How to deal with chloramine in an organic grow?

Young Yoda

Well-Known Member
Calling all you organics experts out there!

Short of purchasing an R/O system or buying bottled water, how can I get clean water for my organic grow?
Does anyone use tap water in a city that uses chloramine and not have a problem with it? That would be nice to hear.
Otherwise, has anyone had success actively removing chloramine from tap water? I have been reading about the use of vitamin C and would like to know if anyone has tried it. Also read somewhere that suggested using peeled citrus fruits like lemons, limes, or oranges.
 
Chlorine and chloramine are removed with carbon filters.

If you aren't in an area with bad water in the first place, lets say 200ppm or less, a pair of low micron carbon filters will do a fine job of removing most of the chlorine and chloramine you worry about.

Carbon filters aren't going to strip much of the minerals that make up whatever PPMs you start with so a chlorine test kit will be your friend by letting you know when your filters aren't doing their job any more.

If you have crappy water, a three stage filter with a low micron sediment filter ahead of two carbon filters might be a good idea.
 
I've read the same thing about vitamin c. Citric acid is an organic approach to neutralizing it i believe. I have chloramine in my water but i run it through a pair of brita filters and ive never had any problems.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

Can you give me an example of the carbon filters you speak of Ranch? I have never shopped for these kinds of carbon filters.

I have been working off of this list here which provides six options:

https://www.iuhoakland.com/Chloramine.pdf

One of them is using carbon filters, but it seems to suggest that this doesn't work well for chloramine, and that high-end products would be required.

Three or four involve neutralization and so far, that is where I am leaning. If it works, and is safe, then it's hard to imagine anything being more cost effective.

The options are:
-Peeled citrus fruit (may raise ammonia levels)
-Campden tablets (potassium metabisulfate)
-Chlorine/Chloramine neutralization products designed for fish (sodium thiosulfate or sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate)
-Ascorbic acid

I am just concerned about the possible side effects of having these in my water, or what might be left over after reaction. Anyone tried any of these?
 
Okay now...

You only really need :

A: Sun
B: 24 hours
C: Tap water and a bucket.

Pour your water into bucket from your tap in the morning. Put your bucket of water "in" the sun. Come back tomorrow and the water is ready.
Voila, chloramine free water.

Have fun doing it the easy way :bongrip:
Vlad
 
1000mg vitamin C to a bathtub full of water, I may try this out.

Otherwise, while it may take days for chloramine to dissipate from standing water I see no reason why this free method wouldn't be the obvious choice. Keeping 7 containers of water, each holding a days worth of water, would be sufficient in my mind. The initial cost of the containers would ultimately be returned in the form of not buying stuff for treating the water for a faster effect at removing the chloramine.

As for filters, there are so very many, here is one we use for out drinking water (we have crazy high chloramine).

Fresh Water Systems | FloPlus 10" BB High Flow System - 1" Inlet/Outlet
 
Hmm, well whose to say that "it may take days" doesn't really mean that it will take weeks. I dunno, probably not but I'm not sure it's the method for me. I'd be willing to try boiling if I had the ability to boil enough water.. I don't.

Besides the uncertainty, and space it would take to try open container removal, I think ascorbic acid may actually have the open container system beat money wise!

7 x $3 buckets -> $21 (theoretically good forever)

1lb ascorbic acid = 453g = $12

If 1g is good for 40gal of water then 12$ is good for more than 18000 gallons.

Dunno bout you, but that's more than I'll ever use.
 
nope and yes to some and all of that. Some mixed bag info here. Most of it is great.

Chlorine evaporates quickl...you can fill a bucket and leave it sit 24 hours and no more chlorine.

Chloramine does not evaporate and needs filtering if used in a living grow.


:thumb:
 
I don't prefer neutralization. Works fine but you can make sweet DIY carbon filters that do the job for nothing.

Look up prepper water filters.


Just use a good filter.
 
We have a 300 gallon aquaponics system that needs regular filling, our tap water does contain chloramine and it is reduced after a number of days standing according to our testing, not completely gone, but enough so that the fish wouldn't be bothered by whatever is left.

We still run a carbon block filter though, it is cheap insurance and strips any remaining chloramine from the water.

As for water useage, we will use around 14,000 gallons a year of RO water, assuming a 3:1 ratio of waste that's a total of 56,000 gallons at $2 a unit (700 gallons), for a cost of $160 plus around the same for filters, so $320 or so on water alone every year. I suppose less than a dollar a day is okay by me considering the return.

I do use my waste RO water for outside gardening so I don't feel bad about it.
 
Back
Top Bottom