# Drip System - Chloramine Removal



## jimnevens (Nov 1, 2017)

This is my first post and I really appreciate your expertise and assistance.

I'm anticipating getting back into the hobby with African cichlids after having been out for a long time. Still very much in the planning stage. As I've been researching, I've been amazed at how far things have progressed and how little I know about these new developments.

So I thought it best to start with a very basic topic which will have a lot of design considerations.

I think I want to put in a DIY drip system but I can't find a definitive answer as to whether it's possible to remove chloramines on a low volume (perhaps 5 to 10 gallons per day) drip system by running the water through a typical three stage filter system (sediment and two carbon blocks or more if that's what it takes). I know my municipal water will come in at the max chloramine level and a PH around 7.6. And I don't think I want RO because I want to retain all of the minerals and other elements in the water.

Assuming the chloramines can be removed in this way, I would also appreciate any recommendations on the filter system and the filter cartridges. I'm thinking it would be helpful if the filter system had the capability to draw samples at each stage to test and determine when the cartridges need to be replaced.

My objective is to minimize water changes with a drip system, great filtration and an algae scrubber to remove nitrates and phosphates. Just getting too old to schlep water around.

Thanks.


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## Thalas_shaya (Mar 10, 2014)

I have a drip system and I managed my chloramine with a cheap dosing pump. It drips about 15 gal/day into my pump chamber of the sump on my 110. The dose pump drops about 2 mL per day of Prime into the pump chamber of my sump. I did have some trouble early on with my drip valve flow rate getting off and then my Prime dose was insufficient. Once I sorted it out (with a higher quality valve that kept flow steady) it's been a treat.

I have no experience getting rid of chloramine with filter setups, but I'm intrigued to hear more about it!


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## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

I to would love to know this as I'm about to get back in the game finally after settling into our new house and winter quickly approaching I can finally dedicate some time to get my 17x22 fish room up and running in the basement. How do make this sucker as efficient and automated as possible has been an ongoing research project for me. I'm pretty sure we get 8+ph from the tap and with the plan of having 15 29g fry tanks, 12 40g breeders, and 4 75g for larger species, I need to figure this out which would be the best way to do it. I've thought about even going the route of buying those large vertical water storage containers and running the drip system through them but I think the filter cartridges combined with a irrigation timer would be the way to go still.

Better question is would yall suggest to drill the tanks since I have a central drain and risk cracking a few or go the siphon route?


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## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

From doing research today on the filters that are capable of removing chloramines, im finding they break up the chlorine/ammonia compound and leave free ammonia intact in the water supply which is toxic to fish. Also, the chloramine exhausts the filter cartridges much quicker than chlorine causing you to have to replace the cartridges at a much faster pace than normal. If this is true, then going the dosing pump route may be the better option or even combine them as a fail safe. Any thoughts?


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## fishguy1978 (Aug 10, 2018)

The amount of ammonia left behind would be a non-issue. Did you set up a drip system? I have 13 tanks in my basement and want to save myself the time of doing manual water changes.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Man... memories. This post seriously has me missing my well water system that an old house I used to live in ran on. Water was around 7.8 in PH, and not - exactly - 'rock hard'. But, Mbuna and Tanganyika themed things plus my CA breeder tanks LOVED that water, man! EVERYTHING I had then was set up then to overflow.
Unfortunately, I moved.
And, still had drilled-out overflow type tanks. What to do? 
Well, honestly most of 'em got sold or just plugged up. But two of the larger tanks got set up and shared a 300 gallon (rain water collection) water reservoir. Yep. Gravity fed for the tanks, that plastic reservoir had an electric heater installed in it and everything. Would just fill that thing up with a python hose about every 5 -6 days or so after shutting off the add valve, then use Prime to de-chloramine my municipal sourced water and then fiddle with the add valve, ( fill adjustments depending on how aggressive I wanted to be with water changes that month).
But, hiding a 300 gallon reservoir to make it somewhat aesthetically/visibly pleasing for my living room was indeed a little challenging.  
But, it worked!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What was the pH of the rain water? Did you have to avoid run-off from the roof?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

NOT filled with rainwater!
I filled that plastic reservoir (originally made/intended to be as part of an outdoor sited, rain water collection system) every 5 - 6 days, with water supplied from the bathroom tap, by a Python hose. The boxy looking/rectangular reservoir had a large screw on-off cap top, that I just ran the end of the vinyl python hose down into. The tap water was de-chloramined during re-fills, with Prime. Plus, epsom salt and a little baking soda were added to harden up my city water.
-
That plastic reservoir was set on stacks of cinder blocks, and I had to hide it in my living room behind black fabric.... But, it worked great! 8)


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Ah. I will count my blessings with a well and no chlorine.


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