Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator?

slakker · 03-28-2008, 12:44 PM

I'm thinking of modding a cheap calc reactor and see if I can make it an effective Sulfur Denitrator... anyone with experience in this area or advice?

I think if I don't use the CO2 input, and just control the effluent out, the upflow re-circulating chamber filled with LSM will basically operate like an expensive Sulfur Denitrator and it's only costing me $60 for the reactor.

slakker · 03-31-2008, 01:00 AM

Bump...

No one's played around with this?

Frankie · 03-31-2008, 01:10 AM

Interesting idea. I will have to look into it. I never did it though. I do have a Ca++ reactor though that is an up flow Justin at the lfs made for me. I will be building a new one soon with the second chamber to bring up the ph in.

prow · 03-31-2008, 02:17 AM

its the same setup as Ca+reactors. just leave out the CO2 input. what reactor are you thinking of converting? careful when setting it up. they are very efficient and can end up adding nitrites.

slakker · 03-31-2008, 12:34 PM

I'm going to use the ViaAqua Acro-Cal Calcium Reactor and tie the CO2 and H2O input together. Not use the H2O output, but rather the Gas Output to ensure N2 is bled out with the effluent.

Also was going to control the flowat input not output...

prow · 03-31-2008, 03:32 PM

not familiar with ViaAqua Acro-Cal Calcium Reactors. but you want make sure the flow is going thourgh the media. if you dont use the H2O output will the flow still go through the media? also you will want to use the output to control the flow, if not gasses will acculmulate. IMO it would be best to just block off the CO2 input and use as is. JMO though.

slakker · 03-31-2008, 05:36 PM

It's a nice little (cheap) calc reactor... it needs to be fed with gravity or pump, but the chamber has a recirculating up flow pump (like the Phosban).

The Gas output is a vent at the top of the chamber where as the H2O out is about 1 inch from the top. I figure if I use the gas vent as the output, I'll never get accumulation of gas...

I'm worried about the nitrite accumulation... how would you tune the system? I understand that in a O2 deprived chamber, the ammonia to nitrite and Nitrite to Nitrate producing bacteria is minimized and nitrate to N2 bacteria thrives...

prow · 03-31-2008, 09:06 PM

no its not using the nitrogen cycle. its using the sulfur cycle. i ooppssed on the output/input control. mixed input output to tank. so control the water flow going into the reactor leave the effluent wide open, just to be clear on that.

here is a good read for you
Sulphur Denitrator

just a question, why do you want to use a sulfur reactor? are you having issues with nitrates?

slakker · 05-06-2008, 01:22 AM

Just thought I'd post an update... I setup the reactor about 3 weeks ago. I primed it and just recycled the water in the chamber without producing any effluent. This was recommended by my LFS guy as he loves to experiment.

Anyways, when I first started the effluent at about 30 drops/minute, the nitrate level was high, about 25 ppm with some trace nitrites. Fast forward 3 weeks to yesterday, the nitrite and nitrate level of the effluent was 0! I've never seen 0 reading except when I tested RO/DI water!

So I increased the flow rate to about 60 drops per minute and tonite, the nitrates and nitrites of the effluent is back up. I suspect it needs another few weeks for the bacteria to build up to the increased flow rate.

03-28-2008, 12:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
slakker Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 244 View Gallery Karma Komment	Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? I'm thinking of modding a cheap calc reactor and see if I can make it an effective Sulfur Denitrator... anyone with experience in this area or advice? I think if I don't use the CO2 input, and just control the effluent out, the upflow re-circulating chamber filled with LSM will basically operate like an expensive Sulfur Denitrator and it's only costing me $60 for the reactor.

03-31-2008, 01:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
slakker Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 244 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? Bump... No one's played around with this?

03-31-2008, 01:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 7,119 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? Interesting idea. I will have to look into it. I never did it though. I do have a Ca++ reactor though that is an up flow Justin at the lfs made for me. I will be building a new one soon with the second chamber to bring up the ph in. __________________ Bruce: Today's meeting is Step 5: Bring a fish friend. Everyone brought a fish friend? DIY=DO IT YOURSELF! If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

03-31-2008, 02:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? its the same setup as Ca+reactors. just leave out the CO2 input. what reactor are you thinking of converting? careful when setting it up. they are very efficient and can end up adding nitrites. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

03-31-2008, 12:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
slakker Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 244 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? I'm going to use the ViaAqua Acro-Cal Calcium Reactor and tie the CO2 and H2O input together. Not use the H2O output, but rather the Gas Output to ensure N2 is bled out with the effluent. Also was going to control the flowat input not output...

03-31-2008, 03:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? not familiar with ViaAqua Acro-Cal Calcium Reactors. but you want make sure the flow is going thourgh the media. if you dont use the H2O output will the flow still go through the media? also you will want to use the output to control the flow, if not gasses will acculmulate. IMO it would be best to just block off the CO2 input and use as is. JMO though. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

03-31-2008, 05:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
slakker Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 244 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? It's a nice little (cheap) calc reactor... it needs to be fed with gravity or pump, but the chamber has a recirculating up flow pump (like the Phosban). The Gas output is a vent at the top of the chamber where as the H2O out is about 1 inch from the top. I figure if I use the gas vent as the output, I'll never get accumulation of gas... I'm worried about the nitrite accumulation... how would you tune the system? I understand that in a O2 deprived chamber, the ammonia to nitrite and Nitrite to Nitrate producing bacteria is minimized and nitrate to N2 bacteria thrives...

03-31-2008, 09:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? no its not using the nitrogen cycle. its using the sulfur cycle. i ooppssed on the output/input control. mixed input output to tank. so control the water flow going into the reactor leave the effluent wide open, just to be clear on that. here is a good read for you Sulphur Denitrator just a question, why do you want to use a sulfur reactor? are you having issues with nitrates? __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html

05-06-2008, 01:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
slakker Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 244 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Calcium reactor to sulfur denitrator? Just thought I'd post an update... I setup the reactor about 3 weeks ago. I primed it and just recycled the water in the chamber without producing any effluent. This was recommended by my LFS guy as he loves to experiment. Anyways, when I first started the effluent at about 30 drops/minute, the nitrate level was high, about 25 ppm with some trace nitrites. Fast forward 3 weeks to yesterday, the nitrite and nitrate level of the effluent was 0! I've never seen 0 reading except when I tested RO/DI water! So I increased the flow rate to about 60 drops per minute and tonite, the nitrates and nitrites of the effluent is back up. I suspect it needs another few weeks for the bacteria to build up to the increased flow rate.

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