Carbon to remove chlorine and Chloramine.

burbon44s

Candiru
MFK Member
May 13, 2012
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I live in Milwaukee, and I use a R.O sediment and carbon filters ( no membrane), to filter out my drip system. I've been doing this for over a year.
Today my LFS told me that carbon won't remove chloramine from my tap.
Is this true?
Have I been risking my rays health?
Anyone from around here have any problems?

Insight please
Thank you
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Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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Idk. Depends on which carbon you use. Catalytic carbon will remove it, although granular activated carbon will also work, it takes a lot longer and isn't efficient.


http://www.watertreatmentguide.com/activated_carbon_filtration.htm
Activated carbon can remove and destroy residual disinfectants (chlorine and chloramine) through a catalytic reduction reaction.


http://www.wqpmag.com/catalytic-carbon-chloramine-removal
Removing chloramine at the point of use, however, is more difficult than removing chlorine. Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) and carbon block products have limited capacity for chloramine reduction. Products known as “catalytic” or “surface-modified” activated carbon can provide a solution.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramine
Activated carbon

Activated carbon have been used for chloramine removal long before catalytic carbon became available; Standard activated carbon requires a very long contact time, which means a large volume of carbon is needed. For thorough removal, up to four times the contact time of catalytic carbon may be required.
Most dialysis units now depend on granular activated carbon (GAC) filters, two of which should be placed in series so that chloramine breakthrough can be detected after the first one, before the second one fails. Additionally, sodium metabisulfite injection may be used during circumstances.


Why use carbon? Isn't it cheaper, faster and more reliable to use a dedicated water conditioner?


 

Jc1119

Feeder Fish
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Dec 27, 2010
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I run a dual carbon stage on mine but I only have chlorine to deal with. The filter guys have a pretty good breakdown of chloramine setups....

http://www.thefilterguys.biz

Carbon blocks are much cheaper l, and easier than any conditioners on a drip system.


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Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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I run a dual carbon stage on mine but I only have chlorine to deal with. The filter guys have a pretty good breakdown of chloramine setups....

http://www.thefilterguys.biz

Carbon blocks are much cheaper l, and easier than any conditioners on a drip system.


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Interesting and enlightening. Thanks.

I'd like to run a drip system next time and I hadn't worked out the logistics with chlorine / chloramine.

Do you run tests for chloramine in case the local water company adds it or is that too small a risk to be concerned?

If you knew in advance that there was chloramine, what would you have to change ?
 

Jc1119

Feeder Fish
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Dec 27, 2010
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Orlando fl
Interesting and enlightening. Thanks.

I'd like to run a drip system next time and I hadn't worked out the logistics with chlorine / chloramine.

Do you run tests for chloramine in case the local water company adds it or is that too small a risk to be concerned?

If you knew in advance that there was chloramine, what would you have to change ?
Yeah I test and watch the water reports pretty often. Nice thing about a drip is, it frees up a lot of time for other hobby related things.

We know our local company flushes the system occasionally with high dosing but we are still on chlorine. Dual stage blocks are typically used in chloramine removal setups and we run the same..... Just in case.

My guess is it's just a matter of time before they switch and we are already setup for it. A typical 25,000 gallon block lasts us around 6 months before needing to be replaced.




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Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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San Francisco
Yeah I test and watch the water reports pretty often. Nice thing about a drip is, it frees up a lot of time for other hobby related things.

We know our local company flushes the system occasionally with high dosing but we are still on chlorine. Dual stage blocks are typically used in chloramine removal setups and we run the same..... Just in case.

My guess is it's just a matter of time before they switch and we are already setup for it. A typical 25,000 gallon block lasts us around 6 months before needing to be replaced.




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Nice. Thanks for the information. This is definitely useful.
 

Schmid

Feeder Fish
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Aug 13, 2014
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Mauritius
I hope it all goes well, in the end it depends on the type of carbon you use, but you can still add prime to the aquarium to minimize risk, however if you are using an or system in addition, you really shouldn't have anything to worry about IMO
 

Pharaoh

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It is all about dwell time. If the chloramine dwells within the carbon long enough, the carbon will break the bond and absorb the chlorine and release the ammonia.
 

burbon44s

Candiru
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May 13, 2012
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milwaukee
I read that I need to use a catalyst carbon to remove chloramine.
There to it said that dwell time was important.
What if I just remove the sediment filter and add another carbon block?

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Pharaoh

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I read that I need to use a catalyst carbon to remove chloramine.
There to it said that dwell time was important.
What if I just remove the sediment filter and add another carbon block?

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That would help. Tons of people run straight carbon blocks from Menards/Lowes. The key is running multiple in line to get dwell time.


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