Help with sulphur reactor....

[CHSUB]

Some thoughts. You are at a no3 level that is far higher than any level i had. I was maintaining 2.5 no3 on a 300 gal system with about 50 fish. As you can see the effluent was 0 with input no3 at 2.5-5.0. I was at maximum flow through the reactor and no3 was not reducing in the DT. That is why i say sulfur is good for maintaining no3 and not reducing unless the reactor is giant. Not saying it can't be done, but it is outside of my experience. There are many factors to consider but input of 100 no3 is a lot to ask in a sulfur deno3, imo.

 

[Pager880]

Some thoughts. You are at a no3 level that is far higher than any level i had. I was maintaining 2.5 no3 on a 300 gal system with about 50 fish. As you can see the effluent was 0 with input no3 at 2.5-5.0. I was at maximum flow through the reactor and no3 was not reducing in the DT. That is why i say sulfur is good for maintaining no3 and not reducing unless the reactor is giant. Not saying it can't be done, but it is outside of my experience. There are many factors to consider but input of 100 no3 is a lot to ask in a sulfur deno3, imo.

I no system has been running for about 4/5 years only have 8fish ..don't feed heavy......was running a bio pellet reactor but got to exspcive.....think my rock is leaching......well just an update ... Tested this morning and and can't really tell but definitely between 5./10.ppm. So definitely working.....will upload a pic .

 

[CHSUB]

I no system has been running for about 4/5 years only have 8fish ..don't feed heavy......was running a bio pellet reactor but got to exspcive.....think my rock is leaching......well just an update ... Tested this morning and and can't really tell but definitely between 5./10.ppm. So definitely working.....will upload a pic .

Yes, it will work. However, imo, a couple of large WC to lower DT no3 will help. Maybe you will be fine without, just thinking?

 

[Pager880]

Yes, it will work. However, imo, a couple of large WC to lower DT no3 will help. Maybe you will be fine without, just thinking?

Done the large water change.thing ...just creeps back up ...within days ..like big water changes.240l ..blows off all my rock work ...cleans sand ....I had a refugium set up . Cheato just died only thing that . Lived was calurpia...but didn't make a dent in it ..so scrapped that . Now full with siporax......when weather warms up ABIT.going to add more sand so go deep sandbed ..and re arrange the rock work ..try add more flow ..

 

[Pager880]

Just an update.... this morning nitrates was between 5/10 ppm .. now just got in and reading 0ppm so ...so what do I do up the drip rate sorry for all the questions

 

[CHSUB]

Just an update.... this morning nitrates was between 5/10 ppm .. now just got in and reading 0ppm so ...so what do I do up the drip rate sorry for all the questions

Yes, continue to up the drip rate as effluent reaches 0 no3. Each time the effluent is not 0 wait till it is then raise the drip rate again, eventually it will be a full flow. Might take a month or more.

 

[Pager880]

Yes, continue to up the drip rate as effluent reaches 0 no3. Each time the effluent is not 0 wait till it is then raise the drip rate again, eventually it will be a full flow. Might take a month or more.

But months down the line won't that leave I with a tank at 0 no3....just wanna keep around the 5 to 20 mark ..or is that not recommended

 

[CHSUB]

But months down the line won't that leave I with a tank at 0 no3....just wanna keep around the 5 to 20 mark ..or is that not recommended

Different opinions on acceptable no3 levels , mine is 0 no3 on a hobby test kit is most desirable. If readable that’s fine too. However, you’re using a filter specifically to remove no3, the final product of the nitrogen cycle. So imo, your tank has an abundance of unused nitrogen, no reason to worry about any myths about no3 levels at 0 causing problems.

 

[Pager880]

Different opinions on acceptable no3 levels , mine is 0 no3 on a hobby test kit is most desirable. If readable that’s fine too. However, you’re using a filter specifically to remove no3, the final product of the nitrogen cycle. So imo, your tank has an abundance of unused nitrogen, no reason to worry about any myths about no3 levels at 0 causing problems.

Ok thanks for the info .. tested whole tank today ..DT calcium .435. Effluent 460 DT mag 1200. Effluent not tested DT all 8.6. Effluent 10.00. DT. PH. 8. Effluent 7.4. DT. Po4 0.25 effluent not tested. DT no3 50. Effluent 2..or lower hard to tell. The only one that is worries me is the ph ...what do u think ..still on 1 drip a second..no egg smell de gassing every morning....

 

[CHSUB]

Ok thanks for the info .. tested whole tank today ..DT calcium .435. Effluent 460 DT mag 1200. Effluent not tested DT all 8.6. Effluent 10.00. DT. PH. 8. Effluent 7.4. DT. Po4 0.25 effluent not tested. DT no3 50. Effluent 2..or lower hard to tell. The only one that is worries me is the ph ...what do u think ..still on 1 drip a second..no egg smell de gassing every morning....

Ph of effluent is generally low in a working sulfur reactor. This is the reason for argonite use. The low ph desolves the argonite and buffers the DT, similar to a calcium reactor. Your test results are expected. Randy noted the need to monitor Alk for this reason. This is one reason to keep the argonite separate, but not necessary.

 

[Pager880]

Ph of effluent is generally low in a working sulfur reactor. This is the reason for argonite use. The low ph desolves the argonite and buffers the DT, similar to a calcium reactor. Your test results are expected. Randy noted the need to monitor Alk for this reason. This is one reason to keep the argonite separate, but not necessary.

