Sulfur Media For Reactior

[mike.metzger6]

hoping to get some input here. I started a sulfur nitrifier about three weeks ago. I was given a half full container of LSM sulfur. I used that in addition with some calcium reactor media and a Hydros soul pump feeding the unit. Ran the unit at full capacity 300ml per minute for 24 hours. Then backed down to approximately a drip per second. Tested a few days later and nitrates were zero so bumped up ML’s. I’ve been playing around with adjusting it for a few weeks. I’ve gotten to 50ML per minute and a nitrate level of about 1.5. If I go any less it hits zero. If I go any higher Orp rises closer to 0 or a positive number and effluent nitrate goes up. My thoughts are I need more sulfer media added to the reactor. My tank nitrates are roughly 30 and don’t move so far even if I leave the effluent at 1.5 nitrate probably because I have a 550 gallon system and at 50ML per minute I’m passing roughy 19 gallons a day thru the reactor and that’s going off the 50ML that the pump is constantly dosing it which is probably higher than the output coming thru the reactor. As of now I’m pushing thru the reactor. Any benefit to pulling thru it instead. Any advice and is this media ok to use to fill the reactor with more media. Thanks in advance.

Amazon.com

 

[X-37B]

I pull through mine. You want your effluent to be zero. You adjust the speed to reduce no3 in your system while keeping effluent at zero.
You will need more sulfer in your reactor it would seem.

 

[X-37B]

Here is a pic. The filter helps keep junk out of the reactor.
Tank is 150g's. Nitrate was 40+.
it now runs <5 in the tank.

 

[mike.metzger6]

I pull through mine. You want your effluent to be zero. You adjust the speed to reduce no3 in your system while keeping effluent at zero.
You will need more sulfer in your reactor it would seem.

OK, I’ve read mixed things. Some say push through some say pull through. I can try reversing it and pulling through as opposed to pushing. My reactor looks very similar with a recirculating pump on it. So far I’m not having any luck with it lowering the nitrate in the tank itself. I can get the effluent to zero and no sulfur smell, but I think because it’s still at such a low speed it’s not gonna have any effect on the tank. In order to build up the speed I think I need more sulfur media for bacteria growth. Looking to source some, but I can’t find it locally so I was wondering if the Amazon link I put would work OK

Do you know how many ML per minute you have your pump set at?

 

[mike.metzger6]

Here is a pic. The filter helps keep junk out of the reactor.
Tank is 150g's. Nitrate was 40+.
it now runs <5 in the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I cannot see a reason why the location of the pump before or after the sulfur matters as long as flow is suitable.

FWIW, the device is a denitrifier. Nitrifier may have just been a type, but we do have different media to promote nitrification.

 

[mike.metzger6]

I cannot see a reason why the location of the pump before or after the sulfur matters as long as flow is suitable.

FWIW, the device is a denitrifier. Nitrifier may have just been a type, but we do have different media to promote nitrification.

Thanks Randy. That was absolutely a typo. Should read denitrifier. Not sure how to edit …or if you’re able to fix that. Would the media I put in the link for on Amazon in the first post be suitable for adding to my existing media that’s already been cycled with bacteria. Just very fearful of adding something that will hurt my tank as I have probably $25k invested in corals etc. your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[backbayreef]

I find it useful to watch ORP inside the reactor to know if you’re in an anaerobic zone for denitrifying bacteria to work. For me, it’s between -200 to -250mV. If I hit -300mV, I’ll just increase flow. This can be done remotely from my phone.

I pull from the reactor at 55mls/min using a Kamoer. My nitrate is at 17ppm and continue to drive down toward 10ppm, slowly decreasing by 2ppm each day. Tank size is 450gal with 30 medium and large fish.

Current pics attached.

 

[backbayreef]

If you smell rotten egg through the effluent, that means that reactor is producing Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) - deadly for your inhabitants! If you have an ORP probe, it should register -300mV or higher. You might nuke the whole tank if this toxicity enters the aquarium. Therefore, you need to STOP and flush the reactor. What I usually do — get 10gal of fresh water and flush it. If it’s easy to remove, take the whole reactor outside and hose it down with a garden hose.

Good luck!

 

[backbayreef]

Also, your calcium reactor media will turn black - a visual to know that H2S is present.

 

[mike.metzger6]

If you smell rotten egg through the effluent, that means that reactor is producing Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) - deadly for your inhabitants! If you have an ORP probe, it should register -300mV or higher. You might nuke the whole tank if this toxicity enters the aquarium. Therefore, you need to STOP and flush the reactor. What I usually do — get 10gal of fresh water and flush it. If it’s easy to remove, take the whole reactor outside and hose it down with a garden hose.

Good luck!

Thank you. Think I need to invest in a new Orp probe. I’m getting readings of -85 to -50 running it at 50ML ish per minute. No rotten egg smell and very slight nitrate reading on effluent. I’m thinking I just need more media in my case. Just don’t know if what I linked earlier in the post is ok to use.

I find it useful to watch ORP inside the reactor to know if you’re in an anaerobic zone for denitrifying bacteria to work. For me, it’s between -200 to -250mV. If I hit -300mV, I’ll just increase flow. This can be done remotely from my phone.

I pull from the reactor at 55mls/min using a Kamoer. My nitrate is at 17ppm and continue to drive down toward 10ppm, slowly decreasing by 2ppm each day. Tank size is 450gal with 30 medium and large fish.

Current pics attached.

Here’s my numbers. I’m thinking I just need more media for bacteria to grow to get my numbers.

 

[backbayreef]

Thank you. Think I need to invest in a new Orp probe. I’m getting readings of -85 to -50 running it at 50ML ish per minute. No rotten egg smell and very slight nitrate reading on effluent. I’m thinking I just need more media in my case. Just don’t know if what I linked earlier in the post is ok to use.

