Sulfur Denitrator questions.

[iReefer12]

I have had out of control No3 for quite a while now, I feed heavy and have a big bio load.. so I decided to try out a sulfur Denitrator.

This came online 12 days ago. At first I was pumping 260ml/min through the reactor…

ORP dropped down to -150 by day 5.

Then it rose back to -90 on Day 7.

No3 out of the effluent was still reading the same as the tank water (130ppm… yikes I know).

So on Day 8, I dropped the flow rate to 80ml/min.. ORP dropped back to -160… and on day 10 the effluent registered 3.2ppm vs 130ppm in the tank…

Unfortunately, also on Day 8… I had a couple of SPS RTN… which can’t be a coincidence.

I raised the flow rate back to 260ml/min (from my calculations, this is the correct flow rate to set at.

Questions

* I really haven’t seen No3 in the tank water start to change yet. I figured at this rate, it’s about 30 gallons a day that is getting cycled through the reactor, the total system volume is about 900 gallons, but surely if effluent is that low I would start seeing some impact by now?

* Now on Day 12, the RTN issues seem to have stabilized. What could have cause this in the first place?

* ORP in the reactor is hovering around -150, now the media is starting to clump, and then air bubbles push the media up in the reactor, it then touches the ORP probe and the value drops down to -230… I’m pretty sure it’s a false reading as eventually the media drops back down and the ORP value comes back to -150… why is the media clumping, and should/can I do something to prevent it? (Pics of the clumping attached)

 

[iReefer12]

Should I have used extra corse media on top to weight the sulfur media down?

Also, should there be this much gas in the chamber, or am I doing something wrong?

 

[iReefer12]

Today effluent is reading 1.2ppm… tank is measuring 100.4ppm, so I’m starting to see results.

Flow rate is 250ml/min.

Still noticing clumping of the media, and then part of the media floats up… not sure how to fix that.

 

[iReefer12]

I have the Effluent rate set to 260ml/min.

The display No3 is down to 62.6ppm tonight. So in roughly 5 days it has brought No3 down 70ppm... this is kind of insane performance.. I am now getting very concerned that its working too fast and its going to bring No3 down to 0ppm here very quickly... I don't know what to do.

+++++ Advice needed please! How do I keep the Sulfur Denitrator from crashing No3 to 0ppm?

 

[Miami Reef]

+++++ Advice needed please! How do I keep the Sulfur Denitrator from crashing No3 to 0ppm?

By testing weekly, you can prevent NO3 from getting too low. If it is, you can remove or slow the denitrator. There’s no need to panic. I would be happy to find an effective solution to managing NO3.

Keep an eye on the alkalinity since sulfur denitrators can deplete it.

 

[iReefer12]

I might remove some of the media once No3 gets below 30ppm.. I’m reading and because I’m using prils the surface area is larger and therefore you need less than you think.

 

[Miami Reef]

Keep us posted! I’m very curious how quick the sulfur denitrator will work. I think I’d remove some once I get below 15-20ppm. That’s just me though.

 

[iReefer12]

I’m astonished at how fast it brings down No3.. about 12-14ppm per day in a 900 gallon system, heavily stocked, and I’m feeding heavy too.

 

[steveweast]

I’ve been running a sulfur reactor for about 3 years now…..and there are two main variables….how much sulfur is used and how fast is the effluent rate. It sounds like you have way too much sulfur in the reactor.

For the reactor, you want to test the effluent frequently. I make sure that mine always reads between 1-2ppm…..I keep my reef between 5-10ppm. If the reef ever tests below 5ppm, I start ammonia dosing to bring it back up to above 5ppm. If the reactor goes to zero, you will produce hydrogen sulfide. A good friend of mine recently wiped out his entire reef because of this….although he had the reactor off for a day and then turned it back on without flushing it. If the reactor doesn’t have flow through it for 5 or 6 hours, I wouldn’t trust it not to have gone H2S. I would then drain and flush the unit.

It would have been better if you water changed to get the nitrates down where you want them….and then start the reactor. However, what you are doing will work too. You just have to be diligent and watch the effluent nitrate level carefully. Remember, right now, you have a high nitrate level entering the reactor. As a lesser and lesser nitrate level enters your reactor, the effluent will yield a lower and lower nitrate level. Watch it carefully.

Once you get the balance of the effluent rate and the sulfur amount dialed in….its basically set and forget for years. I just test my effluent once or twice a week. Make sure that you have a good supply valve feeding the unit that doesn’t restrict flow without warning….and always check that flow everyday.

