DIY Sulfur Denitrator

[dartier]

Originally Posted by druckle

I have registered and logged into Makazi Baharini and attempted multiple times to view it's contents and each time I get the following notice.

Access denied
Sorry, you do not have enough rights to continue.

If there is no secret I would appreciate knowing how to view the site.

Wow, you found it? I was pretty sure it was along the lines of Fight Club ...

Dennis

[druckle]

Originally Posted by dartier

Wow, you found it? I was pretty sure it was along the lines of Fight Club ...

Dennis

Passing strange to list a site as a source for information that is restricted from public viewing. If there is no information suitable for the public on the site then I would think one might assume that the site is not a source for public information and would not be listed as a source of information about the technology.

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by druckle

Passing strange to list a site as a source for information that is restricted from public viewing. If there is no information suitable for the public on the site then I would think one might assume that the site is not a source for public information and would not be listed as a source of information about the technology.

As I said the wiki was made for personal use only. The fact that you could not enter it proves everything works fine.! Kidding!
As I said we will open up the wiki in English when the translation is finished. There is the issue that the browser logs you in to the English pages automatically so we changed that so you should be able to read some of the pages we opened up now.
There is also something wrong with the registration page because we did not receive the registrations. Normally you should have had the password to log in in your email after the registration. We will look it up.

[Kaera]

What would be a good amount of water to feed into a sulfur denitrator system per hour?

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by Kaera

What would be a good amount of water to feed into a sulfur denitrator system per hour?

Flow depends of the amount of nitrate to remove daily ( the daily nitrate production) and the nitrate level of the influent. Max flow depends of the volume of the reactor and the amount of sulphur used. When the nitrate level descends flow must increase to be able to remove the same amount of nitrate. To lower the nitrate level of the system a bit more as is the daily nitrate production must be removed daily.
Normal flow may be 2l-5l/h/L sulphur.
A BADES reactor is able to treat the total system volume once to twice a day ( 1% reactor) This reactor will be able to remove 1ppm to 2ppm nitrate daily while keeping the nitrate level below 2 ppm. This way one can obtain full control over the nitrate level and the nitrate removal rate and manage the nitrate level as desired.

When full control over the nitrate removal rate is not necessary BADES can be used without a reactor in a bio-filter or sump using activated sulphur, Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. ( BADES bio-filter)

[schabiazabi]

Most users of a sulphur denitrator use it as it was a denitrator based on heterotopic denitrification. Flow is restricted to keep the reactor anoxic. This may work fine at high nitrate levels as high amounts of nitrate can be removed at a limited flow. Problems may be faced when the level drops as due to the limited flow not enough nitrate can be processed for removing the daily production.
When following the guidelines of Mark Longouet the result will be a reactor that will work fine at low nitrate levels. Flow may increase till 10x the volume of the reactor. This means that the reactor is not kept anoxic.
A BADESSystem is not more than a system where a BADES biofilm reactor is incorporated. Such a reactor will still have denitrification activity at a normal DO level and will work fine with an effluent still containing <2ppm DO which means that a lot of nitrate can be removed at a very low nitrate level. Everything was explained several times.

Belgian Anthias, I finally had to reply to your posts. There is about gazillion posts by you on the Badass filter, but to be honest one can sum all your posts into one sentence: Nitrification and Denitrifcation is required in order for the full nitrogen cycle to complete. There is nothing else and there never ever will be. You are holding the less informed (not everyone wants a PHD in chemistry) reefers hostage with those French articles, broken links, weak descriptions.

There is nothing wrong with "Most users" that use sulphur denitrator as if is was a denitrator based on heterotopic denitrification. Just because they don't have an explicit chamber for aerobic nitrification attached to the filter, it does not mean there is no other filter in the tank that produces Nitrates. As a matter of a fact they over produce it They can regulate flow on their denitrification "side" and up the flow if they wish just like you do.

