RedSea No3 Po4 x and sulfur reactor

ReefCheif

Reef Shark
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#1
Anyone dosing No3 po4 x and using a sulfur denitrification reactor? Im about to start dosing it for nitrate removal but I run a sulfur reactor. The reactor has helped in lowering the nitrates but just wont get them down to a target level. Ive used the redsea stuff in the past with good results just not in conjunction with sulfur so Im not sure. I do currently carbon dose with the reactor with no ill effects. Kind of wondering if I should take the reactor offline entirely or not.

No need to discuss all the other crap associated with high nutrients, I do frequent water changes, tank is not overstocked fish wise, not overfed, if anything underfed. I dont feed the corals alot either, adequate skimmer, ive just always fought the No3 levels in this tank.

cal-445
alk-8.3-8.5
mag-1350
No3- 50-100ppm
P04-.04-.06pmm (checked every other day with hanna checker, been dosing NeoPhos to keep it up, stays pretty level here, wont go higher, will drop to 0 without dosing)
Ph- 7.8-7.9 at night, 8.15-8.25 lights on (Apex)

You guys know me, not a novice reefer by any means, this ones got me ripping my hair out, the nitrats are driving me bonkers in this tank, feed back much appreciated.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#2
@aquarius runs a Denitrator so does @DyM

I don't know if adding the NoPox would screw up the process happening in the reactor.

What are you carbon dosing with currently? I used vodka for years, but just tried vinegar and it worked really well on my Nitrates. Went from consistently in the 25-50 range to undetectable on the Salifert test. Reason I ask is maybe a different form of carbon might work differently for you? Or the vodka sugar vinegar solution (VSV)? But again if you are already running a denitrator I'd hate to screw up what ever is going on in there....
 

ReefCheif

Reef Shark
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#3
Ive done vinegar and vodka both to no success. Right now Ive been using Britewells carbon solution, again, nothing seems to change with the addition of any of these types or organic carbon sources.

For the record all dosing had and is being done via bubble magus doser on daily schedule so its not a constancy issue.
 

ReefCheif

Reef Shark
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#4
Maybe Im impatient too, the sulfur reactor is only 4ish months old, but from everything Ive read I should be seeing results by now.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#5
I guess I'm sort of skeptical that NoPox will do much for you, when you read about it online I see countless statements that it is just expensive carbon dosing. Seems like I remember people saying it was a carbon source and an alcohol. All of that didn't stop me from trying it. I dosed the recommended amount for 2 full bottles back to back, and didn't see a dent in my nitrates. But my phosphates were really low, and I had read that if N and P were really unequal it could be hard to lower one. I bought some phosphate booster but never really added it more than twice because I was scared I'd send my P through the roof and the reef would turn into a swamp.

I have 225g of total water, and my vinegar dose got up to 100ml a day, then started backing down by 10mL a week. My current maintenance dose is 10ml a day.

@DyM discusses his in post #30, #35, and #36 says if only took a week to go from 25ppm to 5ppm with his sulfur denitrator. I know it's frustrating, but keep fighting the fight. Good luck Josh! Keep us posted. I was hoping by tagging people they would chime in since they have direct knowledge and experience with sulfur reactors.
 
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