Here’s my numbers. I’m thinking I just need more media for bacteria to grow to get my numbers.

It really depends on the size of your reactor & sulfur quantity. If you’re getting a little or zero nitrate at the effluent, then you can increase flow by 2-5mls to filter more water? Check again in 24 hours? How old is the ORP probe? It doesn’t go bad - should last 5 years(?), more than pH probe for sure. Perhaps need a calibration? Looks like you have an Apex so it can’t read negative ORP. You’re seeing this on another ORP meter?

The Trident NP can inaccurate so might need to verify with Hanna. Your parameters are perfect actually — I would not stress too much chasing numbers! Give it more time? It took me 6wks…

 

[mike.metzger6]

Also, your calcium reactor media will turn black - a visual to know that H2S is present.

I use kalk. No calcium reactor

 

[backbayreef]

I use kalk. No calcium reactor

From your picture, looks like you have TLF calcium reactor media on top? That will turn black if drip rate is too slow.

 

[mike.metzger6]

It really depends on the size of your reactor & sulfur quantity. If you’re getting a little or zero nitrate at the effluent, then you can increase flow by 2-5mls to filter more water? Check again in 24 hours? How old is the ORP probe? It doesn’t go bad - should last 5 years(?), more than pH probe for sure. Perhaps need a calibration? Looks like you have an Apex so it can’t read negative ORP. You’re seeing this on another ORP meter?

The Trident NP can inaccurate so might need to verify with Hanna. Your parameters are perfect actually — I would not stress too much chasing numbers! Give it more time? It took me 6wks…

Thanks for the response. I do use an apex and trident. But for Orp I have it hooked into hydros. Everything I’ve read said don’t both calibrating an Orp probe. I have a couple extras from tank breakdowns that I have stored on RO water. I’m gonna swap out the one I have. And I also test on Hannah checkers once a week to verify my trident numbers. After Neptune sending me four of them I finally have an NP that’s working flawlessly. Always almost exactly matches my Hannah results. I think I just need more media in my reactor. I can’t get my rip above -80 ish. If I increase flow it creaps up to -50 or sometimes higher closer to a zero or positive number. I also may just need to wait a little longer for a better bacteria colony populate the reactor. I appreciate your feedback.

 

[backbayreef]

Thanks for the response. I do use an apex and trident. But for Orp I have it hooked into hydros. Everything I’ve read said don’t both calibrating an Orp probe. I have a couple extras from tank breakdowns that I have stored on RO water. I’m gonna swap out the one I have. And I also test on Hannah checkers once a week to verify my trident numbers. After Neptune sending me four of them I finally have an NP that’s working flawlessly. Always almost exactly matches my Hannah results. I think I just need more media in my reactor. I can’t get my rip above -80 ish. If I increase flow it creaps up to -50 or sometimes higher closer to a zero or positive number. I also may just need to wait a little longer for a better bacteria colony populate the reactor. I appreciate your feedback.

The Apex cannot read negative ORP - you’ll need to reverse-polarity the BNC connector, which I’m planning to do. Glad to see that the NP is working for you.

if you want to get to -200mV, you’ll slow down the drip rate. How long has this been running? It’s possible that you have not built up enough bacteria to run such a high rate? It should be quick - you can just run at 20mls/min. Negative ORP should “increase” in 5-10 minutes.

 

[X-37B]

OK, I’ve read mixed things. Some say push through some say pull through. I can try reversing it and pulling through as opposed to pushing. My reactor looks very similar with a recirculating pump on it. So far I’m not having any luck with it lowering the nitrate in the tank itself. I can get the effluent to zero and no sulfur smell, but I think because it’s still at such a low speed it’s not gonna have any effect on the tank. In order to build up the speed I think I need more sulfur media for bacteria growth. Looking to source some, but I can’t find it locally so I was wondering if the Amazon link I put would work OK

Do you know how many ML per minute you have your pump set at?

Push pull either work. The reason I pull is I do not run a recirculating pump. I just pull through the reactor.
If you zoom in on the pic you will see 15mlm.
I would reduce the bones and add more media.
This is what I use. Very efficient on my 150.

Sulfur Media (12 lbs) Nitrate Reactor - Geo's Reef

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

 

[mike.metzger6]

From your picture, looks like you have TLF calcium reactor media on top? That will turn black if drip rate is too slow.

Ok yeah. I did put media on top as suggest to help buffer the effluent water as recommend a lot of place online. No sign of turning black but at the rate I’m running it’s not reducing nitrate in the tank itself. Guessing I need more
Media

 

[mike.metzger6]

Push pull either work. The reason I pull is I do not run a recirculating pump. I just pull through the reactor.
If you zoom in on the pic you will see 15mlm.
I would reduce the bones and add more media.
This is what I use. Very efficient on my 150.

Sulfur Media (12 lbs) Nitrate Reactor - Geo's Reef

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

Awesome. Thank you. I’ve been trying to find media and don’t have a problem even adding another reactor chamber just want to make sure I use the right media.

 

[mike.metzger6]

The Apex cannot read negative ORP - you’ll need to reverse-polarity the BNC connector, which I’m planning to do. Glad to see that the NP is working for you.

if you want to get to -200mV, you’ll slow down the drip rate. How long has this been running? It’s possible that you have not built up enough bacteria to run such a high rate? It should be quick - you can just run at 20mls/min. Negative ORP should “increase” in 5-10 minutes.

Correct. I’m running the Orp probe off my hyrdos x10 because it will read negative on Orp probe I’ve read about using a oh probe on apex and reversing polarity. It’s been running about 3 weeks and I’ve played with flow rate multiple times when effluent hits zero but I’m getting nowhere.