Now I hate to do this to you, but I can actually write this: There is no need for any kind of nitrification filter, and you are still going to have tons of Nitrate if you overstock a fish tank. And if you keep only one tiny fish the Nitrates will go down. Nitrates are directly proportional to the amount of food source in the habitat. That means your nitrification chamber will not produce more Nitrates, so more can be exported. What it will do is, it will localize the Nitrates production, which in the Denitrator system is not required. It is required in the Bio Pellet systems, because it is exported out of the tank (toilet).

Your system would be required only in case the tank has ammonia or nitrite.

I have spent days on this Nitrate research for my next reef advantage, and I studied many water waste management systems. I learned only 2 new things:

1. Denitrification is way better than Bio Pellets for reef tanks, due to removal of positively charged H+ ions.

2. Anaerobic bacteria actually prefers oxygen as it's number 1 food source, and only in case there is very little oxygen, it will start consuming other food sources.

[schabiazabi]

Just to extend the topic a bit, to make myself even more clear. Do you know why people always fight Nitrates? Because aquarium is one big toilet.

But there is a one million dollar question for you, do you know why people fight Nitrates, but do not fight Ammonia or Nitrites? For a simple reason: OUR tanks are extremely AEROBIC when relatively speaking. The ANAEROBIC part of the ocean is missing. In the reef tank we have it as a DSB which becomes saturated (toilet) after a while and it works in reverse.

So adding denitrator based on heterotopic denitrification (ANAEROBIC part of the ocean) is exactly what a reef tank needs. It is this ANAEROBIC, and ANOXIC section of the ocean that is the exporter of the toilet.

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by schabiazabi

Just to extend the topic a bit, to make myself even more clear. Do you know why people always fight Nitrates? Because aquarium is one big toilet.

But there is a one million dollar question for you, do you know why people fight Nitrates, but do not fight Ammonia or Nitrites? For a simple reason: OUR tanks are extremely AEROBIC when relatively speaking. The ANAEROBIC part of the ocean is missing. In the reef tank we have it as a DSB which becomes saturated (toilet) after a while and it works in reverse.

So adding denitrator based on heterotopic denitrification (ANAEROBIC part of the ocean) is exactly what a reef tank needs. It is this ANAEROBIC, and ANOXIC section of the ocean that is the exporter of the toilet.

Denitrification ( heterotropic and autotropic) takes place in aerobic tanks every where a biofilm is formed or and in low oxygen zones ( o.a. sandbottom, stone) Oxygen minimum zones are created everywhere the free oxygen is consumed more quickly as it can be replaced. Otherwise it would not be possible to maintain an aquarium at all. Heteretropic denitrification is a lot more effective as is autotrophic denitrification but needs an organic food source. For heterotropic denitrification the foodsource it is the limiting factor. In some reef aquaria also phosphate. In fact, an aquarium ( the water) is aerobic but a lot of processes take place in low oxygen conditions ( o.a.within bio-films) where sulphur plays an important role in recycling,
Also in the oceans Sulphur is a most important factor in the nitrogen- and carbon cycle as are anaerobic processes. Bilions of tons of sulfur bacteria as there are Thiomargarita and Thioplaka spp can be found on the bottom of oceans.
The sulfhur provides an unlimited foodsource for autotrophe denitrification feeding only those bacteria we want to cultivate which is not the case if we try to feed heterotrophs.

BADES removes ammonia and nitrite by simultaneous nitrification and mixotrophe (heterotrophe and autotrophe) denitrification just by putting sulphur in a bio or sump. No need for a degree in chemics which I do not have.
When one want to have full control over the nitrate level in the system a BADES bio-film reactor can be used. This way the nitrogen cycle can be closed in a zero emission aquaculture system or aquarium.
Ammonia and nitrite is removed without nitrate can accumulate in the aquarium system.
Does this mean I have earned the million dollar?

[schabiazabi]

^ I finally found what you were talking about.

I need to read about this more, and I will post about it here.

