Donovan's Nitrate Destroyer
 

Here is my nitrate twin tower nitrate destroyer. Hopefully this design will help many reefers out there who is having high nitrate problem but cannot afford spending money on commercial product.

My current effluent output flow (nitrate free)

http://vid1233.photobucket.com/album...psu4n8e69w.mp4

List of material needed:-

3" PVC pipe, 2 1/2 feet in length each (2 pieces)
3" PVC end cap (4 pieces)
1/4" clear vinyl tubing (2 1/2 feet & 8" each)
Small aquarium pump (fountain pump should be sufficient)
Reef safe adjustable valve (to be fitted with the 1/4" tubing)
10ml syringe
Bio ring, bio ball, pumice stones as per image (layered)
Carbon source (vodka, vinegar, sugar)
A bottle of live bacteria to start the reactor

How long did it take to get the bacteria colonized enough to process the nitrate? Also, how much flow do you want entering the tower ?

With daily dosing of bacteria of 5ml directly through the syringe, within 5 days you should start seeing nitrogen bubble coming out from the output tubing. For starting, a fine stream of effluent roughly about 1ml per second is sufficient. Once you start seeing nitrate reduction at the output, bacteria dosing can be reduce to 5ml every 2 days. Carbon dosing 5 ml via syringe. Keep testing for nitrate every 3 - 5 days. Increase flow a bit once nitrate reduced by 5ppm.

Make sure the input is after filter sock to prevent blockage.

This looks cool. Interesting idea.

Thanks. Glad you like it. So far my nitrate is constantly zero. Dosing inside the reactor means no cyano outbreak. Once nitrate is 5ppm, i stopped dosing bacteria, continue carbon dosing 1 - 2ml daily just to keep the bacteria happy.

What bacteria product are u using

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I used combination of Biozyme formula 50 (cheap) with BioDigest to start the tower.

Do you use a protein skimmer with carbon dosing? Neat that you actually see nutrient export with the bubbles.

"Dosing inside the reactor means no cyano outbreak."


Are you referring to dosing bacteria are carbon as a source for a cyno outbreak? I assume you expect the bacteria inside the bioreactor to consume carbon before it gets into bulk water.

Dosing bacteria (initial seed & maintenance) and carbon source are done via the syringe, directly into the chambers. Since the chambers are occupied by bacteria, the carbon source (in my case vodka) is fully consumed internally, leaving a nitrate & carbon free effluent at the output.

I have experienced cyno outbreak in my DT/sump when i dosed carbon directly into the water column before, but never had this issue since running this bacteria reactor months ago. The previous cyno outbreak might be due vodka overdosed.

Another note to add is there will be no massive bacteria bloom in DT as opposed to carbon dosing directly into the water column.

So the cyno got drunk on vodka when it was added to bulk water. How cool is that.

I really like this concept. However it will not work for me because I have a 6" deep Jaubert Plenumn that is full of sludge after 20 years. I will dose bacteria into bulk water and allow the bugs to work on nutrient elimination. In my case, I see little need for carbon dosing.

Are you using a protein skimmer?

I think that you should put this thread in reef discussion or advanced topics.

I do have skimmer, but when the reactor is charging in the beginning, my filter socks was covered with slime. Since the effluent is flowing thru the filter, bacteria bloom was captured by filter socks. Once settled with zero nitrate, no more slime, probably due to less bacteria in the chambers.

Need moderator help to move this thread :lmao:

Not really. Just start a new thread on reef discussion. When I look at people viewing differrent forums, DIY and reef discussion has the most viewers by far.

You can ask a mod to move your thread by clicking on the "report post" red triangle that is in the bottom left-hand side of a post.

Thanks for sharing your denitrator.

No problem rybren. I'm gathering some info on another chamber to specifically targetting phosphate. That will complete the design, hopefully.

I do have one question on the bubbles that are coming up. Certain carbon sources with certain bacteria will ferment and give off other gases as the biological process go to completion. The fact that your effluent is nitrate free would support the conclusion of nitrate bubbles. Would you consider your use of vodka, which is a completed fermentation process the reason for your success? Would other carbon sources provide success?

If you design a phosphate bioreactor, get copyright protection for your intellectual property. It will make you rich.

While I can not find the scientific papers, it has been shown that when bacteria are stressed with low oxygen conditions they uptake phosphate at a higher ratio than when growing under aerobic conditions. When sufficient oxygen levels return, bacteria resume normal growth but do not give back this elevated phosphate. Schneider, a German industrial waste water company, uses the process for municipal waste water plants.

Go luck on your phosphate bioreactor.

Might take hundred years to materialised:lol2:

Maybe i should test the effluent for disolved oxigen level. But i read somewhere that P04 uptake by bacteria is way lower compared to N03. Me myself is struggling with PO4 at this moment.

Yes, I would consider testing for dissolved oxygen levels. If it is sufficiently high >10ppm consider reducing the input flow rate which should consume more oxygen and stress bacteria. In turn, the ratio of phosphate to nitrate uptake should increase. Do not leave in this condition steady state or you will kill anaerobic bacteria in reactor, requiring more frequent addition of bacteria. Stressing bacteria with low oxygen conditions, requiring more frequent bacteria dose may prove to be your elevated phosphate solution.