Ammonia in RO/DI

mark · #1 03-15-2006, 10:02 PM

Live in the NE and have zero NH3 in the tap, rodi output and tank water.

Few things from this thread.
-even if there was ammonia in the tap, thought the purpose of the ro/di unit was to filter everything harmful out
-the comment that the membrane is damaged by chlorine, the prefilters remove 100 % of the chlorine then
-Aquasafe recommends changing filters every 6 months, if they go past their life, do they block up or start passing stuff?

mr_alberta · #2 03-15-2006, 10:15 PM

They will do both. The used up carbon filters will allow more chemicals to pass and the sediment cartridge will plug up.

I'd test my water, but I don't own a test kit

Beverly · #3 03-15-2006, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_alberta

I'd test my water, but I don't own a test kit

Ack!! How can that be? I'll test your water if you bring samples over.

Rory,

Test it with the Hagen one and see what you get. Test both tapwater and RO water, if you wouldn't mind.

TheReefGeek · #4 03-15-2006, 11:03 PM

Will do. Might not be until tommorow night though.

mark · #5 03-15-2006, 11:49 PM

Using a Hagen NH3 test kit.

Increments from 0.0; 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2,...

Never been a fan of these colour matching tests (that's why I switched to Salifert for pH) but I read it as 0.0, maybe 0.1 but definitely not matching 0.3.

mark · #6 03-15-2006, 11:55 PM

If chlorine and ammonia bind to form chloramine, can the ammonia component still be accurately measured using a ammonia only test?

StirCrazy · #7 03-16-2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

If chlorine and ammonia bind to form chloramine, can the ammonia component still be accurately measured using a ammonia only test?

nope, well not by our test kits anyways.

Steve

Beverly · #8 03-15-2006, 10:18 PM

Mark,

Surprised that you don't get any ammonia readings from testing the tapwater. What kit are you using? I get about 1 ppp ammonia using an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kit. When I add Prime to tapwater, I get 0 ppm ammonia.

BTW, ammonia is definitely added to Edmonton's water. It is added to chlorine to make the disinfecting properties of chlorine longer lasting and more effective. The chlorine/ammonia compound is called chloramine. Chloramine has been in Edmonton's drinking water for quite awhile, longer than I have been reefkeeping since 1999.

Epcor's E.L. Smith Water Treatment Process, where it shows where in the water treatment process chlorine and ammonia are added ....

http://www.epcor.ca/Communities/Albe...eWTProcess.htm

2005 Monthly Water Quality Summary Reports, pick a month and look for Total Residual Chlorine. This is how Epcor reports chloramine, which isn't very useful to us as aquarists, but what are you gonna do....

http://www.epcor.ca/Customers/Commer...ry+Reports.htm

Epcor's Water Quality Glossary of Terms....

http://www.epcor.ca/Customers/Commer...tyGlossary.htm

Have just been on the phone with a guy from Epcor. He said chloramine, chlorine and ammonia are not listed as such, but to look for Chlorine, (Total Residual) in the Glossary of Terms page (above).