Filtering out Chloramines in South East Florida

[sickman]

I am back into the hobby after 12 year absence, or these crappy little DI cartridges you stick on your RO systems still the only way to go get your water to 0? Problem is here in Palm Beach, they add so much chloramines and other chlorine like chemicals to the water, even with 0 TDS in my experience it still builds up over the years in the tank and eventually kill things.

Are there better filtering tech out there now?

typical DI resin filters on amazon

 

[st0ned0g]

welcome back, i just came back after a 10+ year brake also.

When i set up my tank back in November, the cycle appeared not to be happening. it was due to chloramines. i have done a lot of research in the last few weeks about it.

if you don't take care of it in the filtering before you mix the salt, the Chloramine will brake down into Chlorine and ammonia in time...may take months. There are options out there. some reefers have 7 stage RODI filtrations to deal with the chloramines, i added 1 extra stage to my system that i picked up at bulk reef supply to deal with the chloramines my water company is putting in, it was a little pricy though.

 

[wvned]

Resins are for ion exchange and remove minerals and metals. There are something like super carbon blocks for chloramines.

 

[sickman]

Resins are for ion exchange and remove minerals and metals. There are something like super carbon blocks for chloramines.

Yes, on the typical 6-7 stage RO systems the first stages have the big carbon block. I don’t think that cuts it all.

 

[wvned]

There is no magic in stages. There are only 4 true ones.
Debris filter
carbon
RO membrane
Resin
Some like me get buy running mixed bed (anion and cation resins mixed 50/50) resin. Some find that
one type depletes way faster so they split them into 2 separate canisters and can only replace one kind.
I run 2 filters and carbon blocks in parallel and have 2 4x20 resin canisters so I dont have to recharge the thing all the time.

Stage envy.

 

[griss]

Our water company uses chloramines. I have my RODI setup as follows:
1. Micron cartridge
2. Carbon cartridge
3. Chloramine cartridge
4. RO Membrane
5. Cation resin
6. Anion resin
7. Mixed bed resin

This effectively removes chloramines before the membrane. I use the different (separated) DI resins because our water depletes cation faster than anion. Then, the mixed bed in case I miss changing the cation or anion in time. I average about 5-7 TDS after the membrane and always zero TDS after the DI.

 

[wvned]

Our water company uses chloramines. I have my RODI setup as follows:
1. Micron cartridge
2. Carbon cartridge
3. Chloramine cartridge
4. RO Membrane
5. Cation resin
6. Anion resin
7. Mixed bed resin

This effectively removes chloramines before the membrane. I use the different (separated) DI resins because our water depletes cation faster than anion. Then, the mixed bed in case I miss changing the cation or anion in time. I average about 5-7 TDS after the membrane and always zero TDS after the DI.

The cholramine block removes it from 4000 gallons. But it will remove regular chlorine from 45000 gallons.
It will do both and you dont have to run 2.
If you have chloramines the regular carbon block will die in a 100 gallons and all you are using is the chloramine block.

No you don't want chlorine to get to the RO membrane.

If you are going to do that run the chloramine cartridge before the regular carbon block.

 

[griss]

The cholramine block removes it from 4000 gallons. But it will remove regular chlorine from 45000 gallons.
It will do both and you dont have to run 2.
If you have chloramines the regular carbon block will die in a 100 gallons and all you are using is the chloramine block.

No you don't want chlorine to get to the RO membrane.

If you are going to do that run the chloramine cartridge before the regular carbon block.

Oh, I might have had those two backwards. I was posting from the office and going by memory.

 

[wvned]

Oh, I might have had those two backwards. I was posting from the office and going by memory.

I would suggest running 2 of the chloramine busters and rotate them. A regular carbon block does almost nothing except give you a false sense of security.

 

[griss]

I would suggest running 2 of the chloramine busters and rotate them. A regular carbon block does almost nothing except give you a false sense of security.

Gotcha. Will keep that in mind.