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by schabiazabi

^ I finally found what you were talking about.

I need to read about this more, and I will post about it here.

We made a nitrate removal system based on the findings and instructions of Longouet and Co more than a decade in the past. It worked fine. As a lot of sulfhur denitrators discussed on different fora where not functioning fine we tried to find out why our system did what it was intended tot do without any problems and could easily be managed and other systems did not. That is where our investigation started. We found out why our sulphur-denitrator worked fine. We just had not tried to keep the reactor anoxic and increased the flow in accordance with the nitrate level to remove the daily ammonia production daily and as the reactor was big enough ( we just followed the 1% rule) a healthy biofilm was developed on the sulphur which did all the work. We had made our selves a BADES biofilm system without knowing. I had that time no idea about why and how it did what it did. We just had followed the instructions of Longouet and Co. Due to my investigation and research during the past decennial I now understand also why and how. Most of our research we have written down in a wiki we called Makazi Baharini including our research about what we thought we would need to build a big natural looking mixed reef aquarium, high enough for Anthias to show there natural behaviour.

If you want to read about BADES you may access our wiki which is written in Dutch but most original references are in English, some in French. Some pages are partially translated to English.

You have to registrar and you will then receive a password to enter the wiki.

Information about BADES you may find at

http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...badess:theorie

As this is in fact a thread about a DIY project maybe this is not the right place for postings about BADES.

[schabiazabi]

OK, so I read for hours about Biofilm reactors, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. There is not a single fact anywhere stating your BADES reactor is more efficient (or any different) than the DIY Sulfur Denitrator in this thread.

As a matter of a fact there is no such thing as a BADES reactor. Yes, you can build a single chamber reactor where you have aerobic and anaerobic sections with biofilm on the media, but so what. It has never been proven that putting both processes into the single chamber is more efficient than having separate nitrification and denitrification process.

When it comes to biofilms that you talk about. That is great, but they exist in the DIY Sulfur Denitrator as much as they exist in any another sulfur based fluidized reactors.

I actually do not see your point at all. I gave you some doubt as I needed to read more about biofilms, just to make sure I understand you correctly. BADES can not be anything new since biofilm exists in DIY Sulfur Reactor as well. The only thing that comes to my mind is a marriage of Bio Pellet reactor with DIY Sulfur Denitrator. The output of Bio Pellets is the input of the DIY Sulfur Reactor. That seems to be the most efficient nitrate removal in wastewater management systems.

One more thing. Reading about all these bio film reactors made me realize few things:

1. DSB are outright stupid and inefficient.
2. Nitrates in the aquarium mean that you either have an incorrectly designed tank, or you are overstocking.

[canada55]

Originally Posted by CHSUB

reviewed your more descriptive post of the design of your reactor....very impressed!!!! the reason i resisted using aragonite was the need to open the reactor to add more aragonite occasionally, your design may solve this problem? also if you decide to run reactors 1 and 2 with sulfur, one reactor could be cleaned each year, never having to reseed/restart the system. I believe my reactor will need a cleaning at some point and a reseeding; your design could run indefinitely? i have thought about these 2 issues over the last year, your system may have solved them?

One change you might consider, on reactor #3, if output #1 were placed on the degasing valve this might allow gas to escape with the effluent, only if the recirculating pump is strong enough to push the N2 through reactors 1 and 2, however? I would also consider output #2's flow as a regular part of the operation, and not just in emergency! You might consider stopping bio-pellets, when i stopped carbon dosing may sulfur reactor preformence improved, however, not sure why? i'm very excited about your design, keep it going!!!

Been a little over a year since I fired up my reactor, and it has been work flawlessly until lately, been getting some wild swings in my ORP. I have tried to adjust flow to correct problem but I still get wild swings in ORP. Snice I have never cleaned it in over a year, I think it is time to do so,,,,will post results of cleaning once I'm back up and running and stabalized..

