Denitrator

fishobsessed · 03-18-2007, 05:02 PM

Ok lets say i wanted to build my own Denitrator,i had the LFS guy explain it to me,very simply,(but it doesnt sound simple to me),i looked on line,still confused,

the article i read goes on & on with alot of details and a very poor diagram,so i still dont get it.Im just wondering if any body out their made one.I think BJP tried to explain it to me once but not in detail.What if i used the Fluval canister and converted that into a Denitrator?Since i already removed the sponge filter,bcause i was told it collected Nitrates,filled the chamber with the tubing,or bio-balls,reduce the flow to a minimum.Would it work?Or would the flow still be too fast,since the article was talking about 1 drop per minute?And if i do use it should i remove the carbon also?Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chitown1 · 03-19-2007, 01:01 PM

Here is a good link for a DIY unit as well as how to use it.

http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/denitrator.html#1

fishobsessed · 03-19-2007, 03:14 PM

Fantastic,thanks!

Aquaripure · 11-23-2007, 04:52 PM

Hello,

This is John Strawn with Aquaripure and I make high quality denitrators for a living. The most you should set your typical "coil" filter which are usually about 150 in3 in volume is maybe 1 drop every 2 seconds. Any faster and it will usually not stay cycled. This is only about 7-10 gallons a week of nitrate processing power ... not very much. Maybe good for a 13 gallon nanocube. It may not work at all with a lot of set ups and they are just not very robust. This is why denitrators often have a bad reputation.

Let me ask you a question. Would you build your own aquarium? Would you build your own protien skimmer? Some people might but most people would not as they just don't have the experience and know how and the access to high quality parts. If they do build a professional quality product themselves it will probably cost as much as buying one and take a very long time. But for some reason many people think they can build their own denitrator. All I am saying is that it just is not the same. It will not work nearly as well and you will likely wind up frustrated and disappointed in the results.

John Strawn
Aquaripure, LLC
www.aquaripure.com

Chitown1 · 01-15-2008, 06:08 PM

Actually, under many conditons I have found DIY can work as good or better than many MFG components between my own and freinds experience. I have never used a denitrater, I have the benefit of having enough expereience to be able to keep my params stable enough without the use of any denitrator.

As for DIY in general, I have had protein skimmers that have out performed most models available commercially and at a fraction of the cost. I think that DIY is a great alternative to the option of buying low end commercially made products that promise results they are not at all capable of producing.

Now, a quality product is well worth the investment, it is the low end knock offs I am referring to and Aquaripure def. falls into the quality product catagory.