Back

Pierre ZMIRO

Tromelin

29380 BANNALEC

02 41 94 92 10

fbz@wanadoo.fr

A REACTOR

ANTI-PHOSPHATE

ANTI-NITRATES

ADDING CALCIUM

Without pump

Last update 01/16/99

 

Translated by Nicolas Will

 

I met Marc LANGOUET while participating to Récif France activities in Brittany. I could ask him all the questions that crossed my mind after having read the articles published on the MARS web site regarding the autotrophic filtration on sulfur.

 

Then I built a few prototypes. The goal I was after was to study a simple device, without pump, without wear or electricity consumption, and with an easy setup. My aquarium being equipped with an under-tank sump like most of the reef aquariums, I used this level difference to help circulate water between the display tank and the sump. The output being so small, the return pump is not disturbed. The prototype will then be placed in the sump and fed with water using an air hose. The aquarium side is connected to a rigid U, the other to a valve to set the flow rate.

 

 

Building the reactor

 

The sulfur filter evolved to a reactor with 3 functions

1. Anti-phosphates (if needed)
2. Anti-nitrates
3. Calcium release

 

The first volume is filled with an anti-phosphate product (JBL, Thiel, etc.)
The second volume is filled with beads of sulfur. This quantity must be equal to 1% of water volume to filter (ex: 1 liter of sulfur for a 600 liter aquarium)
The third volume is filled with calcium carbonate

The first reactor was built using three acrylic tubes (7-cm and 4-cm diameter).

The water arrives from the top of the first volume.
The first and second volumes communicate by the bottom.
The second and third volumes communicate by the top.
The water gets out from the bottom of the third volume directly into the sump.
The way the tubes are organized (in line or in triangle) is irrelevant. They are glued to a 2-mm thick acrylic sheet.
The junctions between the various volumes were done using acrylic tubes of 15-mm diameter.

Conclusion: the reactor works normally, but building it is difficult and long. The chemicals can migrate from volume to volume if the reactor is moved.

The second project was built using a custom made tank with two separations. The first, between the first and the second volumes, leaving an opening at the bottom, the second, between the second and third volumes, leaving an opening at the top. The third volume is opened at the bottom. Plastic nets are glued to the openings. The openings can be 2-cm high and take 75% of the total width.

I made two reactors of different sizes. The small one, for 600 liters, worked for 5 months on my own aquarium. The bigger, for 4000 liters, has been working for two month on the fish tanks of my LFS. Based on this design, it made different reactor sizes and equipped its reef tank (1.2-m wide, 4.5-m long).

Results on aquariums

 

I didn't have any phosphate problem, so I didn't fill the first volume.
My nitrate level was between 15 and 20 mg/l at the beginning of the experiment, to fall after three weeks below 5 mg/l. All the other parameters were kept identical (number of fish, quantity and frequency of feeding). The Aquarium Systems Nitrates test was used.

 

The calcium level stabilized at 450 mg/l without any additive. Before the use of the reactor level was at 420 mg/l using calcium chloride and buffer (Salifert calcium test).

 

In use at my LFS since November '98, those reactor maintain the nitrates level in the fish and reef tanks very low (not visible on tests).

 

Note: The autotrophic filtration on sulfur produces nitrogen, this is a good reason to leave the reactor opened on the top and avoid making it airtight. That's something less to build.

 

This reactor is filled with 3 chemicals: -1. anti-phosphate (Phos Ex 2000 from JBL) -2. sulfur beads -3. Calcium carbonate   Volume 1 7cm x 3.5cm x 30cm high. 0.75 liter Volume 2 & 3 7cm x 7cm x 30cm high. Each 1,5 liter	Water intake in the display tank

Conclusion: We have high hope in this technique because it could allow us to skim less, then to conserve plankton, food source for certain corals. It could be interesting to add mangroves to this method.

Pierre ZMIRO le 30 décembre 98

Marc LANGOUET La Guimorais 35350 St Coulomb tél.+ fax. +33 2 99 89 41 69 marc.langouet@wanadoo.fr	SESOL 423 rue Lamineur 44800 Saint Herblain tél. +33 2 40 92 17 57 fax. +33 2 40 92 05 96
Pierre ZMIRO 17 rue de la gare 49440 Candé tél.+33 2 41 94 92 10 fax. +33 2 41 94 92 11 fbz@wanadoo.fr	ATOLL AQUARIOPHILIE 51 rue Yves Collet 29200 BREST Tél. 02 98 46 74 11 fax. 02 98 46 07 78

 

Q: What volume of sulfur must be used?

 

R: The sulfur volume must1% of the volume of water

 

 

Q: What must be the flow rate inside the reactor?

 

R: The flow rate must me equal to the sulfur volume per hour. Ex: for a 600 liters aquarium with a 100 liters sump, 7-kh of sulfur and 7-l/h flow rate.

 

 

Q: What should be used to fight the acidity of the sulfur?

 

R: Use calcium carbonate or aragonite
- 4 to 6-mm diameter
- no metal oxides, no phosphates, and no strontium (too bad). Crushed coral, maerl or oyster's shells might introduce phosphates.
- The water's transit time is very long inside the aragonite volume. If you have 5 liters completely immerged, the transit time will be longer than 60 minutes, enough to raise the pH and dissolve the aragonite.

 

 

Q: Is there any danger to use this reactor ?

 

R : This type of reactor is now used for more than 7 years in some tanks, and is used now successfully by many aquarists in France. This only thing you have to take care is the production of Nitrites when you start the reactor : The more Nitrates you have in your tank, the more Nitrites will be produced during the first days, before enought bacteria have settled in the reactor. So, to avoid risks if you have a high level of nitrates in your tank, discard the water at the exit of the reactor during the first days, until the Nitrites Level is low.

Warning from MARS: Anti phosphates resins are irritating for corals if it gets to them in the form of powder. Place a pad of foam below the resin and rinse in seawater before using it.

This chemical has an effect on the Redox potential. The maximum quantity should be 1-g per tank liter. It should be removed after two weeks. Do not use it continually outside of phosphate presence.

Finally, to ease removal, use a sock.

MARS © Copyright 1999 - All Rights Reserved