Sulfur De-Nitrifier

[Tony_Romano]

I have a Midwest sulfur de-nitrifier. It has been running for months at 1 or 2 drips per second. 6 days ago I upped drip to 6 per second. It is still showing higher than tank Nitrates and Nitrite. I’m thinking there must something in reactor rotting – that I need to take apart and clean. No rotten egg smell or air build up in vessel.

 

[DonW]

I have a Midwest sulfur de-nitrifier. It has been running for months at 1 or 2 drips per second. 6 days ago I upped drip to 6 per second. It is still showing higher than tank Nitrates and Nitrite. I’m thinking there must something in reactor rotting – that I need to take apart and clean. No rotten egg smell or air build up in vessel.

What are the tanks nitrates and nitrites?

Don

 

[mmkeeper]

You don't want to increase the flow, it works on slow water movement.

 

[Tony_Romano]

NO2 zero
NO3 10-25
Salifert Kits

 

[DonW]

Which one of the midwest reactors do you have. Nitrites comming from the reactor is a issue and probably not flow related. @ 2drops per second it should have had no problem cycling.

Don

 

[DonW]

Forgot to ask. What is the ph of the reactor effluent?

Don

 

[Tony_Romano]

Unit should be able to be run at 6 dps - per instructions. I cut it back to just under 4.

pH 7.7

 

[DonW]

Unit should be able to be run at 6 dps - per instructions. I cut it back to just under 4.

pH 7.7

What is your tank ph 7.7 is high. I'm getting 6.3 out of my reactor. 7.7 indicates that you still have oxygen in the reactor. If you have o2 then you have no denitrification.

Don

 

[plack]

I'd bet don is probabbly right about there being o2 in the reactor lines

I used there same sulphur beads and it did not work the first time but the sulphur and the coral were not seperated very well and my pump stirred them up to much and I probabbly got air in it when I changed water as my sump gets low then.

I took it apart and started all over and this time I also used some of there NBC #9
All NATURAL BIOLOGICAL CONCENTRATE. I injected the water and bacterial concentrate into the input of the reactor tube with a test kit syringe then reconnected the tube and 2 weeks later I was reading about 10 nitrates in my tank and Zero coming out of the reactor.

My tank has thankfully read zero for some time now ( aside from dirty plugged reactor lines and or dirty skimmer's etc)

I would just disconnect it and try it all over 1 more time.



PAUL

 

[Tony_Romano]

Thanks Guys - That explains NO2..I did not know to check pH.

 

[DonW]

You can also use orp to judge the reactor but Ive found ph to be easier. Some claim that you should use a orp controller but I havent found the need with peri pumps.

Don

 

[packer]

I have had a Midwest unit for a few years. They really are simple to use if you understand the basics. In your circumstance, you had the unit running at 2dps. When you increase the drip rate, it needs to be done at 1 dps so the unit can develop more bacteria to take care of the increased nitrate load. When the unit cycles and the output level is again at zero nitrates, you can increase it 1dps again. You repeat this process until it gets to the suggested max drip rate if needed. In your case, turn the unit back down to say 3dps and let it zero out. Then up it again 1dps after that.