coil denitrater

[releeps]

Below is the coil denitrator, inlet tube to the main tank and outlet tube to the sump tank. But for gravity fed one, we need to initiate the flow using either a pump or mouth . Then clip theinlet tube and put it in the main tank.

Hi, Zarkon, thanks for the mechanical filtration at inlet tube advice...will do something abt tat.

[releeps]

Below also...

[zarkon]

What a beauty ! And what's the coil diameter you are using?

[releeps]

Haha, I tot I am the only one to tink it is a beauty

I use the dimension given in one of the website u gave...tink its 4 inch diameter and 2 ft length.

[liziqi]

hi releeps...

i'm currently trying to cycle my diy coil denitrator too! just wanna ask u some of the things regarding urs since u've seen some results...

1. wat's the drip rate before u tested and realised that there's a high level of nitrites

2. how long has it been since u began cycling ur coil denitrator?

3. wat's the current drip rate?

was juz pondering over some things about the denitrator and maybe you guys could contribute and discuss... is the height or the volume of the denitrator important? i.e if u have a tall one as compared to a fat one, both having the same volume will they produce the same results or require the same drip rate? pls share your thoughts! thanks!

[releeps]

1. wat's the drip rate before u tested and realised that there's a high level of nitrites

Tink tat time my nitrite is high becos its still cycling, it affects my tank since mine is only a 2 ft tank...small volume..... flow rate at tat time is abt 2 drops in three second.

2. how long has it been since u began cycling ur coil denitrator?

1.5wks.

3. wat's the current drip rate?

1drop per second.

I tink the fat and tall one should be the same except tat fat one takes up more floor space in the small flat I live in, but then again I not sure maybe Zarkon bro can ans tat.

There is a thread on the coil denitrator in RC:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=470701

quite useful

In general if ur tank is large, use a larger coil denitrator with a longer tube inside so tat u can increase the flow rate without the nitrite effect.

Looking forward to change water once every two month

[liziqi]

hi...thanks for the fast reply!

anyway.. i'm having a 3 ft tank and i use a container about 27cm in diameter and 35 cm high... i have about 30m of normal air tubes inside and the rest of the space is filled with bioballs and some seachem denitrate.. my flow rate's pretty high like 2-3 drops per second, thats y i'm considering whether i should lower that amount... it's been running for over a week and i'm gonna test the parameters at the outlet pretty soon..

according to what you've experienced... it seems like the conventional 5-6 wks of cycling doesn't apply to u..?

[liziqi]

anyone who's tried diying the coil denitrator care to share your experience???

bro zarkon.. any comments on my setup..?? thanks!

[zarkon]

I prefer the tall dark beauty ... I'm a leg man

But you can always try out the short-tot one.

Seroiusly, there is a limit to it's height vs volumn. Do some searching I think you'll get th answer.

Anyway , let us know the out come.

[schema]

Nice work!

Detail pics

from a fellow RC member

[releeps]

Hi, liziqi, if u r scare that the nitrite affects ur tank u can direct the flow to another pail and only direct back when the nitrite peak is gone. Meanwhile keep adding saltwater to top up, this can also lower ur nitrate assuming its high now. If ur tank is big enough should be ok .

[releeps]

Think u shd test ur parameter first then decide whether to decrease the flowrate or not. Every situation difference.

[elimmel]

if we were to add bioballs from an established sump, would the denitrator cycle faster?

[shoelevy]

if i'm not mistaken i think the bacteria in an established sump and those in denitrator are different

one is aerobic one is anaerobic...

so IMO, i think adding bioballs from established sump doesn't make a difference

but i maybe wrong about it

so someone please correct me

[loowk]

thats correct. I am now trying out a new method on the coiled de-nitrater. The norm was to place the coil in the PVC pipe but i now place the coil outside. I bought a 50m roll of air tubing (come with coil container and tape the entire container black. Leaving inlet and outlet exposed. Filled the PVC pipe to the brim with bio balls. This will solve the limited surface area in PVC pipe when 20m air tubes were to share the same space with bio balls and the air tubing benting when not properly inserted or compressed. I could also increase flowrate as coil length and bio balls have increased. Will revert on ontcome

[shaohui75]

Some thoughts of the gravity fed de-nitrator. If you put the inlet from the main tank, isnt the "dirty"/unfiltered water going to go straight into your de-nitrator and then stuck at your bio-balls and eventually cause "nitrate factory" ?

[supremo]

hi all,

i'm also using a coil denitrator in my tank. was using it for 2 months then my PH spolied. I think because the back flow is causing stress to the pump i changed to a sicce nova and it's running again.

regarding a the short and fat against the tall and skinny, it think there is a difference. when water comes in, there is a lot of oxygen in it, that why we need it to flow slowly in the 20meter tube. while inside the tube, normal bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite (aerobic) and this process uses up the oxygen in the water. once it exits the end of the tube, it is theoretically oxygen deprived making the inner cavity of the CD as anaerobic, this is where the bio balls are placed so that the anaerobic bacteria have a place to attach to. so it is the contact time between the water and the bioballs within the cavity which does the removal of the nitrates. so the longer the contact time, i guess the better.

of course this is just what I think and may not be true at all

[keith2816]

hi guys,

where can i get the 1/4" MPT 9 (Male Pipe Thread) and closet flange as stated in the link http://2hot2cool.com/4/afishianado/afishian.htm.

The PVC cap also looks special as it is concave.

I have been to one PVC shop at Maude Road but they dun seem to carry the cap of this shape.

anyone can tell me where can i get such stuff??