I normally test the DT every Saturday......so will also test effluent aswell other than no3 ..and all is calcium and magnesium also required weekly in effluent.....????? .and when you say argonite best to be a separate...I do have a inline reactor thing I will add a pic .....if u think it would be ok just linked to the output IE effluent...would I be able to fill with crushed coral ......would that help ..

 

[CHSUB]

I normally test the DT every Saturday......so will also test effluent aswell other than no3 ..and all is calcium and magnesium also required weekly in effluent.....????? .and when you say argonite best to be a separate...I do have a inline reactor thing I will add a pic .....if u think it would be ok just linked to the output IE effluent...would I be able to fill with crushed coral ......would that help ..

No required, but will further buffer the effluent.

 

[Pager880]

No required, but will further buffer the effluent.

Left the effluent valve closed while I de gassed .... totally forgot to open the effluent valve again left it all day .. got back home later that day ...that's when I remembered.......and it stank ...so opened the flow fully in a bucket till smell went ...now I can't get a 0 reading...do u think I need to start over .or just leave again 1 drip a second testing everyday ..

 

[CHSUB]

Left the effluent valve closed while I de gassed .... totally forgot to open the effluent valve again left it all day .. got back home later that day ...that's when I remembered.......and it stank ...so opened the flow fully in a bucket till smell went ...now I can't get a 0 reading...do u think I need to start over .or just leave again 1 drip a second testing everyday ..

The bacteria are extremely resistant, you could do either imo. Once you have an established filter it’s almost impossible to mess it up, Ime. I would do 1 drip and monitor until 0 again and then start increasing flow. At this point, I believe it’s better to keep some flow through the filter at all times.

 

[Pager880]

The bacteria are extremely resistant, you could do either imo. Once you have an established filter it’s almost impossible to mess it up, Ime. I would do 1 drip and monitor until 0 again and then start increasing flow. At this point, I believe it’s better to keep some flow through the filter at all times.

Well .. did what you suggested.people do .blocked the outlet line and use the de gassing port as main effluent line .was working fine ..then must have stopped overnight..don't no weather the gas can cause an air lock in the tube as soon as it hits the valve ....so now removed the valve .and trying to controll via .manifold valve from main pump ....it has a pre filter aswell so no chance of getting clogged. Will see if it's still on 2 drip per second later when back home

 

[CHSUB]

Well .. did what you suggested.people do .blocked the outlet line and use the de gassing port as main effluent line .was working fine ..then must have stopped overnight..don't no weather the gas can cause an air lock in the tube as soon as it hits the valve ....so now removed the valve .and trying to controll via .manifold valve from main pump ....it has a pre filter aswell so no chance of getting clogged. Will see if it's still on 2 drip per second later when back home

Not necessary to use degassing port as main effluent, but you must remember to degas often if not. I used a manifold too with the main pump in the beginning, but later went to a pump I could control with the ORP controller. Once you can get a consistent flow with near 0 no3, it gets easier. In the beginning having to “play” with the flow is the difficult part.

 

[X-37B]

If you use aragonite to help off set the alkalinity drop caused by sulfur denitrators, just remember to keep an eye on calcium since it will climb.

Randy, can you shed some light as to why someone would use an orp probe/controller to run a no3 reactor? It makes no sense to me. I must be missing something as one person here uses orp to control his reactor.
Thanks

 

[14 foot reef]

When your reactor becomes anaerobic and starts consuming nitrate it will drop the ORP into a negative reading as it is oxygen deprived. Those of us that use Neptune Apex, we reverse the the probe wires to actually read the number as positive because Apex can't read negative numbers, it stops at 0, We put a reversible connector inline on the probe then Apex reports the Negative as a positive number which Apex reads. I run my reversed wire on my probe to read between 175-225mv ( which is actually -175 to -225mv and control by a Kamoer continuous duty dose pump. Lower than 250-300 then your reactor is producing sulfur gas which is bad and not something you want releasing in your water column.
You may find it way way easier to control this method using ORP and a Kamoer Full duty dosing pump.
Mine is dialed in now and I can tweak remotely if I need to with Apex alerts with the fully remote controllable Kamoer doser. Hope this helps.

 

[X-37B]

When your reactor becomes anaerobic and starts consuming nitrate it will drop the ORP into a negative reading as it is oxygen deprived. Those of us that use Neptune Apex, we reverse the the probe wires to actually read the number as positive because Apex can't read negative numbers, it stops at 0, We put a reversible connector inline on the probe then Apex reports the Negative as a positive number which Apex reads. I run my reversed wire on my probe to read between 175-225mv ( which is actually -175 to -225mv and control by a Kamoer continuous duty dose pump. Lower than 250-300 then your reactor is producing sulfur gas which is bad and not something you want releasing in your water column.
You may find it way way easier to control this method using ORP and a Kamoer Full duty dosing pump.
Mine is dialed in now and I can tweak remotely if I need to with Apex alerts with the fully remote controllable Kamoer doser. Hope this helps.

Thanks as this is something I have never heard of or been exposed to in 30+, lol. You can learn something new everyday if you keep an open mind.
I keep my systems simple as I'm just getting to old, lol. Running the deltec with a Kamoer is about as simple as it gets for me. Nothing to adjust but the effluent.
Anyway thanks for the explanation.