Pristine water quality for ultimate SPS (and coral) health?

[drawman]

@SeaDweller and others has anyone noticed a major pressure drop after installing this. I did this a couple years ago and the pressure doesn't read anymore. I'm also running the BB canister on its side so this may be an issue.

How often are you replacing this filter? I've been doing it about every year I wonder if that's too long.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I would think installing it before your rodi system will help boost the life of your pre and carbon filters. I read these last a long time because the carbon can get used up and it will still work to stop chloramines even when the carbon can’t absorb anything from the water.
I am scared to add one of these because I had to service a coffee shop that had one of these filters break and the carbon released into the system clogging every plumbing fixture they had. Probably not a common thing. All they are is a blue chamber with fine carbon stuffed in it. I would think just buying a big filter and putting carbon in it yourself would do the same work.

 

[drawman]

I would think installing it before your rodi system will help boost the life of your pre and carbon filters. I read these last a long time because the carbon can get used up and it will still work to stop chloramines even when the carbon can’t absorb anything from the water.
I am scared to add one of these because I had to service a coffee shop that had one of these filters break and the carbon released into the system clogging every plumbing fixture they had. Probably not a common thing. All they are is a blue chamber with fine carbon stuffed in it. I would think just buying a big filter and putting carbon in it yourself would do the same work.

I actually just use a big carbon block in mine. I get mine from Buckeye-Hydro so the cost is better.

 

[t5Nitro]

I just checked my water supply co. website and they mention online they use chloramines. The BRS chloramine monster doesn't seem too unreasonably priced given they provide you the filter, cannister and all the fittings ready to go. @SeaDweller you still using this thing right before the membranes? Not saying this is why my tank doesn't thrive but who knows!

 

[SeaDweller]

I just checked my water supply co. website and they mention online they use chloramines. The BRS chloramine monster doesn't seem too unreasonably priced given they provide you the filter, cannister and all the fittings ready to go. @SeaDweller you still using this thing right before the membranes? Not saying this is why my tank doesn't thrive but who knows!

In November it’ll be a year since I’ve ran it. I run it right before the membranes, iirc. I think if you had chloramines, your SPS would be dead. I would rather not take the chance anymore, so spending $130/year- year and a half on the cartridge is a no brainer for me

 

[t5Nitro]

In November it’ll be a year since I’ve ran it. I run it right before the membranes, iirc. I think if you had chloramines, your SPS would be dead. I would rather not take the chance anymore, so spending $130/year- year and a half on the cartridge is a no brainer for me

My SPS are dead/do die easily. I have 1 that is doing pretty well and keep my fingers crossed for it daily. I also have a newer tank so there are confounding factors, but it's just strange and mysterious STN that occurs in just about all of them that I add that I started pointing fingers at the dry startup with bottled bacteria that I did this time around. Maybe it's the water.

The watsr co even has a FAQs page to say if using for aquariums the chloramine should be removed. And you were mentioning our routine 2 stage carbon blocks following sediment are exhausted very early without this dedicated chloramine filter? You're still burning through the carbon blocks then but a frequent change every 4mo is your recommendation?

The hobby took my money again!

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I think the problems I am having in my system are from me forgetting to change the filters. I am thinking about getting a big blue filter now. I am curious if anyone has had one in use for a long time without changing it? Randy says it will kill chloramines even when the carbon is used up. Sounds way cheaper than buying the 20 dollar individual filters. But even then I would still change it every year or two so it doesn’t break down and release carbon from the filter.

 

[t5Nitro]

Yeah I'm likely going to place an order for their chloramine monster. It comes all prefitted plug and play with the cartridge. You guys influenced me. Maybe it won't have any positive impact on my tank. Or maybe it will and ill be gladly surprised! Do we still want to run the same filters prior? 1 sediment followed with 2 carbon blocks?

 

[t5Nitro]

I'm going to replace my pre-filters while I'm at it. I think the defaulted filters from my BRS kit includes 1 micron sediment and 1 micron carbon blocks x2.

Comparatively spectrapures basic 5 stage unit comes with 0.5 micron prefilters. Any experts with recommendations on the prefilter selection? These are what I'm looking at unless I go with the BRS 1 micron.

