Chloramine Monster

[ReefHunter006]

The chloramine monster seems kinda expensive for what “I think” is just a large carbon block.

Worth noting my municipality has been using chloramines as their primary disinfectant since 2024 and my 2 year old membrane still shows zeros across the board on ICP-OES.

Is there any reason I can just use a couple old brs reactors and stick two carbon blocks in them to achieve the same results as a $300 choramine monster?

 

[Jonify]

I think two DI canisters would be more effective. That's BRS' recommendations for chloramines.

 

[ReefHunter006]

I think two DI canisters would be more effective. That's BRS' recommendations for chloramines.

Two cation/anion canisters?

 

[Jonify]

Two cation/anion canisters?

Yes. You can do it with one canister for each, or 2 canisters for both. The typical BRS DI or similar can handle them both. You just want 2.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Yes. You can do it with one canister for each, or 2 canisters for both. The typical BRS DI or similar can handle them both. You just want 2.

I am pretty sure chloramines and chlorine really do a number on DI resins thats why they come after the carbon block on the units.. Mind proving me wrong with a link to where BRS recommends this, because I didn't see it on the chloramine page of their site.

 

[Jonify]

I am pretty sure chloramines and chlorine really do a number on DI resins thats why they come after the carbon block on the units.. Mind proving me wrong with a link to where BRS recommends this, because I didn't see it on the chloramine page of their site.

Sure! here you go. Carbon blocks remove the bulk, 2 blocks are best. DI Resins delete the rest, but as you noted, Di is depleted quickly, and they need to be replaced regularly. For city water with high chloramines, you want an RO/DO that has 2 carbon stages and 2 DI stages. Replaced regularly. 6-stage RO/DI at minimum. Also, city water supplies don't use chloramines all the time. Usually just for periods. You can grab the water reports from your city and adjust accordingly. In DC, they use chlromaines for a couple months each year in the Spring. I track that and change my RO/DI accordingly.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Sure! here you go. Carbon blocks remove the bulk, 2 blocks are best. DI Resins delete the rest, but as you noted, Di is depleted quickly, and they need to be replaced regularly. For city water with high chloramines, you want an RO/DO that has 2 carbon stages and 2 DI stages. Replaced regularly. 6-stage RO/DI at minimum. Also, city water supplies don't use chloramines all the time. Usually just for periods. You can grab the water reports from your city and adjust accordingly. In DC, they use chlromaines for a couple months each year in the Spring. I track that and change my RO/DI accordingly.

Thanks for that, agreed with what that page says, but that is different than running a chloramine monster before the rodi unit.

I currently run the 6 stage, I actually run two of them at 300gpd.

The di resin doesn't go before the carbon block in this instance of a six stage.

My question is does running a dual canister before the RODI mimic running an expensive chloramine monster. The goal of the chloramine monster is to trap that stuff before it enters the membrane or di resins. Their page doesn't allude to it being anything other than a large carbon block.

I suspect it might even save some di resin after the membranes.

 

[Jonify]

Thanks for that, agreed with what that page says, but that is different than running a chloramine monster before the rodi unit.

I currently run the 6 stage, I actually run two of them at 300gpd.

The di resin doesn't go before the carbon block in this instance of a six stage.

My question is does running a dual canister before the RODI mimic running an expensive chloramine monster. The goal of the chloramine monster is to trap that stuff before it enters the membrane or di resins. Their page doesn't allude to it being anything other than a large carbon block.

I suspect it might even save some di resin after the membranes.

Thanks for that, agreed with what that page says, but that is different than running a chloramine monster before the rodi unit.

I currently run the 6 stage, I actually run two of them at 300gpd.

The di resin doesn't go before the carbon block in this instance of a six stage.

My question is does running a dual canister before the RODI mimic running an expensive chloramine monster. The goal of the chloramine monster is to trap that stuff before it enters the membrane or di resins. Their page doesn't allude to it being anything other than a large carbon block.

I suspect it might even save some di resin after the membranes

I think at 300 gpd, you're good with that. If you're running 2 carbon blocks before your DI, and then running 2 DI, you're good. Nothing is gonna get through. Even if you're only running 1 DI, you're probably still good, just need to replace the DI more frequently. Your DI is your last line of defense. It catches and binds up everything, until it can't. Even still, I've seen reefs thrive with less.

 

[ReefHunter006]

I think at 300 gpd, you're good with that. If you're running 2 carbon blocks before your DI, and then running 2 DI, you're good. Nothing is gonna get through. Even if you're only running 1 DI, you're probably still good, just need to replace the DI more frequently. Your DI is your last line of defense. It catches and binds up everything, until it can't. Even still, I've seen reefs thrive with less.

Thank you for the responses, but that is not the question I am trying to answer.