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by schabiazabi

OK, so I read for hours about Biofilm reactors, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. There is not a single fact anywhere stating your BADES reactor is more efficient (or any different) than the DIY Sulfur Denitrator in this thread.

As a matter of a fact there is no such thing as a BADES reactor. Yes, you can build a single chamber reactor where you have aerobic and anaerobic sections with biofilm on the media, but so what. It has never been proven that putting both processes into the single chamber is more efficient than having separate nitrification and denitrification process.

When it comes to biofilms that you talk about. That is great, but they exist in the DIY Sulfur Denitrator as much as they exist in any another sulfur based fluidized reactors.

I actually do not see your point at all. I gave you some doubt as I needed to read more about biofilms, just to make sure I understand you correctly. BADES can not be anything new since biofilm exists in DIY Sulfur Reactor as well. The only thing that comes to my mind is a marriage of Bio Pellet reactor with DIY Sulfur Denitrator. The output of Bio Pellets is the input of the DIY Sulfur Reactor. That seems to be the most efficient nitrate removal in wastewater management systems.

One more thing. Reading about all these bio film reactors made me realize few things:

1. DSB are outright stupid and inefficient.
2. Nitrates in the aquarium mean that you either have an incorrectly designed tank, or you are overstocking.

In any aerobic biofilm nitrification and denitrification can take place simultaneously. In oxic ( aerobic environment) conditions the outer layers of the biofilm (in contact with the water culumn) will consume the free oxygen in such a way that at a dept of only +- 0.3 to 0.5 mm denitrification can takes place. This is a normal natural proces that takes place in all aquaria and wich we use in a BADES bio-fiter or BADES biofilm reactor.
For a BADES biofilm reactor a reactor as explained in this DIY thread can be used as any seawater save container that can be closed water tight can be used for that purpose. The only difference is that we do not try to keep the reactor anoxic ( below 0.5 ppm DO) In an anoxic reactor the flow is limited to keep the reactor anoxic and the cultivated biofilm is not able to reduce enough oxygen. This way it may not be possible to enter enough water to remove the daily nitrate production at the low nitrate level desired. A BADES biofilm reactor is able to remove at least 1 ppm to 2 ppm ammonia daily while keeping the nitrate level below 1ppm, at least 20 times more as an anoxic kept reactor of the same volume, Also, an anoxic sulphur reactor can remove nitrate and nitrite but ammonia present will not be removed.
One or two chambers? One or two reactors? it is a decision the user must make.


BADES is an acronym. A BADESS is a closed zero emission bio-system in which BADES is incorporated and of which the working is tested, published and used.

We had a project to build a mixed reef aquarium showing the reef as one can see it when one swims above it. This means a lot of fishes in a small area combined with sps. We want to show Anthias and other reef fishes in there natural environment in a way they can show there natural behaviour in group and not as individuals. This is not possible in a low nutrient reef aquarium. Choices have to be maid
We could connect the display to a very large water reserve and making it very expensive, we would need a lot of space to store it. Even then we would probably need bio-filters.
Our solution was incorporation of BADES in the bio-system which will increase the possible bio-load of the system as desired.

[schabiazabi]

^ Got it. So you simply flow "normal" rate of water through the sulfur media and that allows you to build up enough biofilm to produce nitrification/denitrification 20x greater? Interesting. I guess it's not that hard to try it out.

The fluidized biofilm wastewater management systems never reported 20x greater denitrification. If you read about those systems you quickly realize there is nothing special about biofilm reactors. What you are saying is different. You are simply saying to flow the water through the media in an oxic style and allow the inner depth of biofilm perform denitrification. Worth a try.

The BADES/biofilm reactor works with sulfur only right? In other words, 20x greater denitrification is attributed to sulfur biofilm, and it will not grow as successful on other media?

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by schabiazabi

^ Got it. So you simply flow "normal" rate of water through the sulfur media and that allows you to build up enough biofilm to produce nitrification/denitrification 20x greater? Interesting. I guess it's not that hard to try it out.

