I have substrate and sulfur denitrator questions

[DjCity]

Good morning,

I am early in tnr process of rebuilding my 110 gallon reef.

 

I have a dino issue that I've had for the past 5 years and I got sick of it. 

 

Im taking all the sand out the tank over time. I've removed about 70% so far over the past 3 weeks.

I should be done removing the sand by next week or the week after. 

 

I just ordered told stax rocks because I'm thinking I will re-scape while I'm doing the re-build.

I ordered the Apex controller and 2x Wav pumps.

I ordered Aquamaxx TS-1 sulfur Denitrator. 

 

My questions on substrate are about replacement. 

I was planning on replacing the sandbed with new sand but I no longer know if I want to do that. 

I do not want to go bare bottom!

Thinking about starboard or possibly making a faux sandbed.

Does anyone have experience with either or both? 

 

I don't know that I would need a sulfur denitrator if I don't have a sandbed. I also don't want to drop ph and alk trying to drop nitrates.

 

Anyone have experience with sulfur denitrators?

 

I will add more detail about my tank later today. Im about to go to House of Tropics to get some salt and probably a new yellow tang as my 5 year old one recently died.

 

 

[ReefdUp]

I built my own sulfur denitrator and ran it for about 2 years. If built and run correctly, it won't drop your pH or alk. You can buffer the solution before it enters the tank with calcium reactor media. It'll essentially act like a tiny calcium reactor.

If you don't want sand, you'll eventually have the same look as bare bottom with anything else.... coralline encrusted whatever.

I assume you tried high pH to get rid of the dino's. If not, you should... if you're 100% positive it's dino's.



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[DjCity]

Tank info...

 

Mixed reef

110gal display

Eshopps R300 sump

SCA 302 protein skimmer

Jeabo DCP 15000 return pump

Gyre xf150 right side

Jeabo crossflow 150 left side

2x jeabo rw8

3x OceanRevive T247

Tunze ATO

[DjCity]

11 minutes ago, ReefdUp said:

I built my own sulfur denitrator and ran it for about 2 years. If built and run correctly, it won't drop your pH or alk. You can buffer the solution before it enters the tank with calcium reactor media. It'll essentially act like a tiny calcium reactor.

If you don't want sand, you'll eventually have the same look as bare bottom with anything else.... coralline encrusted whatever.

I assume you tried high pH to get rid of the dino's. If not, you should... if you're 100% positive it's dino's.



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Microscope sure.

For years, I thought it was diatoms. I finally got a microscope and learned is dinos. Amphidinium dinos. I have tried high dkh to no avail. 

[ReefdUp]

Microscope sure.
For years, I thought it was diatoms. I finally got a microscope and learned is dinos. Amphidinium dinos. I have tried high dkh to no avail. 

High dkh or high pH? There is a difference.

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[DjCity]

Livestock info...

 

4 inch maroon Clownfish 

4 inch sailfin tang

3 inch purple tang

7 inch V. Lionfish

3 inch Three stripe damsel

2 inch Three stripe damsel 

 

Past friends...

4 inch yellow tang (r.i.p.)

4 inch sailfin tang (r.i.p.)

 

Corals...

1 large Kenya tree

1 large red monte

1 large  Hollywood Stunner 

2 green monti

1 Duncan

1 LARGE hammer

1 Torch

1 frogspawn

1 leather

1 brain

 

1 Bta

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by DjCity
Additional info

[DjCity]

I have not been able to raise pH and keep it elevated. 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

1 hour ago, DjCity said:

I have not been able to raise pH and keep it elevated.  

I had a hard time keeping my pH high for a long time also. Every method mentioned in other threads was not working (water agitation, etc.), not feasible (drilling a hole outside for skimmer), or end up affecting other parameters (kalk). My tank was running as low as 7.3-7.4 at times during the day. Best method found so far that works well for me is the CO2 scrubber. I got one from BRS.