Amount of substrate for Denitrafication?

[Reefer33]

How many inches of substrate do you typically need to achieve natural nitrate reduction? Any replies would be appreciated.

 

[jdeets]

If you're going to use a deep sand bed with sugar-sized aragonite sand, which is what is typically recommended these days, you need a minimum of about 4" or so. The deeper the better, of course, although many believe that anything over 5-6" is going to be superfluous.

 

[Anonymous]

What happened to the issues with hydrogensulphide(sp?)? I was under the impression the this was a byproduct from beds that were too deep.

Greg

 

[Modo]

Here is a pretty cut and dry "recipe" and the benefits of a DSB written by Dr Ron Shimek.
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm

Here is another good article written by the good Doc that is a little more in depth.
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/june/features/1/default.asp

 

[Anonymous]

Those articles blew a large chunk of my knowledge out of the water!

I'm going to have to cross out selected passages in my books and staple excerpts from this board to them!

Greg

 

[jdeets]

GDawson--It seems the general consensus these days is that H2S is just a red herring thrown into the mix of the discussion by those who oppose DSBs. The research and other sources I've explored on the H2S topic have revealed that even if some does form, it won't be present in amounts that could harm your tank. HTH