Coil Denitrator

[hultman]

I know this topic has been dsicussed over and over, but mostly from a DIY project perspective, and I don't really want to build one. I want to buy one.

There's one on Ebay here: Link to Auction (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280139185343&refid=store&ssPageName=STORE:HTMLBUILDER:SIMPLEITEM)

Anyone have any experience with these?

[Amphiprion]

While they work, I would suggest a refugium as a cheaper and potentially safer alternative. If you encourage macroalgal growth enough, it can quickly and easily reduce nitrate.

[hultman]

While they work, I would suggest a refugium as a cheaper and potentially safer alternative. If you encourage macroalgal growth enough, it can quickly and easily reduce nitrate.

OK, I'll bite. I'm presently using a CPR CR500 Wet/Dry Filter with some live rock and a small amount of bio media. The entire filter unit measures about 16" long, 8" wide and 12" tall. The bio media area is about 8" by 8" and 12" deep. I'm running some blue pre-filter media in the drip tray and a poly pad between the bio area and the pump chamber.

I've tried to search the forum for previous posts on converting such a filter to a refugium, but the forum drops when I do the search. Do you know where I could find some previous discussion on this or perhaps some basic plans to do the conversion?

Thanks!

[Amphiprion]

What are your current nitrate readings? I am assuming you have live rock, etc., correct? If so, the biomedia is redundant at best. I would remove that from that section and use that as a 'fuge area. Depending upon how high the nitrates are, it may only take a simple portion of Chaetomorpha and some light to drop them to nothing. Higher amounts may be best managed by a combination of a sand bed and Chaetomorpha. The only issue is that sand beds that compact may eventually face longevity problems.

Here are a few pertinent threads:
http://wwCoil Denitrator - Aquaria Central (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1617420#post1617420)w.aquariacent ral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163971&highlight=refugium

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160302&highlight=refugium

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159458&highlight=refugium

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159636&highlight=refugium

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153567&highlight=refugium

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152532&highlight=refugium

These are just some of the resources available. Keep in mind that these also address a few other relevant things, in addition to some things I just touched on.