The fluidized biofilm wastewater management systems never reported 20x greater denitrification. If you read about those systems you quickly realize there is nothing special about biofilm reactors. What you are saying is different. You are simply saying to flow the water through the media in an oxic style and allow the inner depth of biofilm perform denitrification. Worth a try.

The BADES/biofilm reactor works with sulfur only right? In other words, 20x greater denitrification is attributed to sulfur biofilm, and it will not grow as successful on other media?

Not at all. Heterotroph denitrification is a lot more effective as is autotroph denitrification but needs an organic food source. Elemental sulphur is used as a base and substratum to grow a biofilm containing autotroph sulphur bacteria on the surface. b

The flow rate is not unlimited as we want to have control over the nitrate removal rate. The nitrate removal rate is controlled by the flow in accordance with the nitrate level. The reactor must be big enough! to handle the amount of oxygen entered. Once in balance with the system a BADESS is self-regulating.
At very high flow control over the nitrate removal rate is lost but the reactor will still remove ammonia and nitrate. When the flow is to high the biofilm may detach from the substrate and or the erosion may become to high to be replaced in time.

A sulphur denitrator ( with closed loop) managed following the guidelines of Longouet will remove 10 to 20 times more nitrate compared to a sulphur reactor of the same volume that is kept anoxic, this at low nitrate levels. At high to very nitrate levels the results become more equalized . An anoxic kept sulphur-reactor will not remove ammonia.
To lower the nitrate level only a bit more as the daily production must be removed daily. At a high nitrate level the flow may be very limited to achieve that. At a low nitrate level a high flow is necessary to remove the same production. The water contains +- 6 ppm free oxygen which at some point makes it impossible to keep a reactor anoxic at the flow needed for removing the production.

The best results are achieved when the sulphur is mixed with +- 30% Calcium Carbonate media (CC) and used in batch reactors. We use continues flow reactors.

BADES should be used in combination with a calcium carbonate source.
it is known that the best results are realized when mixing the sulphur with the calcium carbonate(CC) media. In seawater addition of CC will neutralize the effect of nitrification and autotroph denitrification on the alkalinity and produce some calcium.
oyster grit, aragonite, a commercial product for calcium reactors? One dissolves more easily as the other but it will certainly clog together after some time. If a lot of ammonia is removed daily chalk may be produced. Sulphate precipitates. This means that the calcium carbonate source has to be replaced ore cleaned regularly meanwhile removing the precipitated sulphate. In the case it is mixed with the sulphur we have to replace everything, certainly when it is clogged together. This way the activated sulphur is lost.
In a reef aquarium the ammonia production is very low compared to a commercial aqua-culture system. Must the Sulphur be mixed with the CCmedia ?
One can use one reactor with two chambers or two separate reactors?
In a BADES biofilm reactor we want to cultivate a healthy biofilm without clogging the media and the reactor, which will occur when an organic food source is added We do not want a biofilm growing on the CCmedia as the contact with the water column will be lost.
We prefer to use separate reactors.

For to be used in a BADES bio-filter we use activated sulphur pellets mixed with 50% CC to make the sulphur rolls.

We advice to use activated sulphur ( sulphur that was conditioned).

[president89]

I am trying to read through this entire thread from the beginning. I have two systems I want to employ this on. A clownfish broodstock system (80 Gallons - constant 50-60 PPM nitrate) and a clownfish growout. (120G - 80-120PPM nitrate). They aren't overly large systems, but they have a gigantic bioload because of the number of fish and the amount I feed them. Does this impact the size of the reactor I build. I'm looking at the slightly modified design of the first reactor in this thread with 4" pipe. Is that too big??

