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Unread 03/08/2018, 12:32 AM   #1
ttop24
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Ammonia after RO/DI System.

Bought a new RO/DI from Bulk reef Supply. (BRS 6 Stage plus water saver W/ 2 DI resin chambers. I am running on a well. I have 147 tds tap water. 9 tds after prefilters. 0 tds after first resin cartridge and of course 0 tds after 2nd cartridge. this is my 3rd Ro/DI system because the first was a cheap one. the second one gave the ammonia reading in the R/O water So i bought the biggest badest RO/system I could find. its been running on a ro buddy pump at 60 psi for 3 hours and have made about 15 gallons. I have a .025 ammonia reading. Any help would be apreciated as my corals have been without a water change and the need it due to high nitrates in the tank.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 01:23 AM   #2
scuzy
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You probably didn't get a chloramine block. Chloramine is in your source water and that's why you have ammonia.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 02:14 AM   #3
ramseynb
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You probably didn't get a chloramine block. Chloramine is in your source water and that's why you have ammonia.


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+1 Gah, chloramines are such a PITA. It seems like more and more water sources are using them too.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 07:58 AM   #4
ttop24
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Even though im on well water and not city water?


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Unread 03/08/2018, 08:04 AM   #5
ramseynb
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Even though im on well water and not city water?


Then no, it’s not likely chloramines. I’m not too sure about well water and what you might possibly need to filter out of it. I would talk to Buckeye Hydro and see if you need a special filter. Is this right after the DI stage and before you add salt that you’re getting the ammonia reading? Is it possible to have a LFS doublecheck your test?


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Unread 03/08/2018, 08:16 AM   #6
nereefpat
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0.025ppm? I would count that as zero. How are you testing for ammonia?


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Unread 03/08/2018, 08:25 AM   #7
mcgyvr
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Testing error IMO..

I want to assume API test kit and that they meant .25 but we can wait for the answer to nereefpats question..

and have you tested your tap water for ammonia too? (prior to filtration?)


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Unread 03/08/2018, 09:31 AM   #8
Zalick
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You should not have ammonia in your well water unless you are on a farm with excessive fertilizers or animal waste. Are you rural? On a farm? Nearby farm?

Second point: The filter ratings are extremely important. The "unit" is not as important as the filters. Not all filters are created equal. .5 micron absolute is different than .5 micron nominal. You want to make sure your filters are absolute rated.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 09:46 AM   #9
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Where are you storing your water.

I would check your water directly. Let it drip into the test tube.

Then check the water in the container after it’s been sitting for a while.

A few people have reported ammonia in water from their holding containers, do a search for the threads. I don’t know if anyone ever figured it out.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 10:50 AM   #10
ttop24
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I do live near a farm but im up hill from it. I only get nitrates out of the tap. I get .25 ammonia strait from R/O unit. I get between 5.0 and 1.0 from Brute trash can when full. Afraid to use the water even if I add prime. 1 micron R/Osave.Z sediment filter, 2 x 1 Micron Universal Carbon block, 2 x 75 gpd dow filmtech RO membrane, 2 x dual color changing DI Resin. the filters came from bulk reef supply with the unit.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 11:54 AM   #11
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Yeah that sounds like the same problem other people have had.

Did you find the threads?


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[QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE]

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Unread 03/08/2018, 12:26 PM   #12
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Ever washed the brute cans out?
Keep them tightly covered?


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Unread 03/08/2018, 12:36 PM   #13
Zalick
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ttop24 View Post
I do live near a farm but im up hill from it. I only get nitrates out of the tap. I get .25 ammonia strait from R/O unit. I get between 5.0 and 1.0 from Brute trash can when full. Afraid to use the water even if I add prime. 1 micron R/Osave.Z sediment filter, 2 x 1 Micron Universal Carbon block, 2 x 75 gpd dow filmtech RO membrane, 2 x dual color changing DI Resin. the filters came from bulk reef supply with the unit.
Something doesn't seem to add up. I don't understand why the RO unit would produce ammonia if you are getting zero readings from the tap. Unless maybe your DI is saturated and releasing ammonia back in?

We need some of the water experts to chime in: BuckeyeHydro, Spectrapure, AZDesertrat.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 02:50 PM   #14
ttop24
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It is a new RO DI installed last night. resin should not be depleated or I need to quit this hobby. I rinsed yhe brute out when i got it


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Unread 03/08/2018, 02:58 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by ttop24 View Post
I rinsed yhe brute out when i got it
And when did you get it? 3 years ago? 3 days?

Also do you keep it covered?

Did you ever answer what product you are using for ammonia testing either?
API test kit? something else? what?

Did you test your well water for ammonia?

We are trying to help and the answers to ALL the questions are necessary for us to do so.. Not just a few of them.. ALL questions.. Each one could hold the clue to the answer..


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Unread 03/08/2018, 03:03 PM   #16
ttop24
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I did test for chlorimines and chlorine with none present


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Unread 03/08/2018, 03:18 PM   #17
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So your tap has no ammonia?


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[QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE]

Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump
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Unread 03/08/2018, 03:31 PM   #18
ttop24
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nope. no ammonia


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Unread 03/08/2018, 04:15 PM   #19
Zalick
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Originally Posted by ttop24 View Post
nope. no ammonia
You should post a new question in the reef chemistry forum using the information and answers from this thread.

Either your test kit is wrong, or there is a substance making it through the RO membrane and resin that is breaking down to ammonia. I'm no chemist, so I'm at a loss.


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Unread 03/08/2018, 04:19 PM   #20
mcgyvr
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I did test for chlorimines and chlorine with none present
And the rest of the answers to the questions I asked are???


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Unread 03/09/2018, 09:32 PM   #21
ttop24
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problem has been solved. 3 bad test kits later.......no ammonia. and yes they were api as these were the only test kits available to me


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Unread 03/09/2018, 10:09 PM   #22
Zalick
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problem has been solved. 3 bad test kits later.......no ammonia. and yes they were api as these were the only test kits available to me
glad you got it sorted!


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Unread 03/20/2018, 05:43 AM   #23
Buckeye Hydro
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Originally Posted by Zalick View Post
Second point: The filter ratings are extremely important. The "unit" is not as important as the filters. Not all filters are created equal. .5 micron absolute is different than .5 micron nominal.
Agreed. I'm with you. But then you said...

Quote:
You want to make sure your filters are absolute rated.
We'll respectfully disagree with your here. Absolute rated filters ARE critical in some applications.... these reefing RODI's are not one of these.

Russ


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Unread 03/20/2018, 07:10 AM   #24
nereefpat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ttop24 View Post
problem has been solved. 3 bad test kits later.......no ammonia. and yes they were api as these were the only test kits available to me
Which is why I asked you this...
Quote:
Originally Posted by nereefpat View Post
0.025ppm? I would count that as zero. How are you testing for ammonia?
in post #6


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