Schplitter Acrylic Products Denitrator DN150

[metalhead]

Has anyone used the new "denitrator" from Schplitter Acrylics? If it works as advertised (ie: if it actually reduces nitrates and maintains calcium levels) it looks like a good deal.

[Ninong]

Denitrators -- especially sulfur denitrators -- are not in general use in the U.S.

[metalhead]

Denitrators -- especially sulfur denitrators -- are not in general use in the U.S.

Not following you Ninong... These specific units are supposedly manufactured in St. Louis.

Is there regulation that prohibits their use in the U.S. or have they just not caught on here yet?

[Ninong]

My comment was that denitrators are not in general use in the U.S., and sulphur denitrators are even rarer.

American reef hobbyists do NOT use them. I doubt that you will find them on even 1% of reef tanks in the country. They are more common in Germany.

If you were to run a search on all of the Reef Central Tank of the Month aquariums for the past several years, I doubt that you would find even one denitrator in use -- at least not on an American tank. You might be able to find one or two on European tanks that were chosen as Tank of the Month but I don't believe I recall any that I could point you to.

There may be a company producing them in the U.S. but that doesn't mean anyone is buying them, other than maybe brand new hobbyists who were influenced by the manufacturer's ads. They're just not in general use.

[metalhead]

Ok, I'm on board now... Pretty attractive proposition though if it could actually replace a calcium reactor while lowering nitrates as advertised.

It stands to reason though that if they really worked all that well more reef-keepers would be using them, especially when compared to the cost of a calcium reactor and C02 setup. Maybe we could point that out to the manufacturer... I'm sure they'd send us some free units to test out immediately.

I do think I remember reading a post on here one time by Reefland... More of a horror story actually regarding his experience with some type of denitrator. Not sure if his used sulpher-based media but I would guess that it did.

[Ninong]

Ok, I'm on board now... Pretty attractive proposition though if it could actually replace a calcium reactor while lowering nitrates as advertised.

It's a different approach that is not popular or in common use in the U.S.

It stands to reason though that if they really worked all that well more reef-keepers would be using them, especially when compared to the cost of a calcium reactor and C02 setup.

I think you're confused here. This piece of equipment has absolutely nothing to do with what a calcium reactor does. A calcium reactor is for maintaining calcium, magnesium, alkalinity and other elements. A denitrator is for reducing nitrates. Two entirely different functions.

[metalhead]

It's a different approach that is not popular or in common use in the U.S.


I think you're confused here. This piece of equipment has absolutely nothing to do with what a calcium reactor does. A calcium reactor is for maintaining calcium, magnesium, alkalinity and other elements. A denitrator is for reducing nitrates. Two entirely different functions.

Per the manufacturer...

"The unit will also supply additional calcium to your aquarium. This may reduce or eliminate the need for expensive calcium reactors, expensive Co2 refills and the hassle of constantly having to adjust the unit."

Now, as to how much additional calcium or how to regulate it remains a mystery but I intend to inquire if/when I order the Berghias so I'll let you know what they tell me.

Do you think that the presence of sulpher could affect the dissolution of the crushed coral like C02 in a calcium reactor? Does sulpher also lower PH?

Oh, and by the way... I'm always confused in case you haven't figured that out by now. ;)

[Ninong]

The product you are looking at appears to also include a chamber for aragonite media in addition to the sulphur chamber. It other words, it is more than just a sulphur denitrator.

Per the manufacturer:

Unlike some denitorator (sic) designs this one begins to remove harmfull nitrates from your system as soon as it is turned on and adjusted. This means that your aquarium inhabitants will be happier much sooner.

The unit will also supply additional calcium to your aquarium. This may reduce or eliminate the need for expensive calcium reactors, expensive Co2 (sic) refills and the hassle of constantly having to adjust the unit.

Yes, I suppose it may, or may not, reduce or eliminate the need for expensive calcium reactors, expensive CO2 refills and the hassle of constantly having to adjust the unit. Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

A standard calcium reactor is more properly called a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor. It's important to include carbon dioxide to provide the low pH necessary to dissolve the aragonite media.

If you purchase one of those "denitorator" units, please let us know how often you have to replace the calcium carbonate media. In other words, let us know how fast it dissolves without the injection of CO2.

Thanks!

[metalhead]

The product you are looking at appears to also include a chamber for aragonite media in addition to the sulphur chamber. It other words, it is more than just a sulphur denitrator.

Per the manufacturer:

Unlike some denitorator (sic) designs this one begins to remove harmfull nitrates from your system as soon as it is turned on and adjusted. This means that your aquarium inhabitants will be happier much sooner.

The unit will also supply additional calcium to your aquarium. This may reduce or eliminate the need for expensive calcium reactors, expensive Co2 (sic) refills and the hassle of constantly having to adjust the unit.

Yes, I suppose it may, or may not, reduce or eliminate the need for expensive calcium reactors, expensive CO2 refills and the hassle of constantly having to adjust the unit. Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

A standard calcium reactor is more properly called a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor. It's important to include carbon dioxide to provide the low pH necessary to dissolve the aragonite media.

If you purchase one of those "denitorator" units, please let us know how often you have to replace the calcium carbonate media. In other words, let us know how fast it dissolves without the injection of CO2.

Thanks!

Thank Ninong, will do... It will probably be a while though as a new skimmer is currently at the top of my list.

So do you think the presence of sulpher in the "denitrator" could have anything to do with the rate of aragonite dissolution in this case?

[Ninong]

So do you think the presence of sulpher in the "denitrator" could have anything to do with the rate of aragonite dissolution in this case?

Good question!

To tell you the truth, I'm not at all familiar with sulfur denitrators for the simple reason that I don't see a need for denitrators in general. Your live rock and deep sand bed, if you have one, are more than adequate for controlling nitrate. I know of too many very huge reef aquariums in this country that are being run without denitrators without any problems whatsoever. I know of some very famous huge reef tanks abroad that are being run with 10-15 ppm NO3 that employ huge denitrators. So that's about it as far as I'm concerned.

Now, getting back to your question, which is a very interesting one. Yes, the presence of the sulfur would affect the dissolution rate of the aragonite media. That's something I simply didn't think about at all when I posted my previous responses. I guess it's because I have never given any thought whatsoever to sulfur denitrators.

The type of denitrators that I am more familiar with are like this one from Aqua-Medic, which is simply a chamber with enclosed media for bacterial colonization. The bacteria have to be fed (alcohol, vodka, etc.), not too much and not too little but just the right amount. Apparently a sulfur denitrator is using sulfur for the media for the bacterial colonization. I haven't given any thought whatsoever to that idea but I can see where the bacterial action on the sulfur will produce sulfuric acid which will cause the aragonite to dissolve. Sulfur denitrator from Aqua-Medic.

I suggest you research this topic in some detail yourself before deciding that this is something you want to fool with. I suspect that a denitrator may be a lot more complicated than just simply allowing the natural processes that take place in a properly functioning Berlin Method reef aquarium to do the job for you. Don't forget the part about feeding the denitrator. And whatever you do, don't overfeed it.