AquaMaxx Sulfur Denitrator TS-1

Newb73 · Sep 2, 2016

I just ordered tge TS2.

Started ozone today, will be starting the denitrator tomorrow.

Ill leave my biopellets running for about 3 weeks before i pull them.

Fudsey · Sep 3, 2016

It took mine about 5-6 weeks before it was seeded and removing nitrates. I was also dosing H2O2 at the begining so that might have had something to do with the slow start but not really sure about that.

Newb73 · Sep 5, 2016

I can't figure out how to et the air out of the top of this thing either.

I read the post and tilted it but of course it just hits the recirc pump and pushes the air back into the media...bad idea most likely.

I tried pulling the ph probe (black screw twist thing with a rubber stopper and just letting the air flow out that way..no dice, doesn't come out....tried turning the pump on with the top off to force it out..bad idea, it just floods water out of the probe holder.

I am starting to think the air is just going to stay in there???

locito277 · Sep 5, 2016

Fudsey there are a few threads on these. I'm installing gone soon but have read that it takes time for the bacteria to colonize. I believe you'll need to get the little air bubbles out daily. That is oxygen which may affect the anaerobic zone I assume. I read you need to take them out and it takes like 8 weeks to cycle. Also play with the effluent. It takes finetune it a bit.

Fudsey · Sep 5, 2016

@Newb73 Tilting it so that the pump is down while both pumps are on does work takes a decent angle 35-40 degrees. You won't get it all but you will get a good amount out. The rest will work it's way out to the point that you will have no air in it at all. You want about 2-3 drips per second and that took a lot of adjustments but after about a week all the air was out and drips became more consistant.

@locito277 It took about 5 weeks for mine to seed and after that it starting working as it should, pulling out nitrates.

locito277 · Sep 5, 2016

Great I'm setting it up from start up. Likely take mine longer to kick in

Newb73 · Sep 5, 2016

Playing with it further, turning the recirc pump off and leaving thevfeed pump on you can tilt it and get most of the air out through the return on the feed line.

If you leave the recirc pump on the air looks like it was removed but if you watch closely where it actually goes is back down through the recirc at the bottom of the media.

Right now with my skimmer off and carbon off line...

My nitrates dropped from .75 to .25 in 3 days at 1 drop per second.

Very odd....the effluent is same aa tank... .25

I turned it up to 2-3 drops per hour just now.

twreefer · Oct 7, 2016

Have any of you who have setup the denitrator seeded with any extra bacteria like Bio-Spira, Zeobak, or Dr. Tim's? I'm considering the TS-1 and wondered if seeding would shorten the cycle before it started reducing nitrates. But then I'm not sure if any of those products have anaerobic bacteria anyway.

Fudsey · Oct 7, 2016

I know I haven't seeded it in anyway. Like you said, I'm not sure they contain any anaerobic bacteria.

twreefer · Oct 7, 2016

It "could" still help though, if nitrifying bacteria helped build the nitrate store locally in the media. I'll test and report whenever I get it setup. I'm still in the shopping phase.

twreefer · Oct 7, 2016

@Fudsey , is the Aqua Lifter pump required? I'm comparing the denitrator vs the starter kit.

Jongalt26 · Oct 9, 2016

Yes, the aqualifter is required (or any other 1/4" feed pump). I dont know if those bacteria seeds have the correct anaerobic bacteria for nitrate reduction. You can check though. Marine NitraAct supposedly can help but i havent tried it before.

Fudsey · Oct 15, 2016

Sorry @twreefer I never got the notice about your post.... @Jongalt26 is right, you need the aqualifter.

Newb73 · Oct 15, 2016

As an update.

At 1 drop per second i get completely clean 0 nitrate water out of it.

At 3 drops per second (which is about as fast as you can count), the water comes out at roughly 50% of the nitrate level of the tank.

Im going to try and dial it in at 2 drops per second which im guessing would be around a 75% reduction.

Any slower than 1 drop per second you get rotten egg. Any faster rhan 3 drops per second and it essentially becomes a standard canister filter. (The nitrates coming out are actually HIGHER than tank levels).

One drop per second is about 5 gallons of day of completely 0 nitrate watee being produced....if thats as good as it gets...im fine w that.

Fudsey · Oct 16, 2016

Interesting findings @Newb73

I'll have to dial mine in and see. I never got that into testing the different drip rates. I had a 0 reading a few times, at different drip rates, but that makes sense.

Newb73 · Oct 16, 2016

Fudsey said:
Interesting findings @Newb73

I'll have to dial mine in and see. I never got that into testing the different drip rates. I had a 0 reading a few times, at different drip rates, but that makes sense.

And I think your findings will vary depending on your specific size tank, feeding levels, and starting nitrate levels as well. Some can turn them up faster than the counted 3 drops per second without it becoming aerobic and/or while still reducing nitrates. So far I have not been able to do that (but my nitrates get around 2 to 4 when they are elevated...not 20 to 40ppm like some people get).

Fudsey · Oct 16, 2016

Well I started this at about 160 or better. And now mine is about 5-10. I need to finish my sump relocation but right now it's on hold. So I am fighting a wet/dry system that produces them too quickly to get the numbers any lower. I have the 40B for the sump and a stand made. It's just the work involved in plumbing the sump into the basement and not having the wife disapprove, lol.

Newb73 · Oct 16, 2016

Fudsey said:
Well I started this at about 160 or better. And now mine is about 5-10. I need to finish my sump relocation but right now it's on hold. So I am fighting a wet/dry system that produces them too quickly to get the numbers any lower. I have the 40B for the sump and a stand made. It's just the work involved in plumbing the sump into the basement and not having the wife disapprove, lol.

Fudsey.

I think a cheap diy macro algae reactor might be just the thing for you.

Marine Depot just released a nifty video on how to easily set one up.

Maybe a future project for me as well.

Fudsey · Oct 16, 2016

Ya, I just watched that video yesterday. A refuge is in my plans. Going to convert the w/d sump into a refuge when things come together

Jongalt26 · Oct 17, 2016

I pulled my nitrate reactor offline this weekend. I think something got caught in either the supply or effluent line of the reactor. I noticed my drip rate was wicked low, maybe 1 drop every 3 or 4 seconds. I opened up the kink valve and gave everything a good shake but the drip rate only increased to maybe 1 drop every second or two. The rotten egg smell was very strong and i noticed that the sulfur had a gray / blackish hue to it in some areas. I didnt want the possibility of nuking the tank so i just emptied out the reactor and cleaned it. The smell was atrocious and stunk up my whole house lol.