Boston Water Quality - Chloramines

[PSU4ME]

I'm looking to get a new RO system and I see filters for Chloramines or just regular ones.

I took this from the Boston water report:
Last,we add mono-chloramine, a mild and long-lasting disinfectant combining chlorine and ammonia, which protects the water while it is in the local pipelines.

Do you guys all use the chloramine filters on your systems? This is new to me but it seems getting the chloramine upgrade is the right way to go.

I'd love to get some feedback from you all.

Thanks

 

[Andy V]

Do you have a link to this? I checked this last summer and at that time the MWRA definitely said they DO NOT use chloramines.

 

[jamesdong009]

I use the BRS rodi for chloramines but that's because my town adds it to the water.

I got a notice about it a few years back.

 

[PSU4ME]

http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/annual/waterreport/2010results/2010results.htm

click on your town and you'll get the PDF.....I took the line above from their report which leads me to believe it is in there.

"Water Treatment The water you drink is treated at the John J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant in Marlborough.
The first treatment step is disinfection of reservoir water. MWRA’s licensed treatment operators carefully
add measured doses of ozone gas bubbles, produced from pure oxygen gas, to the water to kill any pathogens
(germs) that may be present in the water. Fluoride is then added to reduce cavities. Next, the
water chemistry is adjusted to reduce corrosion of lead and copper from home plumbing. Last,
we add mono-chloramine, a mild and long-lasting disinfectant combining chlorine and
ammonia, which protects the water while it is in the local pipelines."

 

[PSU4ME]

I just bought the 5 stage chloramine plus from BRS.....hopefully it helps with my algae problem!

 

[Old Glory]

I just bought the same unit...my early Christmas present to myself

 

[Andy V]

Thanks for the info. What's interesting is that it says that the MWRA system is treated with Chloramines, but if you read some of the individual town reports they don't show any chloramine in the water. I guess I will have to call...

 

[PSU4ME]

I guess calling is the best option but I would assume at some point they might switch so I'm not going to take any chances.

 

[charged45]

I had checked my town water results and found they do use Chloramines. Our water is the same as Boston's. I use a Kent marine maxxima Hi-S ro/di system. Didn't see anything in their line that removed Chloramines, Sent them a copy of the town water report. They told me what the membrane doesn't remove the DI will.

 

[Andy V]

I had checked my town water results and found they do use Chloramines. Our water is the same as Boston's. I use a Kent marine maxxima Hi-S ro/di system. Didn't see anything in their line that removed Chloramines, Sent them a copy of the town water report. They told me what the membrane doesn't remove the DI will.

That is true, as evidenced by the 0 TDS readings. However, the issue is that the chloramines totally destroy the RO membrane, which is very expensive.

 

[PSU4ME]

My filters are only 8 months old making water for a 28 gallon tank (so not a lot) and they are already junked.........the $14 upgrade seems worth it to me.

 

[charged45]

Thanks for the info on the membrane. I just bought the replacement filters so I know how expensive the membranes are. I will contact KM and post what they tell me. Researching other RO/DI Mnfcs they seem to have a 2 part system to remove Chloramines before water reaches they Membranes. Not sure how that could work w/the maxxima system. One thing I noticed when checking my town water readings, they didn't have phosphate levels posted. That mean we have 0 levels or do they not report those.

 

[charged45]

KM replied to my question on chloramines and membranes. They said it's the free chrorines that ruin the membranes, not chloramines because they remain stable.

 

[Jarob]

I wanted to bump this because Ive been having algae issues lately with my 0TDS and perfect water params., the PO4's are undetectable but Im going to assume the chloramines are responsible? Ill be adding a chloramine carbon block and do a few H2O changes.

 

[s_kelley]

I just looked up Taunton and they do too. Didnt know that, maybe that's the source of my algae problem, hmmmm??? Good bump of a post! Thanks

 

[PSU4ME]

The 2012 water results just got sent to us in the mail but i haven't had a chance to look at them yet. I run the filter any as a preventative measure!

 

[Andy V]

I wanted to bump this because Ive been having algae issues lately with my 0TDS and perfect water params., the PO4's are undetectable but Im going to assume the chloramines are responsible? Ill be adding a chloramine carbon block and do a few H2O changes.

You are not getting algae problems from chloramines.

You can have algae when the test reads zero because either the test doesn't work, or the phosphate is getting sucked into the algae rather than the water.

 

[s_kelley]

So what exactly do chloramines do? I know they add them to our drinking water but I have no clue what they do to our reef tanks

 

[Jarob]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/index.php

Some say that chloramine acts as a fertilizer for the algae. Im unsure where my algae and phosphates are coming from though. My water is 0tds, perfect parameters, 20% water change weekly if not more than once a week, running carbon, running poly filter right now, skimming wet, very high flow. Ill try out GFO again, but I didn't care for it and felt it cause some tissue on one of my Acros to recede, even with a very very small starting amount (1 tbsp for 34gallons). I have 30+ sps frags and colonies which are all doing great too.

 

[s_kelley]

Hmm maybe ill add that chloramine filter from brs I been battling red hair algae