De Nitrator

[reefnjunkie]

OK anyone using a de nitrator that is keeping there NO3 at zero, or close to zero like 0.01

 

If so what brand and how long have you been using one.

 

zero nitrates are like the search for the "Holy Grail" in my opinion

 

Some say it does not exist but there are those who believe-(laugh)

 

The does not exist part in the reef tank is having a tank that truly has zero nitrates(with fish)

 

So let me add one small caveat if I may....there needs to be fish in that reef tank (that you feed)-

 

Lets hear from you, I don’t mind throwing down the cash for a product that works and its been a while since I researched them.

 

I don’t want to have to add a ml of this or that everyday, so maybe there is not a product that suits my demands?????

 

Anyone ???????

[impur]

I'm using plain old phosban, going on 2 years now. I don't think i have 0 P04, like you said i don't know if thats even possible in our tanks. But it seems to help keep my tank healthy and thats my biggest concern.

 

I tried vodka/MB7 dosing. It seemed to work well, but the negative effects on my corals caused me to stop.

[reefnjunkie]

I'm using plain old phosban' date=' going on 2 years now. I don't think i have 0 P04, like you said i don't know if thats even possible in our tanks. But it seems to help keep my tank healthy and thats my biggest concern.[/quote']

 

NO3, not PO4-(scratch)

I too use phosban-I'm around .02-.01 on a Hanna meter

[grassi]

You have to read the bible for finding the holy grail

Here it is, lots of pages and the prophet is Anthony Calfo: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=595109

You will go to 0 NO3 with less than $10. Easy and safe.

I'm at 0 with a few cups of BRS GFO, but I'm ready to add the remote DSB, especially after the addition of the giant sump. Just got the Uniseal mailed a few days ago

[Danik]

I use a nitrate reactor and I can go from 20ppm to 2ppm in about 5 days with my reactor. It's nice but you have to adjust the drip rate go get it just right. I use koralin reactor.

[reefnjunkie]

Dang I barely have room for the de-nitrator so as far as adding a DSB, at best I MIGHT be able to squeeze a 10 gallon in my stand-not likely

[reefnjunkie]

I use a nitrate reactor and I can go from 20ppm to 2ppm in about 5 days with my reactor. It's nice but you have to adjust the drip rate go get it just right. I use koralin reactor.

 

How often do you have to adjust the drip rate???

[finch6013]

You might look into running Biopellets. Several companies make them now so prices are coming down.

[madmike]

I have a DIY sulfur denitrator similar to the new GEO design. I am still dialing it in, but you you have to test the output on a weekly basis and adjust the output until you get a good balance of nitrate removal and not "fouling" the reactor. If the flow is too slow, sulfuric acid is producted which can be pretty nasty for your tank, if the flow is too fast, it wont be able to become anaerobic and remove the nitrate from the water.

 

It is amazing how well these work, but they do require some tweaking on a somewhat regular basis.

[Danik]

How often do you have to adjust the drip rate???

 

 

When you set it up you need to adjust the drip rate. The reactor takes about 5 weeks to get the bacteria growing. After that adjust drip rate on the rate that your tank produces nitrates. Not bad deal, I couldn't keep my nitrates at the level I wanted without it, and my total water system is about 400g.

[ReeFit]

I've heard of a few guys running liquidized sand beds with really good results.

i run about a 40 gallon refugium that grows macro like mad. my nitrates are staying pretty consistent at 1-2ppm on my 120g heavily stocked with fish tank.

[grassi]

You might look into running Biopellets. Several companies make them now so prices are coming down.

 

This seems to be the way right now if you don't have room for big refugium or dsb

[reefnjunkie]

My eyes and head are hurting-I've spent the last 2+ hours reading roughly 100+ pages over at R/C on the denitrator Danik has-I had looked at that unit about a year ago but dismissed it based on cost-

 

Good reading but I am coming to the conclusion my levels are no where near a "justification state" for any changes-(nutty)

 

I've booked mark many pages and still have lots to read-and if I had the room a 20 gallon long filled with sand (like Grassi pointed out in the beginning) looks like a great solution as well as a fuge-no room for either and getting the denitrator up and running sounds a little tricky.

