i thik i figured out my bad water params!

which makes me wonder - are you using freshly mixed saltwater when you do waterchanges?

If you are, that could be the reason you're having param issues. Should always let your mix sit for a day before using.

 

my utility company sent a letter out a couple weeks ago - we're switching to chloramines from chlorine.

I'm glad I have already switched to an RO/DI system!

 

I disagree. Here is the guru;

Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

none of that has anything to do with ammonia being in fresh mixed saltwater. that's just talking about what's in the freshwater...


I don't have any knowledge on whether or not an RO system will clean out ammonia (not taking a position on that yet).

 

Unclejed, you didn't read Randys article. He confirms my statement on ammonia. Specifically read the two sections titled "Deionizing Resins" and "Deionizing Resin Depletion Issues".

To quote his article:
"Ions such as sodium (Na[SIZE=-1]+[/SIZE]), copper (Cu[SIZE=-1]++[/SIZE] or Cu[SIZE=-1]+[/SIZE]), ammonium (NH[SIZE=-1]4+[/SIZE]), phosphate (PO[SIZE=-1]4---[/SIZE]), silicate (Si(OH)[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE]O[SIZE=-1]-[/SIZE]), and acetate (CH[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE]CO[SIZE=-1]2-[/SIZE]) all get caught. "

"All atoms or molecules that are in rapid and significant equilibrium with their charged forms will be caught and removed just as their charged forms are. These include ammonia (NH[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE]) caught as ammonium, silicic acid (Si(OH)[SIZE=-1]4[/SIZE]) caught as silicate, carbon dioxide caught at least partially as bicarbonate (HCO[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]-[/SIZE]) or carbonate (CO[SIZE=-1]3--[/SIZE]), and acetic acid (CH[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE]CO[SIZE=-1]2[/SIZE]H) caught as acetate, etc.

and

"The effect on pH of the DI resin’s initial depletion would be similar here to the effect of carbon dioxide in the tap water.
The same can happen in the opposite sense with ammonia. If a lot of ammonia gets through the RO membrane (as is the case when chloramine is present), the ammonia will be bound in the DI resin as ammonium:

NH3 + H2O --> NH4+ + OH-
​

The ammonium depletes the cation-binding resin, while the OH[SIZE=-1]-[/SIZE] does not impact the anion-binding resin. Eventually, then, the cation-binding capacity can become depleted before the anion binding is depleted, and Na[SIZE=-1]+[/SIZE]/Cl[SIZE=-1]-[/SIZE] passing through is converted into Na[SIZE=-1]+[/SIZE] and OH[SIZE=-1]-[/SIZE], with a potentially high pH.

The above is why Spectrapure custom mixes all their resins including the SilicaBuster and MaxCap which were developed specifically for aquarium use.

Randy and I use the same RO/DI systems for a reason!

 

So, you believe ammonia can be in the salt?

 

Thats why we use good DI resins and monitor our water quality.
My original statement was RO is not good at removinf ammonia, it takes DI to do so and that exactly what Randy confirmed. The fact he let his resin degrade has nothing to do with its initial ability to remove ammonia.

If you want to talk offensive take a look at what you posted which seems to me to be much more offensive, I am also considered a guru by many but thats not the point.

 

i would trust what he said, no one can beat someone that has the knowledge int he field right?

 

Ammonia in the salt?