The present invention describes novel biological systems for efficiently reducing nitrate levels and otherwise conditioning aquarium water and water in similar environments.
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What is claimed is: 1. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment for holding aquatic life, the system comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with the contained environment, the first chamber containing aerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the oxygen concentration
What is claimed is: 1. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment for holding aquatic life, the system comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with the contained environment, the first chamber containing aerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the oxygen concentration of the water flowing from the contained environment and a first media to sustain said aerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the oxygen concentration in the water, as the water flows through the first chamber; and a second chamber in fluid communication with both the first chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows the water having a substantially reduced oxygen concentration to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber and the water leaving the second chamber to flow back to the contained environment, the second chamber containing anaerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the levels of nitrates in the water and a second media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the level of nitrates in the water, as the water flows through the second chamber. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the anaerobic bacteria comprise Thiobacilus denitrificans bacteria. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the aerobic bacteria comprise at least one bacteria chosen from nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacteria. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the anaerobic bacteria comprise at least one bacteria chosen from Thiobadilus denitrificans, Thiobacillus versutus, Thiobacillus thyasiris, Thiosphaera pantotropha, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Thiomicrospira denitrificans. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure of the second chamber is opaque and designed to minimize the application of any light to the anaerobic bacteria in the second chamber. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein a conduit provides the fluid communication between the contained environment and the first chamber, at least a portion of the conduit being transparent so as to allow observation of water flowing into the system, and a gate valve associated with the conduit allows for adjusting the flow rate of water through the conduit. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein a conduit provides the fluid communication between the second chamber and the contained environment, at least a portion of the conduit being transparent so as to allow observation of the flow of water in the conduit. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third chamber in fluid communication with both the second chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows water to flow from the second chamber to the third chamber before returning to the contained environment, wherein the third chamber contains a first calcium source. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a fourth chamber in fluid communication with both the third chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows water to flow from the third chamber to the fourth chamber before returning to the contained environment, wherein the fourth chamber contains a second calcium source. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first, second, third and fourth chambers are contained in a single container, the container having an inlet and an outlet allowing fluid communication with the contained environment and the chambers in the container. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the container is a box-shaped container having four sides, a top and a bottom, the container is divided into four volumes by vertical dividing walls to form said first, second, third and fourth chambers, and openings are positioned in said dividing walls to allow water to flow from one chamber to the next. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth chambers is divided into an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, by first and second perforated shelves positioned within each of the chambers, so that said first shelf is positioned horizontally within the chambers to separate the upper section from the middle section, and the second shelf is positioned horizontally within the chamber and below the first shelf so as to separate the middle section from the lower section; and further wherein the upper section of each chamber contains carbon, the middle section of each of said first, second, third and fourth chambers respectively contains the first media, the second media, the first calcium source and the second calcium source, and the lower section of each of said first, second, third and fourth chambers remains substantially empty except for the flow of water therethrough. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the inlet and outlet of the container and the openings in the dividing walls are positioned so that water is capable of entering the container near the top of the middle section of the first chamber and flowing down through the media in the first chamber and into the lower section of the second chamber through openings in a dividing wall separating said first and second chambers, then flowing upward through the media in the second chamber and into the middle section of the third chamber through openings formed in a dividing wall separating the second and third chambers, then flowing down through the media in the third chamber and into the lower section of the fourth chamber through openings in a dividing wall separating the third and fourth chambers, then flowing upward through the media in the fourth chamber and exiting the container through the outlet. 14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a protein skimmer in fluid communication with the second chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows the water to flow from the second chamber to the protein skimmer and the water leaving the protein skimmer to flow back to the contained environment. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the protein skimmer mixes a gas including oxygen with water in the protein skimmer using a mixing eductor. 16. The system of claim 14 wherein the protein skimmer includes an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, a mixing eductor within the enclosure, and a pump for introducing a forced flow of water to the mixing eductor, the mixing eductor including a first flow path for accepting the forced flow of water from the pump, a second flow path for entraining water from the enclosure of the protein skimmer, and a third flow path for accepting a flow of gas including oxygen from outside the enclosure, the mixing eductor in operation mixing the forced flow of water, the entrained water and the gas within the enclosure. 17. The system of claim 1 further comprising an oxytower in fluid communication with the second chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows the water to flow from the second chamber to the oxytower and the water leaving the oxytower to flow back to the contained environment. