Denitrators

NO3 is not split into N2 and O2 it is broken down enzymatically into N2 and
H2O.

Stoutman wrote on 9/16/2006 11:19 AM:
A web search turns up several articles. Basically, the denitrator is a
bacterial filter that contains cultures of bacteria that eat oxygen. These
bacteria remove the oxygen from the NO3, producing free nitrogen as a
byproduct.

So very wrong, but so close. The denitrator sets up an anaerobic
environment (oxygen depleted) for the bacteria to thrive that break down
NO3-, it's called denitrification. These anaerobic bacteria contain enzymes
that break down NO3- into N2 and H2O.



See http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Den...tructions.html

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.



No, he was right. The bacteria consume oxygen, thus
reducing nitrate to nitrogen. A lot of other things get
reduced of oxygen as well.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

You only have half of the picture :-)

hehehe

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Stoutman wrote on 9/16/2006 11:13 AM:
LOL this is a reef newsgroup, not a fish only newsgroup.

That's right, I have a FOWLR tank, nevertheless, my comments are still
applicable.

No, he was right. The bacteria consume oxygen, thus reducing nitrate to
nitrogen. A lot of other things get reduced of oxygen as well.

No he is wrong. O2 is NOT produced. The oxygen's that are removed from
NO2- end up as H2O. NOT free O2. It is a VERY complex series of events.
Never is O2 produced along the way.

Look into denitrification. It is an ENZYMATIC process in anaerobic bacteria
involving more than one enzyme.

SEE: http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/a...ogencycle.html

(Look at the part that refers to denitrification and anaerobic bacteria)

I meant to write oxygen's that are removed from NO3- end up as H2O.


It actually goes NO3---NO2----N2 + H2O

In the post that you quoted, he did not say that oxygen
was produced, yet you said that he was wrong, and now you
are trying to prove yourself right by adding stuff that
was not in the post that you quoted.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Stoutman wrote on 9/16/2006 12:20 PM:
No, he was right. The bacteria consume oxygen, thus reducing nitrate to
nitrogen. A lot of other things get reduced of oxygen as well.

No he is wrong. O2 is NOT produced. The oxygen's that are removed from
NO2- end up as H2O. NOT free O2. It is a VERY complex series of events.
Never is O2 produced along the way.

Look into denitrification. It is an ENZYMATIC process in anaerobic bacteria
involving more than one enzyme.

SEE: http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/a...ogencycle.html

(Look at the part that refers to denitrification and anaerobic bacteria)

Stoutman wrote on 9/16/2006 12:20 PM:
It is a VERY complex series of events.

Actually it's very simple. Just as we consume oxygen, so
do many types of bacteria. When oxygen levels get low,
bacteria start taking oxygen away from compounds in the
water such as nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, and many other
compounds.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

Stoutman wrote:
NO3 is not split into N2 and O2 it is broken down enzymatically into N2 and
H2O.

No, it's not. The oxygen is removed by bacteria, releasing the nitrogen.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Stoutman wrote:
I meant to write oxygen's that are removed from NO3- end up as H2O.


It actually goes NO3---NO2----N2 + H2O

No, it doesn't. You are basically arguing that you start out with NO3 and H2O
and it goes

2NO3 & 2H2O ---- 2NO2 & 2H2 ---- 2N01 & 2H2 ---- N2 & 2H2O.

The water molecules are never broken up. They just pass through when the system
is functioning properly. When water molecules do get stripped of their oxygen,
the hydrogen usually combines with sulfur to produce hydrogen sulphide.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Wayne Sallee wrote in news:3kWOg.12966$xQ1.5621
@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net:

Stoutman wrote on 9/16/2006 12:20 PM:
It is a VERY complex series of events.

Actually it's very simple. Just as we consume oxygen, so
do many types of bacteria. When oxygen levels get low,
bacteria start taking oxygen away from compounds in the
water such as nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, and many other
compounds.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



In order for the NO3 to give us N2 and H2O, wouldn't you need free H+
ions roaming around? Free hydrogen reacts pretty strongly with O2 if I
remember my chemistry correctly. Or does the free O-- released from the
NO3 pull the 2 H+ ions off the H2O and release the O2 molecule? But why
would the H+ ions do that? It would be swapping one O2 molecule for
another O2. And H2O is a very stable molecule.

Don't think H2O is produced by in the de-nitration process.


Mark