Can Chloramines get past a good RO/DI

[LostInTheDark]

I call my water department once a year and ask if they use chloramines

My Township had the foresight to send out a notice advising everyone they were switching to Chloramines.. It came with a warning that it was extremely toxic to fish in tanks and ponds.

 

[TbyZ]

If I'm not mistaken doing both tests will help determine if you have chloramines so a free chlorine kit could be useful if you wanted to know. If the total chlorine test comes out higher then the free chlorine test then there are chloramines.

A Free chlorine test strip only measures chlorine.
A Total chlorine test strip measures both chloramine & chlorine, in the one test. Its a value for both.

When I moved to Jersey I couldn't stand the smell of the water coming out of the tap. I now use my RO/DI for drinking water as well as the tank.

You shouldn't drink RODI water. It removes the minerals, etc, your body needs to stay healthy. If you drink only RODI water it can be detrimental to your health, even dangerous.
Use the water that has passed through your sediment filter & carbon filter to drink. That should get rid of smells.

 

[jason2459]

A Free chlorine test strip only measures chlorine.
A Total chlorine test strip measures both chloramine & chlorine, in the one test. Its a value for both.

Yes, that was my point. If you wanted to know if you had chlormines you can use both tests. If the total chlorine results is higher then the free chlorine results that would lead to knowing there's chloramines in the water.

You shouldn't drink RODI water. It removes the minerals, etc, your body needs to stay healthy. If you drink only RODI water it can be detrimental to your health, even dangerous.
Use the water that has passed through your sediment filter & carbon filter to drink. That should get rid of smells.

It looks like he's not.

And I would really only be concerned about drinking DI if I only drank DI water, was a marathon runner, and did not have a normal diet like I only ate beef jerky. Otherwise it's a waste of DI resins and not taste very good IMO.

 

[TbyZ]

My Township had the foresight to send out a notice advising everyone they were switching to Chloramines.. It came with a warning that it was extremely toxic to fish in tanks and ponds.

switching isn't a good description. Chloramines are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to water treated with chlorine.
Chloramines provide longer-lasting disinfection as the water moves through pipes to consumers. This type of disinfection is known as secondary disinfection.
Its requirements established by your EPA.

 

[TbyZ]

Yes, that was my point. If you wanted to know if you had chlormines you can use both tests. If the total chlorine results is higher then the free chlorine results that would lead to knowing there's chloramines in the water.

You could just go online & get that info from the gov dept that treats the water.

 

[jason2459]

You could just go online & get that info from the gov dept that treats the water.

My water department's website only shows the 2015 water report so far, I keep looking for it to be updated, which shows what they were doing in 2011-2014. I email or call them yearly to find out. But as mentioned above some places may use chloramines periodically or may switch mid-year also mentioned above. It would be my guess I would get the notification with the water bill and not get it if my wife opens it up first.

 

[TbyZ]

My water department's website only shows the 2015 water report so far, I keep looking for it to be updated, which shows what they were doing in 2011-2014.

I wouldn't worry about the chloramines. Just keep a tab on the carbon filter.

It would be my guess I would get the notification with the water bill and not get it if my wife opens it up first.

 

[M3ace9]

I'll stick with the chloramine blocks for a few bucks more. We established that they have special surfaces that give an increase of surface area to break down chloramines. A very known local Sps shop to me had trouble keeping their massive system for a while now. California last year switched over to the use of chloramines. They finally switched to chloramine blocks a few months ago and can share that they have experienced evident benefits from doing so. Just my .02

 

[TbyZ]

I'll stick with the chloramine blocks for a few bucks more. We established that they have special surfaces that give an increase of surface area to break down chloramines. A very known local Sps shop to me had trouble keeping their massive system for a while now. California last year switched over to the use of chloramines. They finally switched to chloramine blocks a few months ago and can share that they have experienced evident benefits from doing so. Just my .02

what are 'chloramine blocks'?
Did the local sps shop try using Prime, or some other dechlorinator, to add to their RODI water if they suspected it still, somehow, had chloramines in it?

