the flow to the reactor.

 

[ScottJazz]

You’ll need to remove media to reduce the reactors consumption of nitrates. After that you may need to adjust flow.

How much media did you use and what’s your tank size?

 

[Davileet]

You’ll need to remove media to reduce the reactors consumption of nitrates. After that you may need to adjust flow.

How much media did you use and what’s your tank size?

I used about 7-8lbs of pilled sulfur, enough to fill about 75% of the Geo NR618, the rest with reborn.
I have a 250 gallon tank and large sump. Probably 250gal of actual water column.

 

[X-37B]

I would like to resurrect this thread for a question I have on my new denitrator.

I am following the video from the Hydros guys, and increasing flow to the reactor which is currently at 0 NO3 and ~30mL/min. I have seen my tank go from 75+ NO3 down to about 15. The effluent from the reactor is still currently at 0.

Do I keep increasing flow at this point or should I be removing media to try and match the tanks nitrate levels at 40mL/min?

I am afraid to bottom out my corals food source by increasing the flow to the reactor.

You are on the right path. You control the flow out to achieve your tank number.
Let it run for a week at 15. If its still going down reduce the flow. If no3 goes up increase the flow.
Increasing the flow is how it's done.
Example on my 150 I run <5 no3.
Test no3 was 7. I increased flow out of the reactor and no3 is now 4.6.

 

[Davileet]

You are on the right path. You control the flow out to achieve your tank number.
Let it run for a week at 15. If its still going down reduce the flow. If no3 goes up increase the flow.
Increasing the flow is how it's done.
Example on my 150 I run <5 no3.
Test no3 was 7. I increased flow out of the reactor and no3 is now 4.6.

What is the ideal output of the reactor though? Am I misunderstanding that we don't want output of the reactor at 0?

 

[backbayreef]

This is what I track - super simple & automated.
ORP is between -200 to -250mV
Flow rate of 50ml/min (pulled by Kamoer)

Nitrate is around 20ppm on the 450gal with hungry tangs & angels. Nitrate used to be 100ppm+!

 

[backbayreef]

Still waiting for the BNC connectors to do reverse-polarity for the Apex. I ordered the wrong parts last time. Ugh

Having trend graph is very useful! ;)

 

[X-37B]

What is the ideal output of the reactor though? Am I misunderstanding that we don't want output of the reactor at 0?

Yes you want zero output. If you speed it up and the no3 in your tank goes up then your reactor needs more media or a bigger unit.
I only watch the tanks no3 level.
Simple for me. Speed up the effluent and tanks no3 goes down.
when ever I test effluent it is always zero.
Last time I checked my no3 runs around 4.5.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[Davileet]

Yes you want zero output. If you speed it up and the no3 in your tank goes up then your reactor needs more media or a bigger unit.
I only watch the tanks no3 level.
Simple for me. Speed up the effluent and tanks no3 goes down.
when ever I test effluent it is always zero.
Last time I checked my no3 runs around 4.5.
Hope that makes sense.

Does the 0 nitrates not mean that it will continue reducing nitrates in the main tank?

I assumed the equilibrium with reactor effluent and tank nitrate levels meant that it wouldn't continue to deplete the display.

 

[X-37B]

Does the 0 nitrates not mean that it will continue reducing nitrates in the main tank?

I assumed the equilibrium with reactor effluent and tank nitrate levels meant that it wouldn't continue to deplete the display.

Your processing a small amount of total system water through your reactor.
You can have zero effluent and 50 no3, or zero effluent with 5 no3 in your tank.
Your tanks no3 is controlled with the speed of your peristaltic pump while your reactors effluent is zero.
Your tank will get to a point like mine currently. 15mlm gives me 4-5 no3 in the tank.
Hope that make sense.

 

[mrpizzaface]

what mods a required to be able to use the aquamaxx calcium reactors, as a super denitrator?

 

[14 foot reef]

Zero mods needed, Out of the box plug and play.

I run their largest one. It's a perfect set up.