 

Its been interesting non the less-I think its time to check out the bio pellets-I heard about them a few months ago but never bothered reading on them or the other Brightwell products that were being presented as alternatives to vodka dosing.

 

 

Am I the only one that just cant leave their tank alone?

 

I’m always searching for “making it better” how stupid is that-(rhetorical Q, don’t answer please)

[grassi]

This hobby is stupid by definition

I totally understand you!

Try the pellets. Not a big deal on cost or space. And let us know

[ReeFit]

This hobby is stupid by definition

I totally understand you!

Try the pellets. Not a big deal on cost or space. And let us know

 

the pain and anguish we put ourselves through for prefabricated or over exaggerated satisfaction.

[lewisriverfisherman]

i have about 170gal water volume with 23 fish 5 of which are tangs. In the sump i made a rock wall out of live rock that the water has to pass thru and there is a little macro algae before the rock. I think i tend to feed a little on the heavy side and my NO3 are at around 2. as long as i can stay at this lvl I dont see the need to change anything. Of course 0 NO3 would be great.

[tigerv503]

I'm using denitrator for all my systems it works very well. My nitrates undetected.

[ReeFit]

i have about 170gal water volume with 23 fish 5 of witch are tangs. In the sump i made a rock wall out of live rock that the water has to pass thru and there is a little macro algae before the rock. I think i tend to feed a little on the heavy side and my NO3 are at around 2. as long as i can stay at this lvl I dont see the need to change anything. Of course 0 NO3 would be great.

 

lol with that many fish, i'd be surprised if you ever read 0 on no3 or ammonia. but at those levels its like the 3 second rule when your favorite kind of jerky hits the floor after you miss your mouth. you probably won't get sick if your healthy enough.

 

i'm not even sure what i just said there.(scratch)

[lewisriverfisherman]

lol with that many fish, i'd be surprised if you ever read 0 on no3 or ammonia. but at those levels its like the 3 second rule when your favorite kind of jerky hits the floor after you miss your mouth. you probably won't get sick if your healthy enough.

 

i'm not even sure what i just said there.(scratch)

 

i am just laughing at your comment robert. i dont quite no what to make of it, its been a long day.DOH!

[gradth]

I need to try something, with about 220 total volume my nitrates(according to my test kit) is around 40 ppm. With only 10 fish Im not sure what im doing wrong. Did a pretty hefty water change today and changed out my carbon. See if it has gone down tommorow.

[coralreefer]

Brad--I used an Aquaripure denitrator for 3 years...did it bring my nitrates down...yes, from 50 to less than 10...1) you have to feed it vodka once weekly 2) you have to adjust flow rate almost daily 3) inflow/outflow tubes get gunked up and need "blowing" out about once weekly 4) forget any of the above and you need to play catch up...

 

It never "solved" my nitrate issue, which I believe had more to do with 7 year old sand than anything else...

 

There are dialing in issues and cycling issues and maintenance issues and cost issues...

 

1) what are your nitrate levels? Your tank looks pretty [language filter] good to me!

2) I would strongly recommend biopellets over doing any kind of denitrator at this stage

3) I am one of the few believers than every tank needs "a little" nitrate for some normal metabolic activities to occur and

4) There is no such thing as a true zero nitrate reef tank

 

Remember, the greatest enemy of a good plan is the "perfect" plan...

 

DrMerle

[ReeFit]

Brad--I used an Aquaripure denitrator for 3 years...did it bring my nitrates down...yes, from 50 to less than 10...1) you have to feed it vodka once weekly 2) you have to adjust flow rate almost daily 3) inflow/outflow tubes get gunked up and need "blowing" out about once weekly 4) forget any of the above and you need to play catch up...

 

It never "solved" my nitrate issue, which I believe had more to do with 7 year old sand than anything else...