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the oxytower comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, the enclosure having side walls that slope inward at an angle θoxy from vertical; and wherein a third media is placed on the inner surface of the sidewalls and serves as support for the growth of algae in the oxytower, and further wherein the flow of water flows down the side walls while contacting the algae in a manner which allows the algae to effectively remove contaminants from the water and raise the pH of the water. 19. The system of claim 1 further comprising a desulfator in fluid communication with the second chamber and the contained environment in a manner which allows the water to flow from the second chamber to the desulfator and the water leaving the desulfator to flow back to the contained environment. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the desulfator includes an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, wherein the enclosure contains a third media on which anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria are supported, and the water flows through the enclosure while contacting the third media in a manner which effectively reduces sulfate levels. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria comprise at least one bacteria chosen from Chromatium vinossum, Thiospirillum jenense, Rhodospirilum rubrum, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Chlorobium limicola, and Prosthecochloris aestuarii. 22. The system of claim 1 wherein the second media is comprised of at least 50% sulfur by weight. 23. The system of claim 1 wherein the second media is comprised of at least 75% sulfur by weight. 24. The system of claim 1 wherein the second media is comprised of at least 90% sulfur by weight. 25. The system of claim 1 wherein the second media is comprised of between about 99% to about 100% sulfur by weight. 26. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment for holding aquatic life, wherein the system is contained in a single container partitioned into chambers by perforated dividing walls arranged inside the container, the system comprising a first chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with the contained environment, for accepting a flow of water from the contained environment, the first chamber containing aerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the oxygen concentration of the water flowing from the contained environment and a first media to sustain said aerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the oxygen concentration in the water, as the water flows through the first chamber; a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber, wherein said second chamber contains anaerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the levels of nitrates in the water, and a second media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the level of nitrates in the water, as the water flows through the second chamber; a third chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber, wherein the third chamber contains a calcium source; and a fourth chamber in fluid communication with the third chamber, the fourth chamber having an outlet for allowing the flow of water back to the contained environment; wherein the chambers are arranged inside the container in a manner which allows for water entering the system through said inlet in the first chamber to flow through perforations in the dividing walls to the second, third and fourth chambers, in that order, and thereafter to exit the system through the outlet in the fourth chamber. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the outlet comprises an outlet pipe which extends vertically down into the fourth chamber, and wherein the system further comprises a device for forcing air into the outlet pipe so that the air will rise up through the outlet pipe in a manner which will force water out of the system. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the calcium source comprises at least two different sources of calcium. 29. The system of claim 26 wherein the anaerobic bacteria comprise Thiobacilus denitrificans bacteria. 30. The system of claim 29 wherein the aerobic bacteria comprise at least one bacteria chosen from nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacteria. 31. The system of claim 26 wherein the anaerobic bacteria comprise at least one bacteria chosen from Thiobadilus denitrificans, Thiobacillus versutus, Thiobacillus thyasiris, Thiosphaera pantotropha, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Thiomicrospira denitrificans. 32. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment comprising: a container sized and designed to hold aquatic life; a bio-filter in fluid communication with said container, wherein the bio-filter reduces ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate; and a denitration system in fluid communication with said container, wherein the denitration system includes one or more chambers containing anaerobic bacteria and further containing media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the nitrate content in the water, as the water flows through the one or more chambers, and wherein the water exiting the denitration system flows back to said container. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the denitration system further comprises a chamber containing aerobic bacteria which reduces the oxygen concentration of the water in the second stream before the water is introduced to the one or more chambers containing anaerobic bacteria. 34. The system of claim 32, wherein the denitration system employs one or more chambers containing calcium for adjusting the pH of the water as it exits the chamber containing anaerobic bacteria. 35. The system of claim 32 wherein the media is comprised of at least 50% sulfur by weight. 36. The system of claim 32 wherein the media is comprised of at least 75% sulfur by weight. 37. The system of claim 32 wherein the media is comprised of at least 90% sulfur by weight. 38. The system of claim 32 wherein the media is comprised of between about 99% to about 100% sulfur by weight. 39. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment comprising: a bio-filter in fluid communication with the contained environment, wherein the bio-filter reduces ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate; a denitration system in fluid communication with the contained environment, wherein the denitration system includes one or more chambers containing anaerobic bacteria and further containing media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the nitrate content in the water, as the water flows through the one or more chambers, and an oxytower in fluid communication with the bio-filter, denitration system, and contained environment such that water exiting the bio-filter and dentiration system will flow into the oxytower, and water exiting the oxytower will flow back to the contained environment. 40. The system of claim 39 wherein the oxytower comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, the enclosure having side walls that slope inward at an angle θoxy from vertical; and wherein a media is placed on the inner surface of the sidewalls and serves as support for the growth of algae in the oxytower, and further wherein the flow of water flows down the side walls while contacting the algae in a manner which allows the algae to effectively remove contaminants from the water and raise the pH of the water. 41. The system of claim 39 further comprising a desulfator in fluid communication with the denitration system and the oxytower, so that water exiting the denitration system will flow into the desulfator, and water exiting the desulfator will flow into the oxytower. 42. The system of claim 41 wherein the desulfator comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, wherein the enclosure contains media on which anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria are supported, and further wherein the water flows through the enclosure while contacting the media in a manner which effectively reduces sulfate levels. 