nitrate reactors
- Thread starter JRT
- Start date
ad_smith
Fish Fanatic
ad_smith
Fish Fanatic
gdgdJRT said:
if you decide to make one, tell use how you got on and how well it works... if its any good i might have a go at one aswell
This was the most interesting
http
/archimedes.galilei.com/raiar/denitrif.html
And i shall be making mine some time in november as i am off to Cadwell park for a weekends Bike racing then shirtly after off on my hols to South Africa so the Tank and all its projects have ground to a halt.
Will keep you informed as to how it all goes.
Thanks to every one for all there help and advice.
http
/archimedes.galilei.com/raiar/denitrif.htmlAnd i shall be making mine some time in november as i am off to Cadwell park for a weekends Bike racing then shirtly after off on my hols to South Africa so the Tank and all its projects have ground to a halt.
Will keep you informed as to how it all goes.
Thanks to every one for all there help and advice.
Building a nitrate reducer isn't the hard part, running one is. Idealy they should be run with a redox probe and controller or computer. The oxygen levels in the "reaction chamber" need to extreemly low for one of these to work well. as long as you can provide anerobic conditions constantly, then you shouldn't have a problem. The main problem with these is that they can be prone to producing hydrogen sulphate if not properly maintained.
ste
ste
ad_smith
Fish Fanatic
cant quite remember what the tutorial said but you can sort the problem of hydrogen sulphate by re-oxygenating the water before it enters the tank to let it escape.ste2k3 said:Building a nitrate reducer isn't the hard part, running one is. Idealy they should be run with a redox probe and controller or computer. The oxygen levels in the "reaction chamber" need to extreemly low for one of these to work well. as long as you can provide anerobic conditions constantly, then you shouldn't have a problem. The main problem with these is that they can be prone to producing hydrogen sulphate if not properly maintained.
ste
as for the low oxygen levels...
i'll ask my bro... he probably leant about things like that at uni.Yenko
Fish Addict
Us people with freshwater fish have things called plants for this purpose .
.
I know most if not all here will agree with me that removing Nitrates does not replace frequent (weekly) water changes.
If it is freshwater or salt water and it is a tap problem, you should look into RO (reverse osmosis) filtration. If it is a in tank problem in Freshwater, Yenko was right in adding plants to help the problem is the best method. For saltwater you should consider going reef because from what I understand the live rocks, etc.. help deal with nitrats.
If it is freshwater or salt water and it is a tap problem, you should look into RO (reverse osmosis) filtration. If it is a in tank problem in Freshwater, Yenko was right in adding plants to help the problem is the best method. For saltwater you should consider going reef because from what I understand the live rocks, etc.. help deal with nitrats.
The tank in question is a brackish tank.
I have just set up a water butt out in the shed with an old fluval filter filled with de ionizing resin recirculating the water this will give me plenty of water for water changes. but i would still like to run a nitrate reactor to.
I have just set up a water butt out in the shed with an old fluval filter filled with de ionizing resin recirculating the water this will give me plenty of water for water changes. but i would still like to run a nitrate reactor to.
What SG are you running the tank at? I'm not sure but you may be able to get caulerpa in there to remove nitrates. Mangroves should be ok but are not as effecient.
ste
ste
SG of 1.01
Had a very succesful reef tank for years growning many corals and propogating them but caulerpa would not live in my tank?
the only reason i quit was i had a power cut whilst on holiday and lost the lot was so dissapointed that i gave up fishkeeping for a long long time.
Had a very succesful reef tank for years growning many corals and propogating them but caulerpa would not live in my tank?
the only reason i quit was i had a power cut whilst on holiday and lost the lot was so dissapointed that i gave up fishkeeping for a long long time.
sorry to hear about your reef, bet you were gutted. You could have a go with the mangroves, can't do any harm.
ste
ste
I've been reading about these for awhile, but have only seen a few pictures.
Summarizing what I've read: Use multiple tubes as small as you can...usually at least 50 feet each.
Run the infeed tubes outside of the chamber.
Allow a way to flush the tubes as the aerobic bacteria seems to release a slime coat over time which blocks up these tubes.
Reoxygenate the water before it comes out.
Also, from my understanding, you can obviously smell the hydrogen sulfide if it is being produced, which means your flow rate is too slow.
If you detect nitrites on the output, your flow rate is too fast.
Anytime you open up the chamber, it takes 6 weeks to recycle.
Since the flow rate is slow, you can gravity feed from an overflow and use valves to slow the overall rate to a drip.
Keep the output separate from anything else so you can test the output water.
Keep in mind, I've never built one, this is all the theory I've read.
If you build one, take pics and keep a log of your findings and share them!
Summarizing what I've read: Use multiple tubes as small as you can...usually at least 50 feet each.
Run the infeed tubes outside of the chamber.
Allow a way to flush the tubes as the aerobic bacteria seems to release a slime coat over time which blocks up these tubes.
Reoxygenate the water before it comes out.
Also, from my understanding, you can obviously smell the hydrogen sulfide if it is being produced, which means your flow rate is too slow.
If you detect nitrites on the output, your flow rate is too fast.
Anytime you open up the chamber, it takes 6 weeks to recycle.
Since the flow rate is slow, you can gravity feed from an overflow and use valves to slow the overall rate to a drip.
Keep the output separate from anything else so you can test the output water.
Keep in mind, I've never built one, this is all the theory I've read.
If you build one, take pics and keep a log of your findings and share them!
I built a nitate reactor before that worked very well on my Brackish tank
It was made out of 2inch white waste pipe.
When i moved i through it a way as i was converting to Marine.
Never had a problem with Nitrates then.
I was gutted when it crashed but you can do nothing to prevent a power cut in the middle of winter when you are away.
The fish survived i managed to get them to my LFS who took them off my hands.
Would not give me a penny for them.
could not rescue any of the inverts though.
I am glad i gave it a go as for 4 years i had a growing reaf.
I have just had the house re wired as well so no repeats of that (hopefully)
It was made out of 2inch white waste pipe.
When i moved i through it a way as i was converting to Marine.
Never had a problem with Nitrates then.
I was gutted when it crashed but you can do nothing to prevent a power cut in the middle of winter when you are away.
The fish survived i managed to get them to my LFS who took them off my hands.
Would not give me a penny for them.
could not rescue any of the inverts though.
I am glad i gave it a go as for 4 years i had a growing reaf.
I have just had the house re wired as well so no repeats of that (hopefully)
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