diy or should I say modified sulphur denitrator.

[chew*]

just picked this up....modified it for use as a sulfur denitrator.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...Product_Code=RIO-29709&Category_Code=creactor

Since i don't have enough volume in my frag/quarantine tank i'm sourcing out a local member to test it for performance......just fyi the media costs more than the actual unit. So this is about a $100 total cost diy sulfur denitrator with enough media to refill it once.

It has a small 1.2w built in circulation pump and construction is better than a phosban reactor IMO. the footprint is that of a phosban reactor, it can be fed via a tee off the main pump, a tee off your drain to sump or gravity, main pump tee being likely the most reliable.....

All thats required some uxbridge rocks (jim approved ) sulfur media and the co2 feed needs to be blocked off and the length of hose required to feed it and return it of which it comes with some.......I reccomend RO line for the feed for ease of teeing into your main returns pvc........

Once tested by a local member I will be able to determine what volume of water this unit can be rated for.......as a calcium reactor its rated for up to 75g.

 

[SteveDola]

cool idea and inexpensive-always a plus. I sent PM

 

[chew*]

Since it was relatively cheap ( $150 for 2 with media ) I tossed another one together. This one is now currently running. I don't have any concrete values but I tested the tank prior to installation via a salifert test and the result was purple which is above 100ppm nitrates. I will keep this updated weekly as from my understanding these take a little time to establish.

A little inf on tank 1. 90g w/ Crushed coral bottom, low coral bioload, high fish bioload with a euroreef ES 5-2.

Steve dola should be getting the second one online in the near future and will provide pics as I am cameraless at this point in time.

Both test subjects are 90 gallon tanks. If i had to guess It may take 2 of these to keep up with a 90g with a high bioload but we will have to wait and see.

 

[SteveDola]

Finally snapped a few pics

heres the denitrator that chew so generously lent me to help my dad with a HA issue hes having. He found the parts and after sometime got it online. Its not easy to dial in and the pump thats built into it is a PITA to keep consistantly running but after a couple more days of playing around with it Im sure we'll get it perfect.

 

[SteveDola]

 

[jbishop]

That thing is pretty cool. Let us know how well it works.

 

[JPags]

The biggest issue I have with my sulfur denitrator is getting the drip correct. Its a real #%&@ing pain to try and use a standard ball valve to get a correct drip rate and then adjust it up or down. What I did was added a plastic air line valve after the ball valve so I can leave the ball valve all the way open and then fine tune the drip rate with the airline valve. This seems to work much better.

The latest problem I am having is I am getting algae in the outflow tube and slowing the drip rate down, almost to nothing. I had to clean the tube out several times now to get the drip rate correct again.

I did a lot of research on denitrators before I bought this one and the only time I have ever read anyone having great success with them (Without a lot of adjusting) is when you use an orp monitor and dosing pump to control the outflow. This allows you to get the most out of a denitrator but its much more expensive setup.

I am thinking of looking around for a dosing pump to see if that helps control the outflow and get the best denitrification.

John

 

[Psychographic]

Is the line that is clogging with algae, airline tubing? I ask because you said you were using an airline valve. Why not just buy some black airline tubing, this will block the light and prevent alae growth.

 

[JPags]

Yea, thats my next step. Because I have the end of the output tubing coming up over the top of my tank its exposed to the tank light. I need to get some black tubing to stop the algae growth in the end of the outflow tube.

John

 

[SteveDola]

im going to lowes to get a small tubing valve instead of using the ballvalve or the unit's valves. it seems like it runs for 6-8 hrs and then the water level goes down and the recirc pump doesnt work correctly forcing the reactor to stop. Im hoping that by using the valve inline instad of at the waters' source Ill be able to maintain a consistant feed.

...keepin my fingers crossed

 

[JPags]

Are you controlling the flow on the inbound side or the outbound. You need to have the inbound wide open and shut down the outflow. I have the small valve on the outflow side, so the drip comes right after the outflow. This way once the tank is full of water it will not empty out.

I originally had a 1/4 tubing vavle on the line but that was also hard to control the drip rate. You need a small airline valve. If I get some time I will post some pictures.

John

 

[SteveDola]

im just worried about pressure...do you think it would leak?

 

[JPags]

As long as you don't have it directly connected to a pump with no other path for the water to flow. Once the water fills the reactor you will get some pressure but if the water has another path with less resistance it will only build up a very small amount, if any. Liquids will always take the path of least resistance.

Mine is on my canister filter return line to my tank, which has a good amount of water flow, but there is no blockage between the pump and the tank, so I get enough pressure to keep the reactor filled and no air in the reactor, which is essential, but not enough to pop a hose. I know this because I have a soft 3/8" hose feeding the denitrator and I can see there is very little pressure in it.

John