 

[M3ace9]

what are 'chloramine blocks'?

They are carbon blocks made with catalytic carbon. I personally run 2 stages of catalytic carbon. The first is a refillable granulated catalytic carbon followed by a catalytic carbon block. The first pass will remove most of the chloramines while the second catches anything that is missed. The first chamber is also cheaper since it is refillable. This system is probably overkill for many reefers but works for my needs

 

[TbyZ]

They are carbon blocks made with catalytic carbon. I personally run 2 stages of catalytic carbon. The first is a refillable granulated catalytic carbon followed by a catalytic carbon block. The first pass will remove most of the chloramines while the second catches anything that is missed. The first chamber is also cheaper since it is refillable. This system is probably overkill for many reefers but works for my needs

yes, that sounds very efficient. How much extra do the supercharged electron exchange carbon blocks cost?

 

[M3ace9]

yes, that sounds very efficient. How much extra do the supercharged electron exchange carbon blocks cost?

The block is 22 and the catalytic refill is 31 for 4 refills. It's only a few bucks difference if you are spending on average 11 per carbon block or 22 if you run 2 of them. This is a fairly new way of thinking since the use of chloramines has been increased in the last 2 years. Time will give more insight on the debate. In the end everyone runs their ship their own way

 

[TbyZ]

The block is 22 and the catalytic refill is 31 for 4 refills. It's only a few bucks difference if you are spending on average 11 per carbon block or 22 if you run 2 of them. This is a fairly new way of thinking since the use of chloramines has been increased in the last 2 years. Time will give more insight on the debate. In the end everyone runs their ship their own way

Thats for sure.
Can i ask; do you measure total chlorines out of your tap, & at the outlet of the carbon filter?

 

[M3ace9]

Thats for sure.
Can i ask; do you measure total chlorines out of your tap, & at the outlet of the carbon filter?

No I do not test my water for total chlorines. It was my understanding that you cannot test for chloramines itself. I know it it there since I contacted my local treatment plant.

 

[TbyZ]

No I do not test my water for total chlorines. It was my understanding that you cannot test for chloramines itself. I know it it there since I contacted my local treatment plant.

Yes, you can test for chloramines using a Total Chlorine test strips. It measures both free chlorine & chloramine in the one reading.

You could measure it at your tap. My reading is 0.2 to 0.5 ppm.
You can use this test to measure it at the carbon filter outlet, so if and when the carbon ever stops electron exchanging & reducing chlorine & chloramine to chloride, you'll know to renew it.

 

[LostInTheDark]

I'll stick with the chloramine blocks for a few bucks more

Do you think these have any advantage over granular catalytic carbon or do they do the same thing?

 

[GoVols]

I used to live in NYC, Best water I've ever tasted. When I moved to Jersey I couldn't stand the smell of the water coming out of the tap. I now use my RO/DI for drinking water as well as the tank.

LOL,
In the summer I raise the windows the help PH and clear the house form the chlorine smell from my tap water as well

RH-F, You've got "hands down" the best reef forum on the planet

 

[jason2459]

Do you think these have any advantage over granular catalytic carbon or do they do the same thing?

I prefer the replacable cartridges for ease of doing it and with standard 2.5"x10" blocks you can expect around 6 months to a year life and a chlorine kit can let you know for sure. I personally am to lazy for the testing and just swap out my carbon blocks every 6 months. I like to use a 1 micron depth sediment filter, 1 micron carbon block, and a final .5micron carbon block going into the RO membranes.

I am going to be ordering the Gapper from buckeye hydro here soon to get 400gpd output and it will have 20"x2.5" filters and plan to swap those out once a year but the same kind of setup with 1 micron sediment, 1 micron carbon, and .5 micron carbon. If I ever knew my supply had chloramines I might go ahaead and replace the first carbon block with a 1 micron carbon block meant for chloramines just for peace of mind and not wanting to test.

I know of another forum member that got a big 20"x 4.5" big blue filter housing and got a pentek chlorplus BB blok thats going on 2 years now and still effectively blocking his chloramines.