All about Denitrator

Originally Posted by atom

Schuan Nitrate Filter is small as compare to NR5000 which is quite huge. It should be compare to NR1000.

IMO, sulphur based is more suitable for marine reefer than freshwater hobbyist. . The reaction series (4 NO3 + 3 S = 2 N2 + 3 SO4 or 2 H2O + 5 S + 6 NO3- à 3 N2 + 5 SO4-- + 4 H+) involved is acidic (sulpuric acid)and thus it must be tied up with very good buffering. As such most reefer will combine the sulphur based denitrator with a calcium reactor.

Using sulphur based denitrator will result in excess sulfate which is not common for freshwater but not so in seawater.

Sulphur-based denitrification in freshwater is based upon autotrophic denitrification by sulphur-oxidizing bacteria, such as Thiobacillus denitrificans and Thiomicrospira denitrificans.

The smallest Schuran Nitrate Filter 100 supports up to 3000 liters of water which is similar to the NR5000. The only difference is that the Schuran Nitrate Filter can be sulphur based or alcohol-fed depending whether using it in a seawater or freshwater environment. The NR5000 is media dependent.

I deployed the Schuran with Siporax filling and fed it with vodka via a time-based pump giving near zero NO3 during my Tropheus & Kigoma & MBlue Frontosa fishkeeping days and since then never look back. But now onwards to using sulphur beads for my marine reef tank.

Fyi, it was a pain in the neck using the NR1000 despite using the SP3000 dosing pump together with the ORP controller.