Lots of talk here lately about Chloramines in our water

AquamanE

AquamanE

Active member
I am almost certain my last sps crash was due to this. Can i prove it? No.

But my last crash had all the usual appearances. Good water quality, no Alk swings, no nutrients, ie No3 of <1, Pho4 with Hanna Of <0.06, etc..

My SPS started to fall apart. This time though I didnt watch everything die like i did 5 years ago. I sent all my SPS to a friends house until i could fiqure it out. Had a friend over, Mr. Tony Vargas. He said "chloramines". So i bought some chloramine filters for RO/DI.

After ONE partial water change the fe encrusted pieces left of SPS stated coming back in days. Mind you TDS was always ZERO.

Here is an interesting article on Chloramines.

http://http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/
 
Eddie, I experienced something similar. It started happening to me right after you posted about your experience so I knew what could be wrong. I had been running chloramine filters already so I exchanged my chloramine filters and di resin (after making sure my membrane was fine) and everything started recovering. I visited Colin at coral morphologic who was having an issue with his SPS corals and wouldn't you know he wasn't aware of chloramines. He bought the appropriate filters but also moved all his SPS to a different facility so that can't help us draw any conclusions. Anyways thanks for sharing your initial experience, it definitely saved many of my pieces from MACNA
 
Jackwkahn said:
Eddie, I experienced something similar. It started happening to me right after you posted about your experience so I knew what could be wrong. I had been running chloramine filters already so I exchanged my chloramine filters and di resin (after making sure my membrane was fine) and everything started recovering. I visited Colin at coral morphologic who was having an issue with his SPS corals and wouldn't you know he wasn't aware of chloramines. He bought the appropriate filters but also moved all his SPS to a different facility so that can't help us draw any conclusions. Anyways thanks for sharing your initial experience, it definitely saved many of my pieces from MACNA
Click to expand...

Glad I could help.

BTW- when i sent all my SPS to Ty's house not only did they come back but grew exponentially, Ty's got a really nice set up in his garage.

I went back after I was squared away, and got frags back of all my SPS. They are now doing great!!!!!

It would be interresting to hear how Colin's experience ended up.
 
mr9iron said:
How do you know if your water has Chloramines?
Click to expand...


I guess there is a test kit to check but never really looked into it but sure way to tell. Your water company should have a water report online. Here they have a copy of the report for the public online. The report tells you how much chlorine or chloramines(if you have any) plus many other trace things as metal like copper etc. If you dont have a report online just call your water company and ask. After you ask...I will call again and get someone different or someone above to answer your question.

Another way but not full proof . If you have no amonnia in your water using a test kit like API. you can treat with Prime. The theory is that Prime will break chloramine into chlorine and ammonia; and if ammonia is detected, you have chloramine.

Even thinking now may adding prime after RO/DI might just be a safe measure or for emergency situation till they get the proper equipment.
 
Rarewon said:
I guess there is a test kit to check but never really looked into it but sure way to tell. Your water company should have a water report online. Here they have a copy of the report for the public online. The report tells you how much chlorine or chloramines(if you have any) plus many other trace things as metal like copper etc. If you dont have a report online just call your water company and ask. After you ask...I will call again and get someone different or someone above to answer your question.

Another way but not full proof . If you have no amonnia in your water using a test kit like API. you can treat with Prime. The theory is that Prime will break chloramine into chlorine and ammonia; and if ammonia is detected, you have chloramine.

Even thinking now may adding prime after RO/DI might just be a safe measure or for emergency situation till they get the proper equipment.
Click to expand...

good point.

I just check Pembroke Pines where i live. 1.5 to 3.5ppm. well over the recommended level for marine inhabitants.

http://www.ppines.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/125
 
doggydoc said:
So basically add on one of those carbon cartridges at the end of the RO?
Like a 5 stage unit?
Click to expand...

You don't have to add anything replace/upgrade your carbon filter
For a chloramine carbon filter bulk reef supply /filter guys /air water ice
All good guys me personally I order from brs
 
Also consider this, adding another cartridge will drop pressure to the membrane as well unless you have a booster pump.
 
After finally hooking up my RO unit for the first time yesterday..... now to have this in the back of my head.....
 
AquamanE said:
I am almost certain my last sps crash was due to this. Can i prove it? No.

But my last crash had all the usual appearances. Good water quality, no Alk swings, no nutrients, ie No3 of <1, Pho4 with Hanna Of <0.06, etc..

My SPS started to fall apart. This time though I didnt watch everything die like i did 5 years ago. I sent all my SPS to a friends house until i could fiqure it out. Had a friend over, Mr. Tony Vargas. He said "chloramines". So i bought some chloramine filters for RO/DI.

After ONE partial water change the fe encrusted pieces left of SPS stated coming back in days. Mind you TDS was always ZERO.

Here is an interesting article on Chloramines.

http://http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/
Click to expand...

Hey Eddie

I believe we had the same problem with our system in Davie. My corals where doing great until we had the hot water boil alert. My top off has a 5 stage r/o di but still killed my perfectly healthy corals.
 
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