 

There are dialing in issues and cycling issues and maintenance issues and cost issues...

 

1) what are your nitrate levels? Your tank looks pretty [language filter] good to me!

2) I would strongly recommend biopellets over doing any kind of denitrator at this stage

3) I am one of the few believers than every tank needs "a little" nitrate for some normal metabolic activities to occur and

4) There is no such thing as a true zero nitrate reef tank

 

Remember, the greatest enemy of a good plan is the "perfect" plan...

 

DrMerle

 

well stated. sometimes we get so consumed on making everything perfect. right brad? (laugh)

[Barelycuda]

I just picked up the new next reef smr1 reactor and the warner marine eco bak bio pellets that I'm going to get set up in the next day or 2. If you are considering using bio pellets I'd really consider the next reef reactor.

[reefnjunkie]

Brad--I used an Aquaripure denitrator for 3 years...did it bring my nitrates down...yes, from 50 to less than 10...1) you have to feed it vodka once weekly 2) you have to adjust flow rate almost daily 3) inflow/outflow tubes get gunked up and need "blowing" out about once weekly 4) forget any of the above and you need to play catch up...

 

It never "solved" my nitrate issue, which I believe had more to do with 7 year old sand than anything else...

 

There are dialing in issues and cycling issues and maintenance issues and cost issues...

 

1) what are your nitrate levels? Your tank looks pretty [language filter] good to me!

2) I would strongly recommend biopellets over doing any kind of denitrator at this stage

3) I am one of the few believers than every tank needs "a little" nitrate for some normal metabolic activities to occur and

4) There is no such thing as a true zero nitrate reef tank

 

Remember, the greatest enemy of a good plan is the "perfect" plan...

 

DrMerle

 

Thanks Merle for chiming in-I thought you had the Aquaripure denitrator so I was curious how that worked out. The maintenance you described would rule that out for me. The Korallin that Danik used I spent a few hours reading on last night and it sounds good but my NO3 is not high, last test had it a 5ppm which is up from its usual .01-.02.

 

The thread was put up because I was curious if there were folks out there using them and how they worked and would they do it again.

 

I guess I am really just always "tinkering" with the tank trying for that "perfect" tank/water condition.

 

I presently have zero issues with my tank and it was the "how can I make things even better" mentality, which in itself is not good because it would be easy to change something and have an adverse effect

 

I do want to look into he bio pellets just to look into how they "work". I know there are a few folks using them and I would love to see the "results" of those that are using them.

 

I've also considered redoing my sump so I can add a fuge to the system, but I am treading lightly because the last thing I want is to make a change that will result in a negative way.

 

The NO3 levels I have now I know are as a result of my increased feeding (thanks SPS GOC-) but also doing less water changes. I'm going to go back to every other week doing a 20 15-20 gallon change and cubes every 3rd day with pellets for the fish daily plus the oyster feast. Presently I've been doing a cube a day, a few pinches of small pellets and the oyster feast. Its not much but it is way more than I had done in the past and that’s why I’m at 5ppm (which I know is not bad).

 

I'm looking at a new skimmer too, a SWC brand for the reduction in power consumption and smaller footprint, although my skimmer I have now really does a good job.

 

As someone reading can tell, the only "problem" per se, is ME-I just need to let things be, but its a hobby and how fun is a hobby where you just look at your tank-(nutty)

 

well stated. sometimes we get so consumed on making everything perfect. right brad? (laugh)

 

I think you hit the nail on the head-I would say a slight case of OCD perhaps-(laugh)

 

 

 

I just picked up the new next reef smr1 reactor and the warner marine eco bak bio pellets that I'm going to get set up in the next day or 2. If you are considering using bio pellets I'd really consider the next reef reactor.

 

 

Thanks Dave, this is something on my list to look into-I'll look for threads on people who are using them and how they are doing.

[ReeFit]

i'll back up my swc skimmer, its probably one of the best skimmers i have out of the three i have running that needed absolutely no mods to do a kick a$$ job right out of the box.