Sediment

SpectraPure® MicroTec Sediment Filter Cartridge - 0.5 Micron 10" - SF-

SpectraPure‚ MicroTec Sediment Pre-filters are high efficiency depth gradient density filter cartridges with almost absolute micron ratings. Get the PUREST water every time with SpectraPure‚!

spectrapure.com

Carbon

0.5 Micron Carbon Block Filter 10" - CF-0.5-10

FEATURES:• Available in 10 inch and 20 inch sizes• Remove chlorine, organics, taste & odor• Excellent service life• No channeling or bypassing of fluids• Meet NSF Standards.• 0.5 μm carbon block filters remove trihalomethanes, low levels of chloramine,pesticides, volatile organic chemicals and...

spectrapure.com

Are these what I'm wanting? Then ill have the chloramine buster after the prefilters. Insight appreciated!

 

[t5Nitro]

Bump. Anyone have any recs on the 0.5 vs 1 micron prefilters? Should we use all of one or a combination or doesn't really matter?

 

[SeaDweller]

@SeaDweller and others has anyone noticed a major pressure drop after installing this. I did this a couple years ago and the pressure doesn't read anymore. I'm also running the BB canister on its side so this may be an issue.

How often are you replacing this filter? I've been doing it about every year I wonder if that's too long.

I haven't noticed any drop in pressure in my system. I get 80 psi without a booster anyway.
I'm thinking that I will replace mine at the 1 year mark, maybe 1.5 at latest? 1 year seems like a good stopping point for me since I run drinking water thru the system too.

The watsr co even has a FAQs page to say if using for aquariums the chloramine should be removed. And you were mentioning our routine 2 stage carbon blocks following sediment are exhausted very early without this dedicated chloramine filter? You're still burning through the carbon blocks then but a frequent change every 4mo is your recommendation?

The hobby took my money again!

My carbon blocks were exhausted because my ASO valve wasn't shutting off the system properly when I hooked up my system according to BRS directions (I have drinking water tank on mine, so I used a ball valve as they suggested to cut off the DI, but for some reason it never created enough pressure to turn the system off). I didn't realize my RODI unit was running 24/7 during that time, and essentially I was pumping in poorly filtered water into my ATO.

I change them out every 4 months religiously just because I don't want to have issues with my tank. I rebooted with very clean water and I like to make sure source water isn't an issue for me in my tank (and hasn't been). @Coral Euphoria changes his filters out monthly I think; so he's even more paranoid than me. All in all, the prefilter schedule and the chloramine block are things I'd attribute to this tank being more successful than the version right before it.

Again, this is all because my city's water is treated with chloramines, so perhaps if I was on a different water supply, I wouldn't need it?

 

[drawman]

Horizontally here.

I haven't noticed any drop in pressure in my system. I get 80 psi without a booster anyway.
I'm thinking that I will replace mine at the 1 year mark, maybe 1.5 at latest? 1 year seems like a good stopping point for me since I run drinking water thru the system too.


My carbon blocks were exhausted because my ASO valve wasn't shutting off the system properly when I hooked up my system according to BRS directions (I have drinking water tank on mine, so I used a ball valve as they suggested to cut off the DI, but for some reason it never created enough pressure to turn the system off). I didn't realize my RODI unit was running 24/7 during that time, and essentially I was pumping in poorly filtered water into my ATO.

I change them out every 4 months religiously just because I don't want to have issues with my tank. I rebooted with very clean water and I like to make sure source water isn't an issue for me in my tank (and hasn't been). @Coral Euphoria changes his filters out monthly I think; so he's even more paranoid than me. All in all, the prefilter schedule and the chloramine block are things I'd attribute to this tank being more successful than the version right before it.

Again, this is all because my city's water is treated with chloramines, so perhaps if I was on a different water supply, I wouldn't need it?

I feel like 1 year is a good number to start with. I ended up buying a Hannah checker to test for Chlorine so eventually I can tell if some is getting through. Scratch my previous comment on the pressure drop I had a bad pressure gauge that I've chosen not to replace for now.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Does anyone have any observational comments regarding their tanks before and after adding a chloramine filter??