Designing the Ultimate Filtration System

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 10:03 AM

hmm according to wikipedia, my chemistry is wacked. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denitrification

They don't mention sulfur denitrification though

Edit: maybe my cham. isn't wacked... my chem equations just skip a bunch of steps.

NO3+C=NO2+CO
2XNO2+3C=N2O+3CO
2xNO+C=N2O+CO
N2O+C=N2+CO

NO3+CO=NO2+CO2
NO2+CO=NO+CO2
N2O+CO=N2+CO2

Overall 2xNO3+3xC=N2+3CO2... my order of listing may be out of wack, but there's definitely a pathway in there somewhere

**johnptc** · 04-16-2008, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by cvermeulen;1711208;

hmm according to wikipedia, my chemistry is wacked. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denitrification

They don't mention sulfur denitrification though

sulfur as in

Aqua-Medic Sulphur Pearls (AQM118)

Aqua-Medic Sulphur Pearls are formed from pure sulphur. They are used in Sulphur nitrate reactors as the filter medium and energy source for the bacteria.

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by johnptc;1711221;

sulfur as in

Aqua-Medic Sulphur Pearls (AQM118)

Aqua-Medic Sulphur Pearls are formed from pure sulphur. They are used in Sulphur nitrate reactors as the filter medium and energy source for the bacteria.

Googling....

Howcome you didn't decide to go that way with your denitrifier?

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 10:31 AM

Interesting read on sulfur denitrification. I wonder if this would work in F/W:

http://mars.reefkeepers.net/USHomePa...Denitrator.htm

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 10:39 AM

More: http://www.fishchannel.com/saltwater...sulfur-reactor

The sulfur reactor looks like the way to go if you don't have space for reeds, don't want to deal with dosing sugars, and don't believe the bakki filter sales pitch.

**AW7020** · 04-16-2008, 10:55 AM

Hmm interesting .. should i go and replace the Bakki with something else... Any comments on this anyone??

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by AW7020;1711316;

Hmm interesting .. should i go and replace the Bakki with something else... Any comments on this anyone??

No-one sadi the bakki shwoer was not an extremely effective biological filtration method.... I just haven't gotten a good explanation as to how it could possibly break down nitrates yet

. Keep it till we're done reinventing the wheel here

**AW7020** · 04-16-2008, 11:12 AM

LOL Thanks for that quick pop answer. cheers.

**johnptc** · 04-16-2008, 11:23 AM

sulfur will work in fw. so i am told.........just have to replace the sulfur.............

with that much sulfur i worried about generating H2S

**cvermeulen** · 04-16-2008, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by johnptc;1711386;

sulfur will work in fw. so i am told.........just have to replace the sulfur.............

with that much sulfur i worried about generating H2S

Yeah I'm confused on the whole by-products issue. I saw mentioned Heterotrophic (Carbon Based) denitrification can generate sulfur byproducts if the dosage is wrong on your carbon supplement, and I also noticed that CO2 is one of the major byproducts of the autotrophic (sulfur based) process. Still scratching my head on that.

As for replacing the sulfur, most of the articles I've read suggest the sulfur consumption rate is very low, although the reaction I have here suggests that you'd consume 1g of sulfur per 4g of nitrate... so maybe I've got something wrong in my chemistry. Adding a kg of sulfur every 4 days might not be that practical for you!