Unboxing and Modifying Korallin Sulfur Denitrator

Matt L.

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Hello,

I don't know if this post will be useful, but...

I had bought a Korallin S3002 a while ago. I found the instructions to be somewhat... limited (I've attached them to this post). I also found the reactor to be a little difficult to control, often getting nitrate breakthrough or too little flow to have an effect on nitrates. This led me to make a series of modifications to the reactor that I felt helped. I added a new S3002 to a new system, and photographed the process I used to unbox, set up, and modify the reactor. For me, personally, sulfur denitrators have proven to be the best and most reliable way to reduce high nitrates once they are established.

1. So this is how the reactor comes, with most of the media inside the reactor chamber in separate bags. The Eheim pump comes with the reactor, but ships separately.

IMG_1403.jpg


2. Here is the top of the reactor as it comes shipped. There are two bulkheads cemented to the top flange, and the purge line. The newer reactors also come with a probe port, presumably for an ORP probe. There was nothing in my instructions about this port, and I just use testing for NO3- and NO2- in the effluent to monitor reactor performance.

IMG_1404.jpg


3. I removed the packets of media from inside the reactor. Leave the bottom plastic disc and bottom blue filter on top of the bottom disc.

IMG_1405.jpg


4. I add the sulfur media. If you have a funnel, this helps. The sulfur prills go everywhere. You add all the media they send you. You may need to tap the reactor to help it settle a little lower.

IMG_1407.jpg


5. Then I put the top disc on top of the sulfur media, and the top blue filter pad on top of the top disc.

IMG_1408.jpg


6. Then you add the aragonite media they send with the reactor. You can use regular aragonite calcium reactor media if you ever need to replace the aragonite. It's important to keep the o-ring clean and clear of aragonite when adding it.

IMG_1410.jpg


7. Bolt the top lid to the reactor body. You will need to shift the aragonite media over to the side to allow the return pipe to be inserted into the aragonite media. That's what the wooden spoon is for. The paper towel roll is there to prevent the reactor from rolling off the table. Although I didn't show it, before bolting the top flange on, I removed the plastic vertical bolt that is used to affix the Eheim pump. Why I removed this small plastic bolt is discussed below.

IMG_1412.jpg


8. Now, here is where I start modifying the reactor. The first thing I do is replace the tubing compression fittings with john guest fittings. They are backwards in the photo, below, but I place the threaded by john guest elbow on the inlet, and the threaded by john guest valve on the outlet. Placing a valve on the outlet is helpful to purge the reactor of gas that accumulates, especially when the reactor is getting established. I found the clear tubing that they provide can become occluded with scale and john guest valves easier to control.

IMG_1414.jpg


9. It's a little difficult to remove the teflon tape that comes with the plastic compression fittings. You'll want to get all the old teflon tape out of the threads. I use teflon tape on the threads of the new john guest fittings. Here is how the inlet and outlet manifolds come out after I've modified them.

IMG_1415.jpg


10. I also put a thin layer of teflon tape on the bulkheads affixed to the lid for the inlet and outlet pump manifold. I've found that over time, these threads can stick. A thin layer of teflon tape will allow you to always be able to unthread them if you ever needed to in the future.

IMG_1417.jpg


11. I remove the compression fitting from the top flange of the reactor before proceeding on. You'll need to remove the old teflon tape from the 1/4" threaded port in the top flange.

IMG_1418.jpg


12. I construct the new headspace purge out of a thread by john guest valve, with a 1/4" threaded pipe nipple and a 1/4" threaded coupling. You'll need a threaded pipe nipple of sufficient length to clear the inlet and outlet manifolds and to clear the Eheim pump. Be sure to use Teflon tape on all your pipe threads.
IMG_1419.jpg


13. Here's the new purge line threaded into the top flange. Please note I've since removed the plastic bolt before bolting on the top flange even though it's shown in the photo below.

IMG_1421.jpg


14. Time to unbox the Eheim pump. You do not use the blue filter or disc, which is for submersible applications.

IMG_1422.jpg


15. Remove the filter from the front as shown, below. The filter is for submersible applications and isn't needed, although I reuse it. You'll need to slide the base off first. Using teflon tape, thread on the inlet and outlet compression fittings.

IMG_1426.jpg


16. Slide the base back on. It goes on the side as shown, so that the discharge is to the left side when facing the inlet. Then slide the plastic grate back on (this isn't necessary). Then slide the rubber tubing that comes affixed to the inlet and outlet manifolds on to the suction and discharge compression fittings on the pump as shown.

IMG_1428.jpg


17. All you have to do now is thread the bulkheads on the inlet and outlet manifold to the bulkhead fittings on the lid flange of the reactor. I found that they do not align exactly no matter how hard I tried, and the pump certainly would not fit on the plastic bolt that I removed back up in step 7. But the plastic bolt isn't really necessary.

IMG_1431.jpg


18. Although you can feed the reactor using a dedicated powerhead, or off a pressurized line from the return pump, I found these methods difficult to achieve a variable and controllable rate of flow, which is what really helps get the most out of your reactor. So I affixed a Kamoer peristaltic continuous duty dosing pump. For my installation, the pump sits on a wooden platform to keep it above the water surface of the sump. The tubing in a peristaltic pump can break, which could lead to a syphon out of the tank. I use the following setup to convert from the tubing to john guest fittings.

