Denitrifying filter system

[Bob 1000]

Sounds great Paul.. Can't wait to get out this year..

 

[Paul B]

I already cleaned the props, got a new powersteering pump and scraped the barnacles off the outdrive.
I am almost ready. Now I just need summer

 

[Bob 1000]

LOL yeah summer can't come fast enough for me I love the warmth..

 

[jcooler]

I don't know, thats a lot of money for a complicated thing like that.
I like my $8.00 reverse UG system. I rarely change water, Maybe four or five times a year and only 20% I don't use a sump, cheato, denitricator coil, phosban, fuge,
dose vodka (except to my self for medicinal purposes) and I have no maintenance, no bills, and no nitrate.
But my tank is only 39 years old. I think at 40 the nitrates build up :tongue1:

Hi Bob, Jhale and Dom, ready to go collecting :approve:

Paul, Whats the theory behind the reverse UG filter. Is it that you are forcing the water to up through the sand and that's where the nitrates get eaten up?

 

[Paul B]

Jcooler. This is a tough one to keep posting. I should have saved it in my documents to paste here. :tongue1:

Anyway a regular UG filter will not work for long in saltwater. It will clog in about a year and be useless causing you to tear apart the tank and curse me out, but a RUGF if installed the correct way will last forever with very little maintenance. One of the big problems with a DSB is that they are installed and expected to work forever with out doing anything to them. Nothing works forever with no maintenance.
My system is a UG filter where I plumbed all of the siphon tubes together and they all come up in one place at one end of the tank. I stuck them in the bottom of a plastic container which happens to be a HOB filter. The bottom of the container is just touching the water. A small powerhead with a sponge filter on it pumps water into the container so that each tube gets about 100 GPH. Thats it.
Now for the maintenance. That sponge on the powerhead I have positioned near the surface so I can just slip it off without even stopping the pump, and I rinse it in the sink. I do that about every week or two.
Then a few times a year I stir up the gravel with a canister filter. I use a diatom filter. I clean where ever I can reach without moving any coral or large rocks. While I am at it, I blast the rock with a strong stream.
Every 25 years I move the larger rocks and clean under them.
If it is run slow and gravel is used, it will also eliminate nitrates as I have none. Don't clean it too often because it is detritus in the gravel that will become anoxic areas to grow anerobic bacteria.
The thing will outlive you. and you will never have to change gravel and only change the water because people shame you into it. :smoker:

 

[jcooler]

Paul, I will keep dreaming that I have half the success you have.
I have read a lot of your post on MR. sounds like you have quite a self sufficient(and long lived) tank. Maybe one day. lol
Also, I like the idea of the bottles, they look pretty cool.

 

[jcooler]

My DIY coil denitrator is already dripping out 0 nitrates water. After only 5 days. Amazing!

 

[Paul B]

I will keep dreaming that I have half the success you have

While you are at it you should dream that you don't have all the problems I had also :tongue1: