MidWest Aquatics DeNitrator

rnelson · 11/19/2007, 04:07 PM

I ordered the larger Midwest Aquatics DeNitrator unit for my 480, should arrive later in the week.... I was planning on putting the feed pump in the sump....what is the input size on the Midwest unit and what feed pump should I use? My sump is about 25" tall......

TIA !!!

HerbieK · 11/19/2007, 05:05 PM

I have the smaller unit running on my 180 at the moment, and I gravity feed from the tank using the supplied 1/4 inch hose. These things need extremely slow flow of a few drips per second.

Hope this helps.

Herb

rnelson · 11/19/2007, 05:11 PM

HerbieK,

Thanks....so you just have the 1/4 hose running from what, your overflow? Seems like gravity-feeding is going to be alot faster than a few drops per second....is there some sort of restrictor on the hose?

BTW, how do you like your Midwest unit?

HerbieK · 11/19/2007, 05:27 PM

The Midwest unit comes with a pinch valve that restricts the flow. I use one of those little cheapo plastic mini "ball" valves to reduce the flow. The pinch valve was kind of lame.

I have had my unit running for a couple of months. You really need to watch your flow. If things start running too slow, you get a really foul rotten egg smell from the sulfur. I am assuming that you are getting the sulfur de-nitrator.

My tank is an SPS dominant reef tank, so my nitrates were fairly low to begin with. I bought the unit to keep them down to undetectable levels. I am not sure if the unit is broken in yet. I am still getting a film of algae on my front glass that I need to clean at least twice a week. I have heard some people having good success getting some ridiculously high nitrate levels under control using these units.

Good luck.

Herb

rnelson · 11/19/2007, 11:02 PM

Thanks Herb.....when you talk about the pinch valve are you talking about coming out of the unit or going in? or both?

Yes, I am getting the XL sulfur unit....

I have mostly LPS and softies......it started out as a FOWLR but has *cough* migrated into a mixed tank......I have a 22" horn shark, a 12" ray, 2 eels, and some tangs, so I have alot of "output" and my nitrates are WAY up there....hopefully this unit will help out alot......

Thanks, good luck to you too

ndas2976 · 11/20/2007, 07:14 AM

The pinch valve is on the tubing where the effluent is coming out of the unit.

The midwest unit is great, it helped me bring my nitrates down from 100ppm to almost undectable.

Great unit and investment.

rnelson · 11/20/2007, 04:52 PM

ndas2976,

Thanks......do you also gravity-feed your unit from the display tank?

11/19/2007, 04:07 PM	#1
rnelson Shark Obsessed Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 593	MidWest Aquatics DeNitrator I ordered the larger Midwest Aquatics DeNitrator unit for my 480, should arrive later in the week.... I was planning on putting the feed pump in the sump....what is the input size on the Midwest unit and what feed pump should I use? My sump is about 25" tall...... TIA !!!

11/19/2007, 05:11 PM	#3
rnelson Shark Obsessed Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 593	HerbieK, Thanks....so you just have the 1/4 hose running from what, your overflow? Seems like gravity-feeding is going to be alot faster than a few drops per second....is there some sort of restrictor on the hose? BTW, how do you like your Midwest unit? __________________ 480gal acrylic, 100gal sump, 350 lbs LR, 450 lbs sand, SRO-6000EXT skimmer with ANC, 900W MH, 108W T5, 85W LED, Octopus HY-10000 return, Apex controller, Prime 1 hp chiller/4-MDQX-SC pump

11/19/2007, 11:02 PM	#5
rnelson Shark Obsessed Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 593	Thanks Herb.....when you talk about the pinch valve are you talking about coming out of the unit or going in? or both? Yes, I am getting the XL sulfur unit.... I have mostly LPS and softies......it started out as a FOWLR but has cough migrated into a mixed tank......I have a 22" horn shark, a 12" ray, 2 eels, and some tangs, so I have alot of "output" and my nitrates are WAY up there....hopefully this unit will help out alot...... Thanks, good luck to you too __________________ 480gal acrylic, 100gal sump, 350 lbs LR, 450 lbs sand, SRO-6000EXT skimmer with ANC, 900W MH, 108W T5, 85W LED, Octopus HY-10000 return, Apex controller, Prime 1 hp chiller/4-MDQX-SC pump

11/20/2007, 04:52 PM	#7
rnelson Shark Obsessed Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 593	ndas2976, Thanks......do you also gravity-feed your unit from the display tank? __________________ 480gal acrylic, 100gal sump, 350 lbs LR, 450 lbs sand, SRO-6000EXT skimmer with ANC, 900W MH, 108W T5, 85W LED, Octopus HY-10000 return, Apex controller, Prime 1 hp chiller/4-MDQX-SC pump

11/19/2007, 05:05 PM	#2
HerbieK Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kendall Park, NJ Posts: 253	I have the smaller unit running on my 180 at the moment, and I gravity feed from the tank using the supplied 1/4 inch hose. These things need extremely slow flow of a few drips per second. Hope this helps. Herb

11/19/2007, 05:27 PM	#4
HerbieK Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kendall Park, NJ Posts: 253	The Midwest unit comes with a pinch valve that restricts the flow. I use one of those little cheapo plastic mini "ball" valves to reduce the flow. The pinch valve was kind of lame. I have had my unit running for a couple of months. You really need to watch your flow. If things start running too slow, you get a really foul rotten egg smell from the sulfur. I am assuming that you are getting the sulfur de-nitrator. My tank is an SPS dominant reef tank, so my nitrates were fairly low to begin with. I bought the unit to keep them down to undetectable levels. I am not sure if the unit is broken in yet. I am still getting a film of algae on my front glass that I need to clean at least twice a week. I have heard some people having good success getting some ridiculously high nitrate levels under control using these units. Good luck. Herb

11/20/2007, 07:14 AM	#6
ndas2976 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 137	The pinch valve is on the tubing where the effluent is coming out of the unit. The midwest unit is great, it helped me bring my nitrates down from 100ppm to almost undectable. Great unit and investment.