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icliao
06/21/2009, 12:06 PM
I just cleaned and replace the sulfur beads of my denitrator after running for 3 years.

I let it drip slowly and after 4 days, it is showing 0 nitrate while the tank is showing around 10 ppm.

I tune up the water flow significantly and after 2 days, I am getting higher nitrate from the denitrator to be higher than the aquarium water.

What is causing this? Does anyone have the same experience?

I have reduced the flow of the denitrator and will test again in a few days.

AcroporAddict
06/21/2009, 12:32 PM
That is normal. After you ramp up the flow thru the reactor, nitrate in the effluent increases. You should only increase flow by 1-2 drops/second in an increment. The bacteria in the reactor will increase population and the nitrate level will drop after a few days.

Just a guess, but I think the reason for the nitrate increase after you increase the flow rate is that when you do that, you are increasing the amount of oxygen inside the reactor, which probably kills off some of the anaerobic bacteria. Then after a few days the reactor water becomes oxygen depleted again, the bacteria population rebuilds and increases to the point of equilibrium with the nitrates going in, and the effluent nitrate level goes to zero.

I have an H&S Sulfur Denitrator.
Dave