denitrator

[jschall]

Hello MFK, I've been lurking here for a while with no account...

My tank isn't crazy insane like some of yours, just 100 gallon freshwater with turtles and cichlids. However, with the high nitrates (10mg/l) in my tap water, and a high waste load, it gets hard to keep nitrates down. At this point I'm doing 50% changes 3/2 weeks.

I'm looking to run some kind of denitrator. Over the last several weeks, I've been looking into the various types, and it's all very complicated.

At this point, I want to build or buy something to keep nitrates in check. What sort of design should I use? Are there any prebuilt ones I can buy for a reasonable price?

Seems the simplest one is the coil denitrator, and I understand the basics of how it works (aerobic bacteria eat oxygen to create anaerobic conditions for bacteria that eat nitrates), but I want to see a more detailed howto than I've been able to find, specifically one that deals with managing the toxic gasses that can be produced.

I'm hoping to start a discussion here that will clear up some of the ambiguities as to how these work and how to build them so that they operate safely and don't leave the room smelling like rotten eggs.

 

[HarleyK]

Two words: drip system

Click HERE

HarleyK

 

[jschall]

The problem with a constant drip-overflow system is I can't get a drain into the room. I'd have to convince the parents to drill a hole in their floor or wall. Nice idea, but not likely to happen.

Getting a water line into the room is a different story, as a small-diameter tube wouldn't be hard to conceal without any major drilling and plumbing.
So far I've thought of three alternative options to a drain:
1. Overflow into a container with a float switch that starts a pump that pumps the water to a drain. Would require a battery backup.
2. Just boil off the water coming out of the overflow. Requires power, also susceptible to power outages, could raise humidity to insanity.
3. Fill a reservoir and carry it out by hand when it gets full. Not doing this. Susceptible to laziness.

 

[jschall]

The other thing that might work is some sort of mechanical device that runs on water pressure and pumps the same amount of water out as is being added.

I wouldn't know where to start on the design, though, and I doubt it exists off the shelf.