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Does anyone know if bamboo charcoal filters blocks are an effective way to remove Chloramine from water in your aquaponic system? I have read that bamboo charcoal filter blocks can absorb many contaminents in water.

http://www.ethicalcommunity.com/eco-shop/accessories/bamboo-charcoa...

http://www.divinecaroline.com/22156/98853-use-bamboo-charcoal-water...

What experience do you have using this method or what do you think about using this to remove Chloramine?

Regards,
Bob

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Hey Bob,

Chloramine was a good idea when people were stupid but it has to go away.  For chlorine you can use the old fashioned method called "wait" or use Tamsco Zip Drops to neutralize it.  Then there is the ammonia that should be left.  If you are fishless cycling then this is good so long as it's not too high.  So if you need to reduce the amount of ammonia without an active colony of beneficial bacteria then you can use activated charcoal in a filter for a few days.  Too much ammonia will actually prevent a BB colony from starting.

When I start a system I just wait and monitor the chlorine and ammonia in the pond.  Eventually the chlorine will off gas out of the water.  Once that is not noticeable I can begin cycling a system with a grow bed and beneficial bacteria breeder colonies.  If you put those in too early the chlorine will shock it back to dead.  So make sure you get a chlorine test kit to really be sure you have the chlorine removed before you start cycling.  You should always have slight traces of ammonia in your system anyway to keep your BB colony breeding.  Active aeration helps to remove the excess chlorine.

Luckily most activated charcoal that can be purchased is actually made from renewable bamboo and coconut husks and it all tends to work the same.  Be careful of paying more for something because of marketing aspects when simple activated charcoal will do the job nicely.

Hope this helps

Activated charcoal WILL NOT remove ammonia... it's an old wives tale...

Hello Bob, Wes here, where I live they use chloramine in our water to kill the germs aka bacteria. I did some research on this chemical and it stays in the water longer and is very hard to get rid of unlike chorine which will burn off in a day or so in the sun esp if you aerate the water. If you feel that chloramine is an issue you can do what I did to resolve the problem. I bought this filter for my system that fits on your garden hose and gets rid of the evil nasty’s in the water. I even purchased a test kit for chloramine's to make sure the filter did what is said it would and so far it does. Here is the link for the filter if you interested. I am only suggesting this I make no money off this ideal I am just sharing with you what I did to get around the chloramine issue for me. I also worked my system this way, I used almost all rain water for the initial start up and only use this filter for topping off the system each week.

 

http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/pond-fresh/pond-fresh-products...

Wes,

Thanks for the link and tip. 

wes said:

Hello Bob, Wes here, where I live they use chloramine in our water to kill the germs aka bacteria. I did some research on this chemical and it stays in the water longer and is very hard to get rid of unlike chorine which will burn off in a day or so in the sun esp if you aerate the water. If you feel that chloramine is an issue you can do what I did to resolve the problem. I bought this filter for my system that fits on your garden hose and gets rid of the evil nasty’s in the water. I even purchased a test kit for chloramine's to make sure the filter did what is said it would and so far it does. Here is the link for the filter if you interested. I am only suggesting this I make no money off this ideal I am just sharing with you what I did to get around the chloramine issue for me. I also worked my system this way, I used almost all rain water for the initial start up and only use this filter for topping off the system each week.

 

http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/pond-fresh/pond-fresh-products...

Actually it will. But just running water over it wont do any good.



RupertofOZ said:

Activated charcoal WILL NOT remove ammonia... it's an old wives tale...

No it wont.... activated charcoal can act as a media surface which will allow for nitrification of the ammonia.... but the charcoal itself will not remove the ammonia....

 

And I don't understand the "running water over it".... how do you filter your water by activated charcoal... if you don't run the water over it...???

Yes you are correct. I  use a custom slow sift filter to remove chloramine.  The water needs to stay in contact with th AC for longer periods in order to work.  A lot of people will put it in a net sock and just "run water over it." Thats useless. 

yes my filter is designed as a bio filter.  it doesnt produce water very fast but it is clean when it comes out. so again your are correct. so AC can be used as a chloramine filter depending on how it is used. your first point about in being a wives tale is generally true if water is being passed over it without regard to being biologically active.

A friend uses bone char and claims it's beter than charcoal and coconut. You might also try or research Ozone (O3).

I try to deal with the impurity of my top off water each day by treating with Ozone. I also mix an equal amount with process nutrient rich water and circulate that through 150 sq. ft. fodder patch (media bed) for goats etc. So far, the fish seem happy the plant's seem happy and, well goats are always happy sort of. The water returning to the FT. always seems rain storm squeaky clean.

 

Warning, know and understand the risks and rewards b4 working with gasses and aires.



Community AP said:

Yes you are correct. I  use a custom slow sift filter to remove chloramine.  The water needs to stay in contact with th AC for longer periods in order to work.  A lot of people will put it in a net sock and just "run water over it." Thats useless. 

 

yes my filter is designed as a bio filter.  it doesnt produce water very fast but it is clean when it comes out. so again your are correct. so AC can be used as a chloramine filter depending on how it is used. your first point about in being a wives tale is generally true if water is being passed over it without regard to being biologically active.

 

 

Ok, now we're on the same page...

 

But people need to understand, and be wary, that while activated charcoal will strip the chloride/chlorine from chloromines... as you point out, how effectively is related to flow.... it wont deal with ammonia... unless as you say the filter is also acting as a bio-filter.... most aren't/don't, primarily due to the flow rate...

 

Essentially the filter needs to act as a "wet/dry" filter... ala a "trickle filter".... not a submerged filter...

 

Similarly, an activated charcoal filter will only remain effective until it becomes saturated... where upon it needs to be replaced, or reactivated....

 

 

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