I am un aware of any way this type of set up could remove nitrates.
It could do nitrites for sure but not nitrates. Please explain the theory...
Joel
It could do nitrites for sure but not nitrates. Please explain the theory...
Joel
DiY De-nitrater
- Thread starter ChickenTeeth
- Start date
Yup it is the cut and paste way. Nice setup
. Does it really work? If so, can you tell as all the details?
. Does it really work? If so, can you tell as all the details?I posted up a while ago about some denitrators, the coil denitrator I have seen used a bit and it can work if set-up properly but like has been said, its prone to clogging and must be monitored regularly.
I heard about a product(bio media) by Seachem called De*nitrate a little while ago, which supposedly removes nitrates when water is passed through the media at a rate of 50gph or less. Apparently aerobic bacteria on the outside of the media consumes the O2 in the water allowing anaerobic bacteria in the center of the media to remove nitrates. I'm aware of one guy here in aust that has set-up a denitrator with about 1 foot of 150mm dia PVC pipe with 2 end caps, filled with the De*nitrate media, plumbed an entry in one end and exit on the other, calibrated the flow through the device and there you have it!
I have not heard any results from him yet as I believe it was still cycling last I checked. I might give this a go at some stage as its not very expensive or hard to do?
I cant see how this would remove nitrates, the bacteria needs water which has been depleated of oxygen, the air stone prevents this? It will work for Ammonia and Nitrites but I cant see how it would work for Nitrates?
I heard about a product(bio media) by Seachem called De*nitrate a little while ago, which supposedly removes nitrates when water is passed through the media at a rate of 50gph or less. Apparently aerobic bacteria on the outside of the media consumes the O2 in the water allowing anaerobic bacteria in the center of the media to remove nitrates. I'm aware of one guy here in aust that has set-up a denitrator with about 1 foot of 150mm dia PVC pipe with 2 end caps, filled with the De*nitrate media, plumbed an entry in one end and exit on the other, calibrated the flow through the device and there you have it!
I have not heard any results from him yet as I believe it was still cycling last I checked. I might give this a go at some stage as its not very expensive or hard to do?
I cant see how this would remove nitrates, the bacteria needs water which has been depleated of oxygen, the air stone prevents this? It will work for Ammonia and Nitrites but I cant see how it would work for Nitrates?
I do regular water changes of course but before I do I test the water with Aquarium Pharmeceuticals test kits. In our 150 gallon set up w/22 fish and driftwood for example the tests show 0 amonia, 0 No2 and 0 N03. Out of 3 tanks the results are cleaner water. I don't know if it's because the suped up filters are doing it or if thw W/Cs are but air pumped up through the matrix inside the filters seemed to me like at least a good way to airate the water and have a -maybe- good bacterial filter as well as the bio-wheels too. It's my understanding the bio- wheels work on the same principal; wet/dry. I just like the test results. 
You will definitely still have NO3 left in your water. Just that they might be too little to come out on the test kits due to your regular water changes.
sohfatfish said:
I agree there are a few ways to your a tank of nitrates one is to create an o2 free enviroment so the nitrate can convert to a gas
the second is provide plants they use nitrate a food sorce
thirdly water changes
and of course denitratfiers and various other bacteria removers which are not totaly afordable or avalable for the average aquatist
Nah, I really can't see how it would remove nitrates either. I'm more concerned about removing the more toxic niTRITES. The bigger the tank is the larger the water change I do. On the 150 I do 50- 55% every 2 weeks, The 75 gets 30- 33% and the 38 gets 20- 25%. None of the tanks are planted so it must be the w/Cs that keep NO3 down.
Think your right.
Think your right.
