Belgian Anthias

Using sulfur in biofilters is very effective. When SPC ( BADES- columns) are used a reactor is not needed. Simultane nitrification and mixotrophic denitrification. Nitrate is instantly removed the moment it is produced. BADES-columns are roles of elemental sulfur mixed with calcium carbonate source ( oyster shell grit?) http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:start Sulfur denitrators are often used as they were carbon driven denitrators and are kept anoxic by limiting the flow. These denitrators have a very low potential when a lot of nitrate has to be removed wile keeping a very low nitrate level. BADES- denitrators are not managed the same way . Sulfur denitrators as used in MAAO are not kept anoxic. BADES-reactors have a flow of at least +- 1x the total volume of the system each day. BADES bio-reactors and BADES-denitrators are NOT kept anoxic! Something to read about BADES ( Biological Anaerobe Denitrification on Elemental Sulfur) and BADESSystems: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:theorie:start

Using sulfur in biofilters is very effective. When SPC ( BADES- columns) are used a reactor is not needed. Simultane nitrification and mixotrophic denitrification. Nitrate is instantly removed the moment it is produced. BADES-columns are roles of elemental sulfur mixed with calcium carbonate source ( oyster shell grit?) http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:start Most sufur denitrators are used as they were carbon driven denitrators and are kept anoxic by limiting the flow. Sulfur denitrators are not managed the same way . Sulfur denitrators ( used in MAAO) are not kept anoxic. BADES-reactors have a flow of at least +- 1x the total volume of the system each day. BADES bio-reactors and BADES-denitrators are NOT kept anoxic! Something to read about BADES ( Biological Anaerobe Denitrification on Elemental Sulfur) and BADESSystems: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:theorie:start

The heterotrops do not have to switch from nitrate to ammonia. Some may use ammonia, some nitrate, if available. In a biopellet reactor the availability of an organic carbon source may be unlimited. It is not necessary all nitrate is removed. A high C:N ratio is enough to trigger some heterotrops to assimilate ammonia- nitrogen. As long nitrate is available both NH4-N and NO3-N will be assimilated. Normal carbon dosing does not create this situation if the doses are matched to the daily nitrate production. It is wrong to say that there is no competition between the two, hetertrops and autotrops but it is only a matter of C:N ratio. Heterotrops grow 4x faster but at a normal C:N ratio the autotrops will reduce ammonia and the hetetrops will assimilate NO3-N until the organic carbon is used up. . I suspect in a bioball reactor there will be always a high C:N ratio as it is the aim to sustain a low nitrate level. My opinion correct carbohydrate dosing will work fine as long the system may and can grow. By correct doses I mean daily doses which are matched to the daily nitrate production and not with the nitrate level as mostly advised, only a bit more when the level must be lowered. The doses may be included in the normal feeding rate. This way phosphate will not become the limiting factor! Heterotropic ammonia reduction is a dream as it prevents nitrate production and depletion of alkalinity ( in some extend) but not for a reefaquarium because of the very high biomass production which must be consumed or removed in time. H.ammonia reduction is used with success in Belize aquaculture systems. http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:theorie:ras

As there is no or little nitrate to remove I would remove the assimilator until there is enough nitrate present and even then it is only a matter of time for it to become a problem. As the reactor has no or little nitrate to remove the C/N ratio in the reactor is very high which means that the heterotrops will start to use ammonia-nitrogen NH4-N for there metabolism. The moment ammonia is available the heterotrops will reduce it to form protein. No nitrate will be produced which is a good thing one should believe. Well, it isn't! First of all, nitrification will not take place and nitrifiers will not be installed in normal quantities. Ammonia reduction produces 40x more biomass( protein) as would the nitrification process. A big problem on the long term. This will deplete the phosphate very fast. As long as there is only one fish this will not be a problem but when the supply of ammonia increases this will clog filters and create bacterial slime all over the aquarium. As the process needs a lot of phosphate due to the intensive growth, what will happen when not enough phosphate is available for ammonia reduction? Remember, there is no active nitrification biofilm installed! Heterotropic nitrogen assimilation produces protein, +- 8 grams protein must be produced to assimilate one gram nitrogen. This is the equivalent of 20 grams food with 35% protein. As a skimmer removes max only +- 35% of TOC and is very selective in removing bacteria most of the produced protein must be consumed, what is not consumed must be recycled solving nothing. From what is consumed most is excreted as ammonia making the cycle round. As 1/3 of this produced protein, present in the water column ( most of it isn't), may be removed by a good skimmer some of it is effectively removed each cycle ( including all necessary basic elements) but the total bio-load of the system increases. The system becomes for 100% dependable of the functioning and supply of these biopellets as no nitrification capacity is available; This is an expensive never ending story. In zero emission systems as there is the Belize system, where this method comes from, all the protein produced by the heterotropic ammonia reduction process is consumed by the growing scrimp, biomass which will be removed before growth stops ( +- 80kg to 125kg/m³) http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:theorie:ras When there is enough nitrate available the C:N ratio decreases and the same cycle is created but in this case it is from NO3-N to NO3-N which includes the nitrification cycle which may effect alkalinity. Heterotropic ammonia reduction does also consume some alkalinity but only half compared to nitrificication. The advantage of nitrification is that the nitrogen can effectively be removed from the system by denitrification and nitrification produces 40 times less biowaste . Adding carbohydrates by it self removes nothing from the system ! it adds! Personally I am not a fan of using biopellets (carbohydrate polymers) or any other organic carbon based method in a reef aquarium for the reasons mentioned above. Others may think otherwise.

You have installed a denitrator with biopellets. are these biopellets for assimilating nitrate or for reducing nitrate? I assume it are polymers used as an organic carbon source for heterotrops. As you do not have any nitrate, what is the function for this denitrator? A heterotropic denitrator must be kept anoxic and needs time to install an anoxic biofilm and needs nitrate to reduce to sustain this biofilm. I assume you do not have a denitrator but a heterotropic assimilator.

These biopellets, I assume it are polymers, are they reducing nitrate or are they assimilate nitrate?

Why a sulphur denitrator is troublesome unless an ORP meter is used? ORP reading is very unreliable. Sulpur denitrators are used in marine aquaria for a few decades now. A good BADES reactor is operated at a daily flow of +- the total volume of the system. So, why ORP? http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=en:badess:start