Help with DeNitrifer

[rogersreef]

I purchased a Sulfur DeNitrifer from Midwest Aquatic about six week ago to assist with a Nitrate problem I was having with a 120 reef mix. Nitrates were running close to 40 even with weekly 30-40% water changes. The problem is not with the unit, it has worked like a charm. After about 1 month the nitrates were down to about 15-20 and now only a trace. My problem is a smell, the unit is producing a smell like rotten eggs. I am still running a 5-6 drip per second and have even opened it up to off line it out into a bucket to flush it out but am still getting the lingering smell. Has anyone had to deal with this problem?

 

[DaveJ]

@rogersreef wrote:

I believe the smell can be handled by increasing the drip rate even more.

Here is a good article on them, read the Q&A at the bottom..

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/index.php

 

[bimmerzs]

I have this unit and DaveJ is correct, increase the drip rate until the smell is gone and remeasure the nitrates of the effluent. You may want to clean out the output line(to the tank) every couple of weeks as it becomes clogged over time and decreases the drip rate. You can open up the pinch valve and a lot of times you will push out a hunk of sludge(into a cup) then re-adjust also.

Cheers,