Another tip is to mix all the unused space in your reactor with Reborn. Not only will this help buffer the effluent, but it keeps the sulfur from clumping, lifting or channeling. My reactor is about 1/3 sulfur and 2/3’s Reborn. Also, Reborn quickly turns black in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. It’s a good indicator.

One negative of a sulfur reactor is that your ICP test results will start to show higher levels of sulfate. One way to help offset this is to frequently water change and…..if you dose magnesium, make sure not to use Epsom salt but rather use MgCl.

 

[iReefer12]

I’ve been running a sulfur reactor for about 3 years now…..and there are two main variables….how much sulfur is used and how fast is the effluent rate. It sounds like you have way too much sulfur in the reactor.

For the reactor, you want to test the effluent frequently. I make sure that mine always reads between 1-2ppm…..I keep my reef between 5-10ppm. If the reef ever tests below 5ppm, I start ammonia dosing to bring it back up to above 5ppm. If the reactor goes to zero, you will produce hydrogen sulfide. A good friend of mine recently wiped out his entire reef because of this….although he had the reactor off for a day and then turned it back on without flushing it. If the reactor doesn’t have flow through it for 5 or 6 hours, I wouldn’t trust it not to have gone H2S. I would then drain and flush the unit.

It would have been better if you water changed to get the nitrates down where you want them….and then start the reactor. However, what you are doing will work too. You just have to be diligent and watch the effluent nitrate level carefully. Remember, right now, you have a high nitrate level entering the reactor. As a lesser and lesser nitrate level enters your reactor, the effluent will yield a lower and lower nitrate level. Watch it carefully.

Once you get the balance of the effluent rate and the sulfur amount dialed in….its basically set and forget for years. I just test my effluent once or twice a week. Make sure that you have a good supply valve feeding the unit that doesn’t restrict flow without warning….and always check that flow everyday.

Another tip is to mix all the unused space in your reactor with Reborn. Not only will this help buffer the effluent, but it keeps the sulfur from clumping, lifting or channeling. My reactor is about 1/3 sulfur and 2/3’s Reborn. Also, Reborn quickly turns black in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. It’s a good indicator.

One negative of a sulfur reactor is that your ICP test results will start to show higher levels of sulfate. One way to help offset this is to frequently water change and…..if you dose magnesium, make sure not to use Epsom salt but rather use MgCl.

This was a fantastic read!

Yes. I must have messed up the calculation and used too much Sulfur… going to pull out half the media and replace with ARM Extra Corse.. does the ARM turn black like Reborn in the presence of Hydrogen Sulfide?

 

[steveweast]

Reborn is a tad softer than ARM but they are the essentially same material and would react the same way to H2S.

 

[Rst]

I’ve been running a sulfur reactor for about 3 years now…..and there are two main variables….how much sulfur is used and how fast is the effluent rate. It sounds like you have way too much sulfur in the reactor.

For the reactor, you want to test the effluent frequently. I make sure that mine always reads between 1-2ppm…..I keep my reef between 5-10ppm. If the reef ever tests below 5ppm, I start ammonia dosing to bring it back up to above 5ppm. If the reactor goes to zero, you will produce hydrogen sulfide. A good friend of mine recently wiped out his entire reef because of this….although he had the reactor off for a day and then turned it back on without flushing it. If the reactor doesn’t have flow through it for 5 or 6 hours, I wouldn’t trust it not to have gone H2S. I would then drain and flush the unit.

It would have been better if you water changed to get the nitrates down where you want them….and then start the reactor. However, what you are doing will work too. You just have to be diligent and watch the effluent nitrate level carefully. Remember, right now, you have a high nitrate level entering the reactor. As a lesser and lesser nitrate level enters your reactor, the effluent will yield a lower and lower nitrate level. Watch it carefully.

Once you get the balance of the effluent rate and the sulfur amount dialed in….its basically set and forget for years. I just test my effluent once or twice a week. Make sure that you have a good supply valve feeding the unit that doesn’t restrict flow without warning….and always check that flow everyday.

Another tip is to mix all the unused space in your reactor with Reborn. Not only will this help buffer the effluent, but it keeps the sulfur from clumping, lifting or channeling. My reactor is about 1/3 sulfur and 2/3’s Reborn. Also, Reborn quickly turns black in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. It’s a good indicator.

One negative of a sulfur reactor is that your ICP test results will start to show higher levels of sulfate. One way to help offset this is to frequently water change and…..if you dose magnesium, make sure not to use Epsom salt but rather use MgCl.

