nitrate reactors

moondoggy4 · 02/18/2009, 09:34 PM

Are these good to have or is there a better way. Which type would you also recommend. Thanks in advance

cpllongjk · 02/18/2009, 09:41 PM

are you doing a reef tank or fowlr?

If youre doing a reef tank, its a waste of money, since you need to have low nitrate without a reactor. FOWLR isnt so much a waste but I have never run a nitrate reactor. Its not hard to keep nitrates low.

I would suggest building a refug with chaeto or chaleurpa algae. You get great results with both and its a heck of a lot cheaper.

marioensf · 02/18/2009, 10:13 PM

I don't think is a waste of money, some times a good investment but I agree having a fuge would be preferred over a reactor.
It was my last option and have a sulfur based de-nitrifier put together with two phos reactors (one TLF and one AquaC) the first smaller reactor contains the sulfur media and ARM, the second bigger reactor is full of ARM to neutralize the acidic effluent; this is not a recirculating unit and have it Tee'd off the return with a ball valve to control flow.
Nitrates have been zero for some time now.
I tried solving the high nutrient issue with water changes, fuge, macro, even sugar and vodka; the sulfur based is doing a great job!

moondoggy4 · 02/19/2009, 12:12 AM

Thanks, I've been having problems with nitrates they are 100 ppm I do have a reef with mostly mushrooms and 9 fish and I feed a lot. I am in the process of up grading my skimmer again since the last was a complete failure. As of now I am doing a 5 gallon water a change a day until the skimmer gets here in about a month A fuge would be great but a little hard with the limited space, but not impossible.

waynem · 02/19/2009, 01:05 AM

They work and they work well, people just tend to have a negative opinion of them because they read another persons view.

This hobby is full of trends and bias that have no grounding in facts. Nitrate reactors are uncool. I am sure if they changed the name to 'Nuke empress' instead and painted them bright red that would change.
But hey that's what makes it fun.

marioensf · 02/19/2009, 10:13 AM

I would suggest finding some source of nitrates first, the reactors do not work overnight, maybe a dead spot near rocks where food just sits, position a power head behind some rocks as to direct flow behind; remove any foam or pad filters and rinse them well or better do not use them.
Best of luck dealing with it !

02/18/2009, 09:34 PM	#1
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	nitrate reactors Are these good to have or is there a better way. Which type would you also recommend. Thanks in advance

02/18/2009, 09:41 PM	#2
cpllongjk Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 1,066	are you doing a reef tank or fowlr? If youre doing a reef tank, its a waste of money, since you need to have low nitrate without a reactor. FOWLR isnt so much a waste but I have never run a nitrate reactor. Its not hard to keep nitrates low. I would suggest building a refug with chaeto or chaleurpa algae. You get great results with both and its a heck of a lot cheaper.

02/18/2009, 10:13 PM	#3
marioensf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 2,502	I don't think is a waste of money, some times a good investment but I agree having a fuge would be preferred over a reactor. It was my last option and have a sulfur based de-nitrifier put together with two phos reactors (one TLF and one AquaC) the first smaller reactor contains the sulfur media and ARM, the second bigger reactor is full of ARM to neutralize the acidic effluent; this is not a recirculating unit and have it Tee'd off the return with a ball valve to control flow. Nitrates have been zero for some time now. I tried solving the high nutrient issue with water changes, fuge, macro, even sugar and vodka; the sulfur based is doing a great job!

02/19/2009, 12:12 AM	#4
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Thanks, I've been having problems with nitrates they are 100 ppm I do have a reef with mostly mushrooms and 9 fish and I feed a lot. I am in the process of up grading my skimmer again since the last was a complete failure. As of now I am doing a 5 gallon water a change a day until the skimmer gets here in about a month A fuge would be great but a little hard with the limited space, but not impossible.

02/19/2009, 01:05 AM	#5
waynem Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: What day? , what time? hmm I might have been. Posts: 435	They work and they work well, people just tend to have a negative opinion of them because they read another persons view. This hobby is full of trends and bias that have no grounding in facts. Nitrate reactors are uncool. I am sure if they changed the name to 'Nuke empress' instead and painted them bright red that would change. But hey that's what makes it fun.

02/19/2009, 10:13 AM	#6
marioensf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 2,502	I would suggest finding some source of nitrates first, the reactors do not work overnight, maybe a dead spot near rocks where food just sits, position a power head behind some rocks as to direct flow behind; remove any foam or pad filters and rinse them well or better do not use them. Best of luck dealing with it !