# Carbon filter for water changes



## kitana8 (Jan 20, 2010)

I am on my way to build a small carbon filter that I can use only for water changes and I was wondering if somebody here had already tried it. Basically, I want to run the water from a hose, into this unit, tbefore sending the water into the tank. The goal is to remove all chlorine and especially chloramine before water enter the tank.

My initial idea is to use a piece of PVC pipe with 2 connections for water hose, in which I could place my activated carbon. I would silicone a piece of nylon mosquito screen to both entrances so the small particules of carbon can't go out of the unit.

What do you think? is there any better way to do it? Thanks!


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I put one in and it's great. I use it for all the water in the house. Makes a big diff when you shower or make coffee or tea. One carbon cartridge lasts up to six months in a house with seven people two dogs, many fish tanks... It never stops taking out the chlorine/chloramine and metals, just starts to cut down on water flow and it's time for a new one.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

I think what Mcdaphnia is referencing is a "Whole House Filter" with a carbon cartridge. They can be purchased for around $30 at Wal-mart, although you can buy much higher end equipment (that does much more) that will cost in the hundreds of dollars.

I think you are referencing something very similar to below.









I don't use any type of mesh. I just use plain ole blue bonded padding and filter floss on either end of the tube to hold the chemical media in place.

The above pic is not of a device specifically to remove chlorine (although it could be used for that). It was constructed to remove ammonia (chloramine) or nitrate from tap water by prefiltering the water in an aging container (through this device containing the appropriate chemical media). But it can easily be filled with carbon, connected inline with a python, and be used to remove chlorine during tank fills.


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

Been using this for a couple of years. did not buy any dechlor for a year. 1 1/2 spa flex packed with pelletized activated carbon. 25ft long. worked good untill they switched me from chlorine to chloramines. On the day of the swich I did a 80% w/c on a polyodon tank and almost lost $1,000.00 worth of fish. I still use it but now but add sodium thiosulfate. Going to build a 50 or 75 ft and see if it can handle the chloramines. Maybe slow the flow.


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

For the screens I cut disks out of plastic canvas. Put about 4-5 togeather and put 3-4 tie wraps thru and pulled tight. makes a nice little maze about 1/4" thick. Worked for pellets but no good for granulated. Going to try granulated on the next carbon snaked. Bet that will catch some chloramines. Don't know about back pressure though.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

for the price of cannisters, it really isn't worth the effort to build one. I bought some GE cannisters at HD for $5. Carbon cartridges are about $18 for 2.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Did they stop shipping Prime to your area?
No AmQuel either?


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Carbon will remove more than chlorine from the water, things that Prime and Amquel have no effect on, such as various toxic chemicals and drug residues.


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

@krfhsf Petrochromis Polyodon or actual paddle fish??


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

KaiserSousay said:


> Did they stop shipping Prime to your area?
> No AmQuel either?


Nope they sell it down here. I just would rather keep my money in my pocket.


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

danielratti said:


> @krfhsf Petrochromis Polyodon or actual paddle fish??


Petrochromis polyodon.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

BillD said:


> Carbon will remove more than chlorine from the water, things that Prime and Amquel have no effect on, such as various toxic chemicals and drug residues.


Sorry for your poor water quality.
Sorry for our poor water quality as well.
Who would have thought, as little as 10 years ago, we would need to protect ourselves from the water provided us by our local municipality.
If you are on a well and your water is full of toxins, somebody put them there and should be held accountable.
As to the carbon trap, I would have to agree, that you could buy an off the shelf, spin-on cartridge filter system that would out perform a homemade unit for close to the same cost. It would give you the adaptability of using various cartridges to meet your specific needs. Service would be quite easy as well.
For myself, the few dollars I spend on a quality dechlorinator is money well spent.
$0.02


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## RDTigger (Jul 4, 2009)

krfhsf said:


> KaiserSousay said:
> 
> 
> > Did they stop shipping Prime to your area?
> ...


Prime is pretty cost effective...$10 500mL=5,000Gallons

Unless you are doing water changes on a POOL, that is pretty good.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

My homemade dechlor costs $4 for 20,000 gallons. The chlorine level (from the tap) here is about 3 times what you keep a swimming pool at (~4ppm). Even at that, if you add chlorinated water to tank water in a 50/50 mix, the chlorine will be gone within minutes, as it oxidizes organics pretty much instantly. I would imagine chloramine would behave in a similar fashion to be effective. 
Up until they raised the chlorine levels I did not use dechlor for water changes up to 50%


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

KaiserSousay said:


> BillD said:
> 
> 
> > Carbon will remove more than chlorine from the water, things that Prime and Amquel have no effect on, such as various toxic chemicals and drug residues.
> ...


IMO the longer pass out performs the cartridge designed for drawing 1 cup of drinking water at a time. I don't know about ya'll but every glass of water I drink goes thru carbon so why not do this for your fish? I change the carbon every 6 months. But like I said chloramines get thru the 15 footer. Everybody will be dealing with chloramines soon by federal law so get a plan ready.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

krfhsf said:


> KaiserSousay said:
> 
> 
> > BillD said:
> ...


How do you know that federal law will be mandating this?
Do you know that chloramine is more expensive than chlorine?
It is very unlikely that the fed would be willing to split the tab to ensure that every treatment plant across America is using chloramine.
I just can't see this happening but who knows.

I would also like to add that not every region has poor water.
It depends on the geography of the region and what is going on underground where the water is.
Here in northeastern Ohio we only have to deal with chlorine and pretty low levels of it.
I could probably get away with not using dechlor on anything under 50% w/c's.
I just let the water splash against the tank on its way in and leave the lids open.
Typically I use a little bit of dechlor but much less than what is suggested.


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## newfisher (Dec 20, 2008)

BillD said:


> The chlorine level (from the tap) here is about 3 times what you keep a swimming pool at (~4ppm). Even at that, if you add chlorinated water to tank water in a 50/50 mix, the chlorine will be gone within minutes, as it oxidizes organics pretty much instantly.


Yikes! Are you experiencing 12 mg/L residual chlorine?? You must be located right next to the water treatment plant.

The WHO recommends a minimum 0.2 mg/L and maximum 5 mg/L residual chlorine. Most municipalities target 0.4 mg/L at end-of-line to ensure adequate disinfection throughout their distribution systems. Taste threshold is ~2 mg/L, although I'm on a well and can detect as low as ~0.3 mg/L when I drink city water.

If your residual chlorine is as high as you think it is, it may be prudent to contact your municipality with the aim to have it reduced a bit. Or perhaps your chlorine test kit is wrong?

By the way, chlorimines are used because they last longer (don't oxidise as quickly) and are much less likely to generate THM's in waters with high organic content.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

kmuda said:


> I think what Mcdaphnia is referencing is a "Whole House Filter" with a carbon cartridge. They can be purchased for around $30 at Wal-mart, although you can buy much higher end equipment (that does much more) that will cost in the hundreds of dollars.....


 Just the carbon filter cartridge in mine costs $30. I forget how much the housing cost but it was over $100 by quite a bit. And well worth it.


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

smellsfishy1 said:


> krfhsf said:
> 
> 
> > KaiserSousay said:
> ...


I stand corrected. The Fed's mandated that the by-products(trihalomethanes) from the chlorinazation prossess had to be reduced by 2012. The end result is water company's across the country switched to chloramines.

http://www.chloramine.org/chloraminefacts.htm


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

This but 50ft-75ft long.

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/c ... rbon-Snake


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