# Filter for removing Chloramine



## gre (Mar 12, 2007)

The city started using Chloramine in the water supply, has anyone run across a filter system that will remove the Chloramine from the water? I know of the additives like Prime that are available. I am wanting to hook up a automatic water changing system and am looking for a filter system if available to filter out the Chloramine. thanks


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

A Reverse Osmosis unit should do it.
hth,


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

I have a RO/DI system and it works well for removing the chloramine from the water


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## fancy diver (Mar 21, 2009)

wouldn't carbon take out chemicals like that? I was under the impression that chlorine also evaporates w/ good aeration.


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

ubnoxus said:


> I have a RO/DI system and it works well for removing the chloramine from the water


Great for discus. For the rest of fish it will make an Auto top off a bad system. RO/DI water lacks almost all mineral content, thus it isn't ideal for the "rest" of fish.

I wouldn't use it on a top off system on anything other than Discus or a saltwater tank(only as top off, not auto waterchange).


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

fancy diver said:


> wouldn't carbon take out chemicals like that? I was under the impression that chlorine also evaporates w/ good aeration.


Carbon doesn't absorb chlorine but chlorine does evaporate, eventually, I'm not really sure how fast.
Here we are dealing with chloramine so it will not dissipate.

The ammonia and chlorine bond is strong and doesn't just go away.
Hence the problem the OP is dealing with.

As for a solution, I would go RO.
If not you would have to build a drip system for a dechloraminator!


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## fancy diver (Mar 21, 2009)

good to know fishy. thanks.


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

under_control said:


> ubnoxus said:
> 
> 
> > I have a RO/DI system and it works well for removing the chloramine from the water
> ...


The little it will top off won't be affected by the lack of minerals. When he would do a water change he can add it back in. Mine I have setup at each tank with a auto add system of x amount of the minerals for each tank.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

smellsfishy1 said:


> fancy diver said:
> 
> 
> > wouldn't carbon take out chemicals like that? I was under the impression that chlorine also evaporates w/ good aeration.
> ...


Water filters with carbon elements remove chlorine. I have tested the water to be sure.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

BillD said:


> Water filters with carbon elements remove chlorine. I have tested the water to be sure.


 and chlorine/chloramine can kill an ro membrane fast, so constant replacement of that carbon filtration is necessary.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I thought *fancy diver* was writing about the carbon being used in the aquarium filter.
I would think chlorine will dissipate before the carbon in your filter will absorb it.
Especially if the water coming into the tank is shooting in there violently.

You are definitely correct*BillD*, I use a carbon insert in my in-line filter for my tap water and it does remove chlorine.
Good catch, my mistake. :thumb:

We should also consider how effective the carbon is as it absorbs many other impurities over time. 
It may be exhausted at that point, depending on how long it has been in use.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

But the OP is dealing with Chloramine. It will not off-gas like regular chlorine will.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

After a little bit of research I found that in case of chloramine, a special type of carbon called "Catalytic" Activated Carbon can break the chlorine/ammonia bond, absorbing the chlorine but still leaves free ammonia in the system only detoxified into ammonia.

This is unlike Prime or Amquel that detox the ammonia into ammonium.
The ammonium is then converted by the bio-filter.

How much of the chlorine is removed is highly dependent on flow rate.
In this case slow flow rate will give optimal absorbing results.
Not to mention the carbon becomes exhausted rather quickly.


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## frank1rizzo (Mar 14, 2005)

Would just adding a dash of Cloram-X every time you feed the fish work?


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

There is lots of talk about chlorine disipating. but only onwe mention of it reacting. When you add chlorinated water to an existing aqyuarium, the chlorine in the water reacts pretty much instantly with organics in the water. A test would show no chlorine present. However. it did not dissipate, it reacted with dissolved organics. As far as chloramine goes, it needs to react with the same organics in similar fashion to be effective as an antibacterial agent. So, I would think that with chloramine, which is used to contain the chlorine until delivery, a similar reaction would take place, where the chlorine would react leaving the ammonia to be handled by the filtration. From what I have seen, the amount of ammonia relative to the chlorine is small.


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