43. The system of claim 39 further comprising a protein skimmer in fluid communication with the biofilter and the oxytower, such that water exiting the biofilter will flow into the protein skimmer, and water exiting the protein skimmer will flow into the oxytower. 44. The system of claim 43 wherein the protein skimmer comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, a mixing eductor within the enclosure, and a pump for introducing a forced flow of water to the mixing eductor, the mixing eductor including a first flow path for accepting the forced flow of water from the pump, a second flow path for entraining water from the enclosure of the protein skimmer, and a third flow path for accepting a flow of gas including oxygen from outside the enclosure, the mixing eductor in operation mixing the forced flow of water, the entrained water and the gas within the enclosure. 45. The system of claim 39 wherein said contained environment is designed and sized for holding aquatic life. 46. A system for conditioning water in a contained environment comprising: a bio-filter in fluid communication with the contained environment, wherein the bio-filter reduces ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate; a denitration system in fluid communication with the contained environment, wherein the denitration system includes one or more chambers containing anaerobic bacteria and further containing media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the nitrate content in the water, as the water flows through the one or more chambers, and a protein skimmer in fluid communication with the bio-filter, denitration system, and contained environment, such that water exiting the bio-filter and denitration system will flow into the protein skimmer, and water exiting the protein skimmer will flow back to the contained environment. 47. The system of claim 46 wherein the protein skimmer comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, a mixing eductor within the enclosure, and a pump for introducing a forced flow of water to the mixing eductor, the mixing eductor including a first flow path for accepting the forced flow of water from the pump, a second flow path for entraining water from the enclosure of the protein skimmer, and a third flow path for accepting a flow of gas including oxygen from outside the enclosure, the mixing eductor in operation mixing the forced flow of water, the entrained water and the gas within the enclosure. 48. The system of claim 46 further comprising a desulfator in fluid communication with the denitration system and the protein skimmer, so that water exiting the denitration system will flow into the desulfator, and water exiting the desulfator will flow into the protein skimmer. 49. The system of claim 48 wherein the desulfator comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, wherein the enclosure contains media on which anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria are supported, and further wherein the water flows through the enclosure while contacting the media in a manner which effectively reduces sulfate levels. 50. The system of claim 46 further comprising an oxytower in fluid communication with the biofilter and the protein skimmer, such that water exiting the biofilter will flow into the oxytower, and water exiting the oxytower will flow into the protein skimmer. 51. The system of claim 50 wherein the oxytower comprises an enclosure for accepting a flow of water, the enclosure having side walls that slope inward at an angle θoxy from vertical; and wherein a media is placed on the inner surface of the sidewalls and serves as support for the growth of algae in the oxytower, and further wherein the flow of water flows down the side walls while contacting the algae in a manner which allows the algae to effectively remove contaminants from the water and raise the pH of the water. 52. The system of claim 46 wherein said contained environment is designed and sized for holding aquatic life. 53. A system for conditioning water comprising: a contained environment sized and designed for holding aquatic life; and a denitration system in fluid communication with the contained environment wherein the denitration system includes two or more containers connected in series, and wherein each container comprises: a first chamber having an inlet for accepting a flow of water and containing aerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the oxygen concentration of the water and a first media to sustain said aerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the oxygen concentration in the water, as the water flows through the first chamber; a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber, wherein said second chamber contains anaerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the levels of nitrates in the water, and a second media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the level of nitrates in the water, as the water flows through the second chamber; a third chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber, wherein the third chamber contains a calcium source; and a fourth chamber in fluid communication with the third chamber, the fourth chamber having an outlet for allowing the flow of water out of the container; wherein the chambers are arranged inside the container in a manner which allows for water entering the system through said inlet in the first chamber to flow to the second, third and fourth chambers, in that order, and thereafter to exit the container through the outlet in the fourth chamber; wherein the two or more containers are in fluid communication with each other and the contained environment such that water exiting the contained environment flows into said first container through said inlet in the first chamber, and water exiting the fourth chamber of the first container flows to the inlet of the next successive container, or in the case of the last of the two or more containers, back to the contained environment. 54. The system of claim 53, wherein the first container of the two or more sequential containers of the denitration system comprises a first chamber containing aerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the oxygen concentration of the water flowing from the contained environment and a first media to sustain said aerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the oxygen concentration in the water, as the water flows through the first chamber. 55. The system of claim 54, wherein the second container and any subsequent containers comprise: a first and second chamber in fluid communication, wherein said chambers contain anaerobic bacteria for substantially reducing the levels of nitrates in the water, and a second media comprising a sufficient amount of sulfur to sustain said anaerobic bacteria for an extended period of time and in a sufficient amount to substantially reduce the level of nitrates in the water, as the water flows through the first and second chambers in that order. 56. The system of claim 53 further comprising an oxytower in fluid communication with the denitration system and contained environment such that water exiting the dentiration system will flow into the oxytower, and water exiting the oxytower will flow back to the contained environment. 57. The system of claim 53 further comprising a protein skimmer in fluid communication with the denitration system and contained environment such that water exiting the dentiration system will flow into the protein skimmer, and water exiting the protein skimmer will flow back to the contained environment.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Bodwell Russell S. (Glen Head NY) Houck William S. (Dix Hills NY), Denitrification system.
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