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by president89

I am trying to read through this entire thread from the beginning. I have two systems I want to employ this on. A clownfish broodstock system (80 Gallons - constant 50-60 PPM nitrate) and a clownfish growout. (120G - 80-120PPM nitrate). They aren't overly large systems, but they have a gigantic bioload because of the number of fish and the amount I feed them. Does this impact the size of the reactor I build. I'm looking at the slightly modified design of the first reactor in this thread with 4" pipe. Is that too big??

Are other bio-filters installed?

For total 200gal
For BADES
At least +- 2gal of sulphur is needed when a 0 nitrate reactor effluent is desired + same quantity of calcium carbonate media. Flow will be very low during the first weeks of operation and difficult to manage. For aquaria with a nitrate level above 50ppm the use of 2%S is advised which will result in a higher flow less difficult to manage.
I can advice to do a water change of at least 30% just before connecting the reactor if only 1% of sulphur is used.

Used in fish only tanks calcium may build up as it is not consumed.

The desired nitrate level=? Daily nitrate production =?
Basic rule for BADES keeping a 0 nitrate reactor effluent and full control over the desired nitrate level: if the total volume of the system has to pass the reactor once a day or less to remove the daily nitrate production 1% S is needed . If the total volume of the system has to pass the reactor twice a day 2% is needed. And so on. Example: when the desired nitrate level is 1PPM and the daily production is 1.5PPM, the total volume has to pass the reactor 1.5 x each day to be able to remove the daily nitrate production daily. A 1.5% S reactor is needed.

When a 0 nitrate effluent is NOT desired:
To keep the nitrate level steady the daily production has to be removed daily, to lower the nitrate level only a bit more has to be removed. This results in a high flow and easy management.

For BADES any seawater save recipient or container which can be closed water tight can be used as a reactor.

[president89]

Originally Posted by Belgian Anthias

Are other bio-filters installed?

For total 200gal
For BADES
At least +- 2gal of sulphur is needed when a 0 nitrate reactor effluent is desired + same quantity of calcium carbonate media. Flow will be very low during the first weeks of operation and difficult to manage. For aquaria with a nitrate level above 50ppm the use of 2%S is advised which will result in a higher flow less difficult to manage.
I can advice to do a water change of at least 30% just before connecting the reactor if only 1% of sulphur is used.

Used in fish only tanks calcium may build up as it is not consumed.

The desired nitrate level=? Daily nitrate production =?
Basic rule for BADES keeping a 0 nitrate reactor effluent and full control over the desired nitrate level: if the total volume of the system has to pass the reactor once a day or less to remove the daily nitrate production 1% S is needed . If the total volume of the system has to pass the reactor twice a day 2% is needed. And so on. Example: when the desired nitrate level is 1PPM and the daily production is 1.5PPM, the total volume has to pass the reactor 1.5 x each day to be able to remove the daily nitrate production daily. A 1.5% S reactor is needed.

When a 0 nitrate effluent is NOT desired:
To keep the nitrate level steady the daily production has to be removed daily, to lower the nitrate level only a bit more has to be removed. This results in a high flow and easy management.

For BADES any seawater save recipient or container which can be closed water tight can be used as a reactor.

I have live rock and an algae scrubber (not working well, which is why I want to try this sulfur reactor).

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by president89

I have live rock and an algae scrubber (not working well, which is why I want to try this sulfur reactor).

In your case I would start up the reactor using a bucket or other recipient filled with water containing 120PPM nitrate from the system. This way the reactors can be conditioned without any influence on the system and the processes can easily be followed and monitored. The water must have the same temp as the aquarium so a small heater is necessary. A new user can build up some experience with the reactor before connecting it to the system. Use the water from water changes to condition the reactor. it will take+- 20 days. ( the cleaned water can eventually be reused)
As the reactor has internal circulation the reactor has not to be a tube or column although the width should not be more than the hight.
.