I am looking to determine if a brs dual reactor with two regular 10” carbon blocks would be the same as running the 2’ chloramine monster reactor from brs or if the chloramine monster isn't doing something that the carbon blocks in a dual reactor cant do.

 

[KStatefan]

Thank you for the responses, but that is not the question I am trying to answer.

I am looking to determine if a brs dual reactor with two regular 10” carbon blocks would be the same as running the 2’ chloramine monster reactor from brs or if the chloramine monster isn't doing something that the carbon blocks in a dual reactor cant do.

Look at the specs for the carbon blocks. I doubt two 2.5" x 10" blocks would have more capacity than a 4.5" x 20" block

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Before opting for anything special, I’d use a normal
Carbon block and see if any chlorine/chloramine gets through with a simple chlorine test. In many cases we found they are adequate and nothing special was needed.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I installed the chloromine monster, and it completely solved my issue. I had two 5 Micron Carbon Filters, then two 1-micron carbon blocks. It was still getting through with those. I was burning through RO Membranes and Resin. The cost of that filter has made it up over the years in saved filters and DI.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Before opting for anything special, I’d use a normal
Carbon block and see if any chlorine/chloramine gets through with a simple chlorine test. In many cases we found they are adequate and nothing special was needed.

You mean a single carbon block in its own reactor and just run tap through it?

I already know my current system isn't letting any chlorine through because the test strips come back negative. I am strictly looking at optimisation. Unless chlorine strips dont test for chloramines.

If adding a carbon blocks, which I am assuming is all that a choramine monster is, increases life and efficiency then I have an extra reactor laying around that I can throw in some blocks.

 

[ReefHunter006]

These are my test strips

Looks zero to me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You mean a single carbon block in its own reactor and just run tap through it?

I already know my current system isn't letting any chlorine through because the test strips come back negative. I am strictly looking at optimisation. Unless chlorine strips dont test for chloramines.

If adding a carbon blocks, which I am assuming is all that a choramine monster is, increases life and efficiency then I have an extra reactor laying around that I can throw in some blocks.

I mean a normal ro/di with a normal carbon block. :)

The idea that a chloramine specific block reduces di usage is decreased would only apply if the to membrane was otherwise failing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I installed the chloromine monster, and it completely solved my issue. I had two 5 Micron Carbon Filters, then two 1-micron carbon blocks. It was still getting through with those. I was burning through RO Membranes and Resin. The cost of that filter has made it up over the years in saved filters and DI.

I don’t see any reason that a carbon block of any type will noticeably increase or decrease di lifetime.

It certainly could prevent degradation of an ro membrane if it otherwise experienced significant chlorine or chloramine.

 

[ReefHunter006]

I don’t see any reason that a carbon block of any type will noticeably increase or decrease di lifetime.

It certainly could prevent degradation of an ro membrane if it otherwise experienced significant chlorine or chloramine.

Thanks I will check the output right after the carbon block.

 

[Submerge]

I believe to answer your original question, no standard carbon filters are not as effective at chloramines specifically, catalytic carbon breaks down chloramines like GAC works on chlorine. Standard GAC filters need a very long dwell time to get to chloramines, and we cannot guarantee that with typical usage. I assume that is what is in the product you mention but I am not certain never used it. I use Matrikx in a standard 10" filter. So yes, this in front of your DI resin I think would work. I use it with freshwater on an auto water change system and it gets the chloramines the standard whole house carbon I use lets by. Most of the year it is not an issue, but it seems like whenever there is an issue with a well my city dumps in chloramines and we learn about it after the fact. No bueno to not catch those.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I don’t see any reason that a carbon block of any type will noticeably increase or decrease di lifetime.

It certainly could prevent degradation of an ro membrane if it otherwise experienced significant chlorine or chloramine.

Chloramines were getting past two 5 Micron Carbon Filters and two 1 Micron Carbon Filters. And yes, they ate up my RO Membranes very quickly. Once I added the Chloramine Monster filter, it solved my issues, and I have since saved money over the years in not having to replace the RO Membranes and DI resin as frequently.

I installed that almost 3 years ago and have not needed to change it out.

 

[Submerge]

Chloramines were getting past two 5 Micron Carbon Filters and two 1 Micron Carbon Filters. And yes, they ate up my RO Membranes very quickly. Once I added the Chloramine Monster filter, it solved my issues, and I have since saved money over the years in not having to replace the RO Membranes and DI resin as frequently.

I installed that almost 3 years ago and have not needed to change it out.

My experience with chloramines has been similar. GAC does not stop them, and yes you can test for them making it past the carbon. I've got test strips here that have separate blocks for Chlorine, Chloramine, free chlorine and total chlorine. As if it's not complex enough.