I hope you don't mind if I ask you for some related advise re managing my sulphur reactor. I have thru trial and error managed my RX the I way you have described ?except you have provided more detail which I will definitely follow. Your post is really great. I also have a ORP probe inside my RX and I wonder how to use it to advantage? Currently my Nitrate tank water is 45ppm and my effluent is approx 0.2ppm. My flow is approx 13ml/min and my ORP is approx -135. I find it hard to find a sweet spot since the flow needs adjusting constantly and my effluent nitrate goes to zero often. Also is there a better tester than Hanna HR tester? Checking the nitrate so often is expensive. Thanks for any further advise. Really appreciate.

 

[steveweast]

I can’t really answer anything about ORP since I don’t run a probe into the reactor. I do not really see the need. If your input nitrate is 45ppm….and your effluent is less than 1 ppm….then you should increase the flow through the reactor by a bunch…..maybe to where the effluent is around 5ppm. My effluent is a steady steam out of the reactor. I never measure that flow volume. I only measure the effluent nitrate level. To me….the flow rate volume is dictated by the effluent’s nitrate level…..wherever that may fall.

I originally had too much sulfur in my reactor. I had to run the outflow so fast to keep it in the 1-2ppm….that my display tank was headed for zero fast. I removed about 1/2 of the sulfur when I finally found the sweet spot.

I understand the cost factor with the Hanna. When I was dialing my reactor in….I used a Salifert nitrate kit. I just wanted to see a slight red tinge in the vial and wasn’t concerned so much as to the number during that break-in period. That test kit is more cost effective.

 

[iReefer12]

This is great info Steve!

 

[Rst]

I can’t really answer anything about ORP since I don’t run a probe into the reactor. I do not really see the need. If your input nitrate is 45ppm….and your effluent is less than 1 ppm….then you should increase the flow through the reactor by a bunch…..maybe to where the effluent is around 5ppm. My effluent is a steady steam out of the reactor. I never measure that flow volume. I only measure the effluent nitrate level. To me….the flow rate volume is dictated by the effluent’s nitrate level…..wherever that may fall.

I originally had too much sulfur in my reactor. I had to run the outflow so fast to keep it in the 1-2ppm….that my display tank was headed for zero fast. I removed about 1/2 of the sulfur when I finally found the sweet spot.

I understand the cost factor with the Hanna. When I was dialing my reactor in….I used a Salifert nitrate kit. I just wanted to see a slight red tinge in the vial and wasn’t concerned so much as to the number during that break-in period. That test kit is more cost effective.

Hi Steve,

I will increase my flow until I reach 5ppm and look to buy the Salifert Nitrate test kit. Thanks.

My Sulphur RX clear lid has become always covered in gas bubbles. Is this a concern and should I take some action to remove these gas bubbles by removing some of the top water surface until the amount of bubbles is reduced or just leave these bubbles alone? So much to learn….

Thanks, Ron

 

[Rst]

Hi Steve,

I will increase my flow until I reach 5ppm and look to buy the Salifert Nitrate test kit. Thanks.

My Sulphur RX clear lid has become always covered in gas bubbles. Is this a concern and should I take some action to remove these gas bubbles by removing some of the top water surface until the amount of bubbles is reduced or just leave these bubbles alone? So much to learn….

Thanks, Ron

 

[Rst]

Hi Steve,

I will increase my flow until I reach 5ppm and look to buy the Salifert Nitrate test kit. Thanks.

My Sulphur RX clear lid has become always covered in gas bubbles. Is this a concern and should I take some action to remove these gas bubbles by removing some of the top water surface until the amount of bubbles is reduced or just leave these bubbles alone? So much to learn….

Thanks, Ron

Picture of the top lid of my sulphur reactor:

 

[steveweast]

Looks similar to my reactor. Is it an Aquamax? Those bubbles should eventually work their way out of the drain.

 

[Rst]

Looks similar to my reactor. Is it an Aquamax? Those bubbles should eventually work their way out of the drain.

Yes it is a Aquamax calcium reactor large size. I converted it to use as a sulphur reactor. It holds a lot of media, but I only added 1.25 Litres of sulphur media and filled the rest up with approx 4Kg of large size ReBorn. (my display tank+sump holds approx 500 net litres of reef water).

 

[iReefer12]

So No3 reached 40ppm this morning and the Corse ARM arrived today too. So went about removing 1/2 the media, down to about 2.5L of Sulfur media inside the reactor, and then added about 3L of ARM Corse media.

The ORP inside came up and is hovering about -75 right now (it was -175 before).

I’ve calculated that the flow rate should be about 173ml/min, so I’ve set the pump to 170ml/min and will adjust from there based on the effluent No3 levels.