[Belgian Anthias]

It is a long time ago when the article from djfrankie ( http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/ ) about this DIY was published. The DIY project results in a good usable reactor, usable for a lot of different applications where a moving bed reactor may be applied. In this case a sulphur denitrator. Frankie explains not only the construction of the reactor but also how to use it of which a lot has been discussed in this thread.
Frankie advises in his article to use 0.72litre sulphur fot a 120 gal aquarium, 120 gal x 0.006 which results in a very small reactor. 120 Gal = 450 litre. The article references to M.Longouet, one of the investigators who published the MAAO system. http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...ess:bades:maao . M longouet uses a flow of +- 2-3 liter/h/ litre sulphur for a 1 % reactor, up to 5liter/h/litre sulphur. Hignette, director of the MAAO, publishes that denitrification takes place at a flow of 10l/h/litre sulphur. Frankie advises to keep it conservative at max 3-4 liter/liter sulphur. He does NOT advise to keep the reactor anoxic.
This means for the 120 gal aquarium ( 450littre) a flow of max 2.88 l/h based on .72 litre sulphur or max 69 litre a day. At a nitrate level of 1 ppm this reactor can remove max 69 mg nitrate daily. The daily nitrate production in a 120 gal mixed reef system may be estimated to be +- 1.5 ppm daily or for a 120 gal aquarium +- 625 mg or 10x the amount which can be removed by the reactor daily. Frankie states that trying to lower nitrates in a system with 50 ppm or above nitrate levels can be long and frustrating. it certainly will be because when the reactor is measured following the directives it would be impossible as the calculations show. The reactor will stop lowering the level at a nitrate concentration of +- 10ppm. for this example.
A 1% reactor may remove 432 mg nitrate daily at a flow of 4l/h/litre sulphur, also not enough to reach a level of 1ppm. The flow must increase or the reactor must be bigger ? A 1% reactor will easily keep the level at 2ppm and even lower as 1ppm at a higher flow.
Frankie advises to combine matrix with the sulphur and has good results. At a low nitrate level and high flow this seems acceptable but why using expensive matrix when better results may be achieved using only cheap sulphur? What is it what bacteria are able to do on matrix what they can not on sulphur?
It is a fact that people who read the article of Frankie and follow all the directives will end up with a nice looking and fine working reactor which is probably to small for the job. The reactor can be used with good results in a low nutrient system but why do we need a sulphur reactor in a low nutrient system?
A reactor build by the directives of the article will be a fine BADES-reactor. All info about BADES is available and can be discussed: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...n:badess:start http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...roductie_bades

[tavoreef]

hi can any one till me if a surfer reactor will work to bring down nitrate levels thanks

[Isayso]

That's a weed question after 74 pages
But.......yes

[Belgian Anthias]

Originally Posted by tavoreef

hi can any one till me if a surfer reactor will work to bring down nitrate levels thanks

All info about denitrification and about using sulphur, the different applications of the BADES process, can be found in the Makazi Baharini wiki http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...n:badess:start. One has to register to visit other pages. The original pages are in Dutch, some pages are translated in English.
With BADES one can remove as much nitrate as desired.
When BADES- columns are used a reactor is not needed. http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...ter#spc_system

[livehho]

Originally Posted by Belgian Anthias

All info about denitrification and about using sulphur, the different applications of the BADES process, can be found in the Makazi Baharini wiki http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...n:badess:start. One has to register to visit other pages. The original pages are in Dutch, some pages are translated in English.
With BADES one can remove as much nitrate as desired.
When BADES- columns are used a reactor is not needed. http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...ter#spc_system

So I went here http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku...ter#spc_system but I don't see a detailed procedure with pics about how to build this. Every time I click on the hyperlinks in Baharini's wiki, I get redirected to a page that says "This topic does not exist yet"

I really need to build this thing. My nitrates are crazy high. It's just a mater of time before everything in my saltwater aquarium starts dying.

Is there a detailed procedure on how to build this from scratch? something like this ---> [url]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/[url]

help !

[livehho]

not sure why the link didn't paste correctly.. here it is again

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy