Nitrate reactor on a 900lt aquarium

Answer:

Chris
What size is your aquarium and what stocking level/nitrate level do you have
Stuart
 

Response:

Hi stuart

The tank is approx 900 ltrs with 5 soon to be 6 tangs and 4 others. Levels are 20ppm sometimes 30ppm

Response:

Chris

Here are some instructions as to what you will need and how to run the nitrate reactor on your aquarium.

You need 6 things for a 900 lt aquarium
1 - The nitrate reactor - suggest NFP512 but NFP509 you may get away with.
2 - PP1ML - 1 ml/min pump for the alcohol- comes with (P) versions
3 - Feed pump that will turn over the pump every 14-20 days - PP6ML - 36 mls/min - 900lts in 17-18 days
4 - Nitrate test kit
5 - 2 x Digital minute timer
6 - Patience

The standard retail prices for these are shown on our website.

Fill the unit with water and feed with alcohol as in the instructions and switch off for 3 days. Ideally add some gunk from your sump to seed the reactor or fluid from another nitrate reactor - get out all air and leave the unit recirculating with no flow in or out of the unit - feed every day with alcohol

After 3 days you will have to start off with a flow rate through the unit of 1 drip every 3 seconds until you get your first colony to use all of the oxygen in the reactor and reduce the NO3 to N2 giving you nitrate free water, all be it not very much per minute.

1 drip every 3 seconds is about 1 ml/min so you could interval time the PP6ML on for 1 minute and off for 36 minutes. When you get a reading of zero nitrate from the reactor leave it to run for 3 more days then increase the pump time so that it is on for 2 minutes and off for 36 mins.

Slowly you are building up the flow and you will find that soon you can increase on time faster ie 1-2-3-5-7-9 12-15-18-21-24-29-36 whilst still off for 36 mins. When you get to 36 mins on and 36 mins off you are at 50% flow and you can start reducing the off time ie 36-30-25-20-15-10-5 until you get to zero off and 36 on. At this time you are running continuously.

All the time you are feeding the alcohol solution every day using the 1 ml/min dosing pump. Ideally split the food into 3-4 doses rather than all at once as I think that this is better as the alcohol does not get chased out of the reactor and you do not add too much air with the food in the early stages.

This is the easiest way to start a reactor that I know and does not require a redox meter or controller.

All the best
Stuart