Just got a korallin biodenitrator, will track results here

Discussion in 'Filters, Pumps, etc..' started by robwerden, Aug 23, 2012.

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  1. robwerden

    robwerden Feather Duster

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    Location:
    Liberty Hill, TEXAS
    Installed at 7:30 pm 8-22-12
    Ran full open till 10:pm
    reduced to 2 drips per second
    Test result 11:00 am 8-23-12
    Left side collected from drip, right side collected from main tank water.
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    be interesting to see how this works for you
    for reference, what level of nitrates are you recording at present?

    Steve
     
  4. robwerden

    robwerden Feather Duster

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    30ppm yesterday.
    But I am going to skew the results by switching to a different brand of test kit. I currently use API, and I have ordered salifert. The change in nitrate levels is going to take 6-8 weeks, so I dont see the brand name change as being to big of a deal.
    I just heard salifert is a better brand name.
     
  5. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    I cannot argue with that Rob
    seeing as my Ca, Alk, Mag, Phos and trate kits are all Salifert


    Steve
     
  6. reef_enthusiast

    reef_enthusiast Astrea Snail

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    Robwerden,

    I used to run a denitrator on my 300 FOWLR. They definitely do work. It brought my nitrates on my FOWLR down from 100 to 5.

    Just wanted to give you a heads up as to what worked for me when I was using the sulphur denitrator.

    Keep an eye on the air pocket in the Korallin. The Korallin is a great unit but if you don't keep an eye on the air pocket and gas it out often enough, the pump will stop circulating water. Since you just started it up and your output is a couple drops per second, you will notice air building up at the top pretty fast. Just gas it out often with the valve on top of the reactor. As the reactor matures and your flow rate goes up, the air pocket will build up slower.

    I had to clean out the reactor every 4-6 months. Eventually the media got clogged up and turned black and had a build up of hydrogen sulfide. Hopefully yours goes longer before having to clean it out. When you do have to clean it out, I suggest you wash it with tank water. I did this during a water change. By washing it with tank water, the restart of the reactor wasn't long at all.

    Good luck.
     
  7. azjohnny

    azjohnny Bristle Worm

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  9. Thatgrimguy

    Thatgrimguy Flying Squid

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    Watch your Alk closely, these units can consume a noticeable amount.
     
  10. reef_enthusiast

    reef_enthusiast Astrea Snail

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    Great point Thatgrimguy. When I was running the sulphur denitrator, it was also lowering my pH. So, to offset the pH and Alk getting lowered by the sulphur denitrator, I used a kalkreactor.
     
  11. robwerden

    robwerden Feather Duster

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    oops I think I may have assembled the unit backwards. Does any one have better assembly instructions? Marinedepot is not able to provide a better diagram.

    I have the green rubber tubing going from my main tank-to the pipe labeled inlet. The inlet pipe is connected to the pump motor's input side, and the inlet pipe is the short pipe that does NOT go all the way through the media. That is back wards, right?

    So is the motor supposed to go like this
    [​IMG]

    or like this

    [​IMG]

    And which side does the tank water goto, inlet or outlet.

    Sorry if these are stupid questions, but I keep seeing different diagrams that are confusing me, and people saying the german company messed up the labels.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2012
  12. reef_enthusiast

    reef_enthusiast Astrea Snail

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    Here's a picture from Korallin's website: Korallin Bio - Denitrator S1501 / S3001 / S4001

    From Marine Depot's website:
    Replacement Korallin C-1502/3002 Outlet Assembly (Auslauf)

    Your pictures are confusing me. You say that the green tube is on the inlet side but it looks like it's connected to the one labeled output.

    The inlet is the short stubby tube that doesn't go all the way down. Your water from the tank to reactor should be connected to that tube and connected to the eheim's intake. The output of the Eheim should be connected to the tube that goes all the way down and the outlet to your sump. The flow in a korallin is bottom-up. It sounds like you have it plumbed correctly since you said the green tube goes into the inlet which is the stubby tube that doesn't go all the way down in the reactor and connected to the inlet of the eheim.