Chloramine

[ramsey]

We have it in the water here in New Braunfels. I should have researched it a long time ago but thought that our water couldn't be much different than in San Antonio. Anyway, will a regular rodi unit filter the chloramine? A saw a special unit on BFS but wasn't sure if it's 100% needed. I'm seriously just thinking about using tap water and prime this time around. Considering that I'm going to have a large fuge, the extra nitrates may be desirable. Never thought I'd say that! :)

[Big_Pun]

your going to need that filter or it won't be removed.

[ramsey]

Well, the weird thing is I've gotten by without it this long. It just seems really weird. Is anyone using tap water with success?

[Sherita]

Actually Chris, that's not correct. The rule for chloramines removal with an rodi system is 20 minutes of contact with 20" of carbon for effective removal. Since most rodi systems have 20" of carbon, but lack the necessary contact time, it can be dealt with by adding an additional housing with a cartridge of catalytic carbon. The cat carbon needs to be the second cartridge in line, directly after the sediment filter. This prevents carbon dust getting into the membrane. Chloramines can also be dealt with by using a chloramines removal cartridge. A specialized rodi is not needed to removed chloramines. My system is set up for chloramines removal, it runs like this:

sediment filter
catalytic carbon (refillable cartridge)
standard carbon block
chloramines removal block (added insurance)
ro membrane
di resin (refillable cartridge)

the chloramines removal cartridge is not really necessary for my system (it could be replaced with a standard carbon block), since I have the required 20" of carbon, and the needed contact time. But I view the cartridge as added insurance.


And Prime will neutralize chloramines, it's used by a large number of people in the dfw area whose rodi filtrations are not set up for chloramines removal. The instructions on the Prime bottle actually list chloramines removal, and the correct dosage. Seachem got on top of the game when chloramines started to become an issue.

[polarbear]

What problems does chloramines cause in the tank? I live in new braunfels and didn't even know we had it in the water. I haven't seen any problems that differ from other normal issues anyone would have.

[Big_Pun]

thanks Sherita didn't know that. love learning new filter info! also didn't know prime removed chloramines, been a while since I read the bottle lol.

[Sherita]

Chloramines can kill sensitive inverts, fish, and corals. It can also cause undetected ammonia spikes (undetected because most of us don't test our mature tanks routinely for ammonia). Chloramines (and the ammonia it causes) can cause low grade long term stress to livestock, resulting in unexplained losses and illness. And if your city ever purges the lines using chloramines (for sanitation) you will be dealing with a catastrophic livestock loss. I personally know of several folks who lost their entire tanks when the city dosed chloramines. And they are being used much more often. I sometimes wonder if the unexplained losses that we see posts about aren't directly related to chloramines treatment and dosing.

Prime is cheap insurance for folks who are using rodi systems that are not set up to deal with chloramines. Used at the proper dosage, it insures that youwont be dealing with chloramines in your water.

[Sherita]

thanks Sherita didn't know that. love learning new filter info! also didn't know prime removed chloramines, been a while since I read the bottle lol.

I learned way more than I wanted to know because my city started dumping chloramines into our water, and I started losing livestock. Btw, the filter info comes directly from Marc (melevs reef).

[ramsey]

I wonder if that's why I had such awful cyano problems in the past. Great info Sherita!