Anyone use(d) sulfur reactors here?

[jman930]

So I’ve done the research, watched hours of videos on them, and read forums. I think I’m ready to take the plunge. I have an older MRC calcium reactor I plan on repurposing as a denitrifying (sulfur) reactor. It’s a dual chamber so I’ll fill up roughly half the main chamber with sulfur beads and the remaining chamber space will be ARM media.

for those that have used one. What dose pump do you recommend? Effluent may need to be as slow as 1 drop per second to start and could need to go full bore depending on how effective the bacteria are and how heavy I’m feeding.

also is there any benefit to recirculating the main chamber? I know in a calcium reactor it helps to use up any excess co2 but not sure if there is value in a sulfur reactor.

Final question. Do I need to look for anything in particular for the sulfur beads? Is there a supplier you recommend?

 

[scuba steve]

Recirculating the main chamber can be beneficial as a way to bring the DO down as low as possible.

You want as high purity sulfur prill as you can find, otherwise you get a muddy, cakey mess.

 

[jman930]

Thanks @scuba steve I found this:

Pure Sulfur Prills for Plants, Crops & Fish Tanks (99.5% Purity)

Pure Sulfur prills contain 100% sulfur (the purest source) and contains no fillers or additives. The result: higher quality plants, crops, and flowers with more vigorous growth and increased yields.

purechemco.com

Says 99.5% pure. Did you or are you running a denitrifying reactor?

 

[simonhill55]

I used that sulfur in the past, no problem. I added a bit of marine pure in there as well. Chamber was recirculation and fed off the main manifold. Output was regulated by a 1/4” push connect gate valve.

 

[scuba steve]

Thanks @scuba steve I found this:

Pure Sulfur Prills for Plants, Crops & Fish Tanks (99.5% Purity)

Pure Sulfur prills contain 100% sulfur (the purest source) and contains no fillers or additives. The result: higher quality plants, crops, and flowers with more vigorous growth and increased yields.

purechemco.com

Says 99.5% pure. Did you or are you running a denitrifying reactor?

That sulfur should be great.

I've setup several in the past, I'm not currently running one though.

 

[jman930]

Did you take the reactor offline because it was too effective?

 

[simonhill55]

Did you take the reactor offline because it was too effective?

I had to remove it as the system aged. I ran it from year 2-4, but now I have to dose nitrate..

 

[scuba steve]

Did you take the reactor offline because it was too effective?

They're still running very effectively on tanks that aren't my responsibility any more.

 

[jman930]

This is good info guys! So what was your primary source for adding alk while using the denitrifier @scuba steve and @simonhill55? Calc reactors, Kalkwasser, or 2 part?

 

[scuba steve]

The ARM media will help it out as the low pH water coming out of the sulfur will act similar to a calcium reactor, typically dosed sodium carbonate as needed as well

 

[jman930]

Got my reactor online for a few days. Have about 8lbs of sulfur in main chamber and 1 gallon of arm in secondary chamber. Just noticed my ph drop a little today which is expected as the reactor effluent will be a lower ph coming out. Going to check nitrates coming out of the reactor to see how low they are. DT was over 75 according to Hanna checker.

 

[enderg60]

I used one for many years. Youre best best is an adjustable continuous dosing pump so you can adjust the flow rate and keep it stable.

Its just like any other equipment. It takes some time to setup and needs maintenance once a year or so. BUT overall its fantastic at killing nitrates. My only downside was my flow would slow since it was off my return pump and it would make the tank smell like a fart.

 

[civics14]

I used one for many years. Youre best best is an adjustable continuous dosing pump so you can adjust the flow rate and keep it stable.

Its just like any other equipment. It takes some time to setup and needs maintenance once a year or so. BUT overall its fantastic at killing nitrates. My only downside was my flow would slow since it was off my return pump and it would make the tank smell like a fart.

LOL - funny you say that about the smell. I read that everywhere how bad it would make the tank smell. @jman930 let us know if this happens to you.

 

[enderg60]

It was never a big issue. I'd notice it, adjust the reactor and change the carbon and the smell would be gone in a few hours. Nothing in the tank seemed to care.

 

[jman930]

I haven’t had any smell issues yet. Reactor is still breaking in. I may have to get a good continuous pump. I have it plumbed into the manifold right now but because everything else is 1/2” and the line to the sulfur reactor is 3/8 I am having weird flow issues. Having to constantly confirm there is still flow through the reactor. I think I have it dialed in now. Tested nitrates and there’s definitely something happening. I have a super high concentration of nitrite which is part of the break in period. I think soon next week I should start to see zero nitrate out of the reactor.

 

[jman930]

Update.
I have had a very hard time getting the sulfur reactor tuned. I have my suspicions as to why but I will list what has been going in and see what you guys think.

Unit: modified calcium reactor MRC M6 with 8lbs of sulfur in main chamber and 1 gallon ARM in secondary chamber. The modifications are a capped off co2 line. Effluent is regulated with a needle valve.

I am feeding the unit using a 3/8’s line from a manifold.

Question 1:
Is the supply from a manifold fine or should I be using a continuous duty pump like a Kamoer?

Question 2:
Do I need to purge the NO2 that is generated or just let it escape in the effluent line? The reason I ask is my needle valve has a slow drip and sometimes the gas is creating pressure and stopping up the line (assumingely) which requires me to monitor the line daily and open the valve wide open to purge the NO2.

as far as tuning goes I know it’s working but not effectively. I can see lots of gas being produced around the sulfur so I know there’s denitrifying bacteria. I think my issue is flow consistency but not sure.

I also have not been recirculating the main chamber because the pump seems to be too powerful and pulls water from the manifold causing the other reactors on the manifold to no get their proper flow.

the reason I think the sulfur reactor is sort of working but not effectively is because it is producing high amounts of nitrite. I’m told you need to keep the flow slow until nitrite and nitrate are undetectable.