Sulfur Denitrator, Calcium Reactor, and Phosphate all in one

[reefnut]

I want to know what you guys think about this system. It's a Sulfur Denitrator, Calcium Reactor, and Phosphate all in one. Is it possible for it to work with out the CO2? I asked the guy that build these and his reply was how this works
"It is a natural process that the live orginisums in the the sulfur eats the no3 then release it back into the aragonite which is then turned into usable calcium." If you would like to read more info. It's on Ebay, here's the link, you'll have to copy and paste: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200255825444&ih=010&category=46310&_trksid=p3984.m107&_trkparms=algo%3DMERI%26its%3DK%252BI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D25%26ps%3D18&BackToListReferer=http%3A%2F%2Fmy.ebay.com%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FMyEbayBeta

Would you say true or false. Would this be a good calcium devise to use on a tank? Thanks Rob

 

[jski711]

Wow I would say get some more info before buying abything like that.

 

[prow]

lol, what,....you kinding right, that is no Ca+reactor.....the link did not work

 

[BigJay]

I know nothing of how that works and it seems to be a young product. That being said he is providing you a contact phone number and has a lot of feedback and its 100%. I'd try contacting him via the phone number and see what he's pitching.

 

[cbrownfish]

Consume nitrates and then release it again? Huh? I am smelling poo poo on this one. Secondly, simply running water through media is not going to break it down and release Ca into the system. A Ca reactor works because the CO2 injected into it, lowering the pH to < 7.0 and breaking down the Aragonite media.

Maybe I am missing a magic ingredient but I would research this much more before investing any $$.

 

[slakker]

I don't know... is he saying the "sulfur denitrator's" effluent is slightly acidic, hence having it run thru aragonite next would be releasing Ca? The theory makes sense, but have no idea whether this would release near enough Ca or whether a setup like that would promote enough Nitrate removal? I suspect not...

 

[prow]

you really can not use it for providing the Ca+/alk needs of most reef tanks. sulfur reactors effluent is low but not low enough, running it through Ca+ media will add some Ca+, not much. most that run their sulfur reactor through Ca+media end up with a ph of around 7.8 coming out of the Ca+media, not low enough to raise or add any noticable Ca+. a ph of 7.7 is were Ca+ media starts to dissolve sure, but its just enough to help buffer at its dissolving ph. Ca+reactors effluent run below 6.8 with in the entire column of Ca+media, some go well below 6.4. even if the sulfur reactor effluent entered the Ca+media column at 6.8 you would need to maintain that ph through the column. it helps buffer the sulfurs effluent but the alk gets used along the way and not much Ca+ is added. so no its not like a Ca+reactor which adds good amount of Ca+ and alk in 1:1 ratio.

what does his ph run coming out of the Ca+media?

 

[hma]

Sulphur nitrate filters are used in Europe, here specifically in France, already since the 90s successfully. As long as these filters are supervised regularly (everyday measurement of the expiring water) they are well usable also for a long period. I have tested this method already in one of my former aquariums about months and was contented with the results. Today in various great aquariums in Europe this method is still used. The system also exists there of 2 chambers. In the first chamber sulphur pearls are used, because these allow a better flow of the water and it can come to no compression of the sulphur. In the sulphur chamber is, by the way, a PH of approx. 6 - 6.5 and not like Prow writes 7.8. Because I have determined these values already in my former system I am very sure this specification is right. The second chamber should be filled either with Aragonitsand or Hydrokarbonat. Now the reason for this second chamber is not to be supplied possibly the aquarium with Calzium. The reason is to raise the very low PH which from the sulphur chamber running waters has. It is a nice side effect which IS ABLE TO BEING absolutely in some aquariums enough for a customary calcium care.

 

[prow]

In the sulphur chamber is, by the way, a PH of approx. 6 - 6.5 and not like Prow writes 7.8.

no hma, i did not write the ph is 7.8 in the sulfur chamber, i wrote the waters ph is 7.8 after going through the aragonite(Ca+) media in the second chamber.

 

[hma]

upps... forget.

Sulphur filters should be never used as OPEN SYSTEMS. The typical effect of the filter is only good if it as a CLOSED SYSTEM acts. I would not purchase the filter shown in the picture., he is practically useless.

@PROW
sorry, misread.

 

[prow]

no worries, i did not word it in the best of ways.

 

[hma]

Mhhhhh....

Now ….. Unfortunately, I do not know whether everybody has understood WHY a sulfur filter ABSOLUTELY should be a closed system? Maybe I still explain fast in edited version the reason.

Now, these are not the sulfur pearls which the nitrate in the filter store. It is the sulfur bacteria which the nitrate oxidize ("burn"), however, ONLY in a closed system.

WHY?

Bacteria need, like all living beings, oxygen. If I have a closed system in relatively short time all available FREE oxygen ions are "burnt" or oxidized. Now one should think this starve the bacteria, no oxygen more exists.

WRONG!

We everybody knows the chemical formula for nitrate!?

RIGHT! NO3 or

A nitrate anion has three oxygen ions and now these are oxidised by the sulphur bacterium. It remains N or more precise harmless N2 = nitrogen.

Now I think it is obvious why a nitrate filter must be a closed system.

 

[hma]

btw .... this picture shows the content of a sulfur-filter. A little bigger and round are the sulfur pearls, in between one can recognize the bacteria.

 

[cbrownfish]

Thanks for the overview and specific details prow and hma. I was not familiar with these filters but they did not sound effective or safe overall.

 

[hma]

Thanks for the overview and specific details prow and hma. I was not familiar with these filters but they did not sound effective or safe overall.

Sulphur filters are even very effective. Substantially more actually, than most other possibilities of the nitrate reduction. BUT …. bad or inexactly monitored, they can be become very dangerous.

 

[reefnut]

I was skeptical also, but I always say if you want the right answer go to the pros. thks for the schooling guys