Sulfur denitrator experiment

[Delphinus]

Day 21

NO2 still >2.0ppm. Didn't bother testing NO3.

This makes watching paint dry seem exciting. I know I need to be patient but the lack of a visible trend in the #'s really does concern me. Is nitrite reducing bacteria really that hard to get to colonize?

I wonder if I have bad expectations. Is it possible the sulfur won't colonize nitrite reducing bacteria? I.e., should I just increase the flowrate now? Flush out the nitrites and let the remaining bacteria (hopefully there is some by now) just reduce the incoming nitrate?

This is far too complicated. All I end up with is questions and more questions and no real grasp of what you're supposed to be doing.

[Delphinus]

I still wonder about the Caribsea LSM. I've read a few times where people say if their reactor clogged, that getting it going again you get a wicked rotten eggs smell in the whole house. I mean, I have to basically get my nose right into a sample of this water, sniff it as hard as I can, and if I use my imagination I might imagine a slightly sulfurous scent (ie., not even close to Banff Hot Springs kind of scent). Low grade sulfur maybe???

Apparently American Marine did find my NO3 monitor to be defective, it's on its way back to me. Hopefully it arrives soon and I can start using it to track nitrates instead of guessing-the-pinks.

I might as well try a coil denitrator at this point too, what the heck, eh?

[andresont]

Can you combine coil denitrator with sulphur instead of bioballs?
I guess you wouldn't at this time eh?

I might as well try a coil denitrator at this point too, what the heck, eh? [/quote]

[Psyire]

Have things changed at all?

I just recieved my reactor today, so I'll be starting it up shortly. Should be an interesting experience...

[Delphinus]

Just tested nitrite tonight and it was off the chart again. Guess increasing the flowrate was the wrong thing to do.

Cranked it back to 1 drop per 7 seconds.

I have to wonder that something's wrong with this scenario. There must be too much O2 coming into the unit preventing a proper anaerobic zone. Next time I'm at Home Depot I'm going to buy maybe 50' of 1/4" tubing to add to the inlet. Not sure what's left to try after that.

[Delphinus]

Someone at RC has suggested to me maybe the problem is that the sulfur interferes with the test kits.

If that's the case, it could explain a LOT.

However if that's the case then I don't know how to tell if the unit is working, or when it's time to increase the flowrate.

Hopefully my nitrate monitor arrives back soon. American Marine did confirm it was faulty, and repaired it and sent it back. The only thing is it took almost a full two weeks to get to them (and this was the "U.S. Parcel Expedited" service from Canada Post), and so I would expect it will take at least as long to return. Been about a week and a half since they sent it back so with some luck it does come this week. At least I feel a little vindicated on that one, he had told me that of the hundreds they've sold I was the only one to complain it wasn't working, then when he looked at it he confirmed it had a wiring fault. Anyhow at least it's been fixed but it would be nice to have the thing back soon!!!

[andresont]

I was just thinking ... would it be possible that your recirculation pump sucking in micro air bubbles? That would change a lot of things what do you think? Can this be the unnotocied problem?