Equipment: Deltec NFP509 Nitrate Filter "Adjusting"
I initially added the Deltec NFP509
Nitrate Filter to the arsenal of devices on my aquarium for two main reasons. I wanted to be able to provide the highest quality water conditions by biologically converting
Nitrate to Nitrogen (T
his would address the Nitrate levels of water that was not removed from the aquarium during scheduled water changes) by the use of Nitrifying Bacteria as well as receiving natural
trace elements provided by the use of the Deltec NFP509
Nitrate Filter. Deltec advises that the recommendation size aquarium for this product should be within the range of 50 gallons to 250 gallons. Now I know what most of you may be thinking... great larger then necessary which means more efficient or overkill but still great to have. Well, I personally went with the notion of "Go Big or Go Home" resulting in me overlooking something that unfortunately has come with a heavy price.
The Deltec NFP509
Nitrate Filter provides an area that is somewhat isolated from the rest of the aquarium were salwater rich in oxygen and other chemicals (
Nitrate and Oxygen being our primary focus) enter the chamber of the reactor, being regulated manually by a flow valve in my setup. The Colony of Nitrifying Bacteria within the reactor chamber which are responsible for converting the
Nitrate in Nitrogen are provided conditions which stimulate their growth and reproduction (
Low Oxygen Levels and a Carbon Based Food Source "RO/DI & Vodka Mixture" which is injected twice a day). Efluent from the Deltec NFP509
Nitrate Filter is then returned to the aquarium at a rate currently of 1 drop per every 2 seconds. This does not seem like much but when converted to a more understandable format this device can process nearly 2 gallons of saltwater each week.
Photograph - Deltec NFP509 Nitrate Filter Flow Valve & Reactor Chamber.
However, it is my hypothesis that since my Nitrifying Bacteria Colony within the Reactor Chamber is young their utilizationg of the the Carbon Based Food "RO/DI & Vodka" is not as efficient as a fully matured Nitrifying Bacter Colony resulting in Carbon Based Food "RO/DI & Vodka" being returned back to the aquarium prematurely. Thus resulting in various adverse effects such as my aquarium inhabitants dieing and my Coral Colonies displaying signs of Rapid Tissue
Necrosis and Recessed Polyps. So I have drastically reduced the dosage amount of the Carbon Based Food from 8 milliliters per day to 1 milliliter which equates to a mixture ratio of 0.375 milliliters of
RO/DI water and 0.125 milliliters of Vokda.
Photograph - SPS Corals within my aquarium displaying signs of Rapid Tissue Necrosis. 
Reply to CarmieJo. 
icon under their name to add to their reputation. 
...but the Ockham's razor principal usually bites people (like me) in the butt when things get too complicated.