IMG_1458.jpg


I hope this helps,

Matt:cool:
 

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  • Korallin Sulfur Denitrator Instructions.pdf
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Raheel-82

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Hello,

I got my korallin denitrator. I had ordered the one without eheim universal pump. I want to know if I can use the denitrator with the eheim universal pump 2400 as I have it at home or I can’t. I don’t want to damage the denitrator and the pump. Pls advice or should I buy the eheim universal 600 pump.

Thanks for reading.
 

JumboShrimp

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Something tells me that you should use the 600. As you know, the pump is just recirculating the water inside the chamber— ‘pressurizing’ it, so to speak. I’m actually surprised that the 600 is not too powerful to accomplish this task (but recognize that that’s what’s typically packaged together with the unit.) I would be afraid that the 1200 would be too powerful for the job; I could be wrong, though, and would hate to make you buy a second pump for nothing. Maybe see what someone else thinks. Best wishes!

PS: Be very patient— I just took a Nitrate reading of the effluent coming out. It began as 160+ Nitrate (just like the DT, a FOWLR), and today it’s reading 40 ppm. However this took a full 6 weeks.
 

Blue Spot Octopus

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Thanks for all the details, this is very timely I will be setting up my 1502, I also have the Kaomer pump, I bought a blue funnel to load up my DI canister, I wonder if it is the perfect size for adding the media, I shall know my this weekend.
 

Raheel-82

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Hello,

One last question for feed pump. I have an eheim compact on 600. Can this be used as a feed pump. Pls advice.

Thanks.
 

JumboShrimp

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For your feed pump, think too about the minimal job it will be required to do. Mostly when up and running, your effluent output back into your tank will be one or two drops per second. So we are talking about drips. Even full-open, its only flowing out of what is the diameter of air line tubing. So that's all a feed pump has to be capable of entering (feeding) into the system. A few drops at a time, basically. That's why something as small as Tom's Aqualifter works, if you want to take a look at one. Anything more would have to be dialed way, way down; and then could it damage the pump by being so constricted (?)
 

Raheel-82

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Yes, the problem is toms aqua lifter seems to be discontinued and in India it is also discontinued. Could you pls suggest one or two more to do the same job so I can search them here.

Once again, thanks for replying.
 

KrisReef

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For your feed pump, think too about the minimal job it will be required to do. Mostly when up and running, your effluent output back into your tank will be one or two drops per second. So we are talking about drips. Even full-open, its only flowing out of what is the diameter of air line tubing. So that's all a feed pump has to be capable of entering (feeding) into the system. A few drops at a time, basically. That's why something as small as Tom's Aqualifter works, if you want to take a look at one. Anything more would have to be dialed way, way down; and then could it damage the pump by being so constricted (?)
Do these reactors tend to clog like calcium reactors? if not, perhaps a siphon from the main tank "dripping" into a sump could be set up to supply feed through the reactor?

Nice thread @Matt L.
 

JumboShrimp

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@Raheel-82, I would just get a super-cheap VERY low gph pump off Amazon as a feed pump, and even dial that back if you have to using a valve. @KrisReef makes a good point-- I haven't had mine long enough to tell-- but I do think they tend to clog (from what I have read), and thus may need a bit more of a 'push' than a siphon could achieve in the long run.
 

Raheel-82

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Hi,

I think Matt L has used a dosing pump to feed the denitrator.
 

Raheel-82

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Hi,

For pics 17 and 18. I have ordered the eheim 600 universal pump. And for the pic 18 I have a jebao doser that’s new so I thought of using it for feed as Matt L has used a Kamoer doser pump in pic18. Pls guide.

Thanks.
 
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Matt L.

Matt L.

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Do these reactors tend to clog like calcium reactors? if not, perhaps a siphon from the main tank "dripping" into a sump could be set up to supply feed through the reactor?

Nice thread @Matt L.
I don’t believe these reactors clog. You can see the accumulation of biomass in the reactor, but I’ve never had a problem with clogging.

I tried a gravity drip, but found it hard to precisely control.

Matt:cool:
 

Raheel-82

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Hello,

Cant find a feed pump for the korallin denitrator. Avast marine and toms aqualifter are not available. Pls help with an alternative. Thank you.
 

JumboShrimp

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Why don’t you make a manifold off your return pump and tune it way, way down (almost closed) to the air tubing that goes into the Korallin? In fact Bulk Reef Supply has started to sell manifolds, if you are not comfortable doing it from scratch. :)
 

Raheel-82

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@matt L, can I use any dosing pump as feed to the denitrator as you have done in the picture. I have a spare jebao with me. Pls advice.
 

Raheel-82

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Hello,

I wanted to know that the korallin denitrator requires eheim universal 600 (1048) to run which is rated at 160 GPH and The Eheim Compacton 600 is rated at 159 GPH. I wanted to know if I can use the Eheim Compacton 600 instead of the Eheim Universal 600 as I already have a brand new Eheim Compacton 600 with Me. Pls advice.
 
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