Nitrate reduction by means of Coil Denitrator

[VANAN]

Phang,

the 50ft of tubing ensures u that the water is completely free from oxygen(no oxygen)... normal denitrators need feeding becos there is presence of little oxygen(low oxygen) even with low flow rate. If what u say is true, that bacteria needs somt to sustain them in oxygen free environment then a DSB would definitly need feeding... A DSB doesn't need feeding becos its almost zero oxygen.... No oxygen and low Oxygen makes alot of diff...

Barra got ur point.. besides did u buy the tube from pet provision which sells the 50m coil tube for 7.50

[BarraCudaTM]

how you know?

[Tanzy]

Vanan,

Please refer to above post.

In totally anaerobic environment, the bacteria will not use nitrate but will use sulphate instead. That's why Hydrogen sulphide is produced in anaerobic conditions. To get the bacteria to use nitrate, they must be in anoxic(low oxygen) environment. DSB and plenum get their feeding from the animal living in the sand or the bacteria that breakdown detritus on the surface aerobic areas. Sand sifters move nutrient into the sand bed. DSB and plenums may have anaerobic areas but the key denitrification areas are anoxic. The existence of a plenum in Jaubert's method is to maximise the anoxic area vs anaerobic. Denitrators are fed with methanol or glucose.

You are correct in saying that 'No oxygen and low oxygen makes alot diff'.

[Phang]

So the conclusion :

1) there is no such thing as a " no need to feed " Denitrator ???

2) Bacteria in Anaerobic environments utilise sulphate to metabolise food??

3) Bacteria in Anoxic environment utilise nitrates to metabolise food??

and

4) There is a high percentage of occurance of Hydrogen Sulphide in the presence of Anaerobic or so called "dead Zones/areas" environments??

[VANAN]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/week...ly/aa092702.htm

try checking this link out....

From what i have learnt there, they say that coil denitrators do not need to fed....

Anyway i will just try if it works without feeding

[VANAN]

well barra,

lets just say that we bought from the same place....

[VANAN]

sorry for posting too much... heres what i found..

A denitrator is a very simple device, and sometimes bio-media is added to the first four or five columns of the flat-denitrator types, to produce a larger bacteria colony for the nitrosominos and nitrobacter to do their thing.

Basically, as the water follows its journey through the system, the beneficial bacteria colonizes and begins to work. I don't need to get into how a wet/dry works, but the principle is the same for the first part of your denitrator. As the flow continues and oxygen is depleted, other beneficial bacteria take over, they are neither aerobic nor anaerobic, they are facultatively aerobic/anaerobic, commonly called nitrate respirators, sort of in limbo, not very technical but who cares. Once the oxygen is exhausted, this section of the denitrator becomes anaerobic and then these little bacteria guys take over and eat the nitrates produced by the aerobic bacteria in the preceeding stages. It is beneficial to have as much facultatively aerobic/anaerobic bacteria as possible. That is why you adjust your denitrator so that these little guys populate almost to the end of the line.

Its not the aerobic or anaerobic bacteria which breaks down the nitrate but another group of bacteria which only survives in oxygen free water....

Maybe thats why no feeding????

comments???

[Tanzy]

OM.....

Oxygen free = anaerobic.

If nitrate is not food, then they have to eat something right? Possibly dissolved organics. Must you mess around with the coil denitrators? They are notoriously difficult to tune and maintain. Why don't you maintain your om-ness and use a more peace-inducing DSB or refugium.

[VANAN]

relax tanzy

it wouldn't hurt to try rite....I am using a DSB rite now... but am trying other methods and choose one which is most suitable for me... I am more towards the old school of filterations rather than the new NNR methods...

PEACE!!!

[Tanzy]

Om.....

[hongqixian]

What's with the 'om's?

[Tanzy]

You can post it in the kopitiam and ask VANAN to explain.

Om....