Sulphur balls (denitrification and/or calciumreactor)

[klask]

I resently read about a denitrifying "filter" that included sulphur balls (as denitrificator made by aquacare, www.aquacare.de). This "filter" had som more sulphur balls than recommended by aquacare, and this should lead to a significant lowering of the pH (due to the biological life amongs the balls, or other reasons?). The water then went to another chamber filled with aragonite, and was therefore supposed to work as a calciumreactor as well. The meathod is described here:
http://mars.reefkeepers.net/USHomePage/ ... oufre.html
I think that this sounds nice, but I have not fully understood everything that happens within the ball-chamber. What chemical reactions take place that lowers the pH? Is it a combination of chemical (sulphur) and biological (sulphur-eating bacteria) that lowers the pH? Is it possible to get a real good output from the "calcium reactor"-part of this construction? pH lowering by CO2 is very efficient. Is the sulphur-method even close in practical efficiency (the reason I ask is that I really like the thought of using chemical and/or biological pH-lowering instead of all this technical CO2-gadgets with filling every now and then...
I suppose that adding internal turnover pumps to each of the chamberds would enhance efficiency (aquacare use it on there denitrificator, and most of the ordinary calciumreactors use it in their calcium chamber), but it is of course important that the sulphur may have the capacity to lower the pH to below 7. (aquacare states that the output pH from the denitrificator is 0,5 to 1,0 below the input water.)
Do you know any article describing this, or can you please explain it here?

Thanks very much for your good work! (I'm a great fan! )

/Klas

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to reefs.org, klask. We recently had a similar question in the general discussion forum by an Indonesian fellow nicked Asfur. Let me link you to the thread so you can read the responses...
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[klask]

Thanks Maiden, I read that thread, but my initial questions remains.

Only one chemical formula was presented (4 NO3 + 3 S = 2 N2 + 3 SO4), and that formula does not show how pH are lowered. The thread does not say anything about the capacity of the calcium reactor part of the denitrator.

/Klas

 

[randy holmes-farley]

You don't get much CaCO3 dissolution from the denitrification, as far as I can tell.

I discuss sulfur denitrification in this article:

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... 3/chem.htm

There is significantly more discission of them here:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... did=140279

and here:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... adid=50675