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Jmurm · 04-17-2010, 11:26 PM

I need some help on adjusting my water, should i blend with bottled water?
this is what i have for my water profile and adjustments i am going to make for my Dry Stout.

My water goes through a soft-water filter, and carbon block. I sent in water to ward lab, and got the results back, but i did not have my regular water coming in tested.

Starting Water (ppm):
Ca: 1
Mg: 0
Na: 292
Cl: 163
SO4: 28
CaCO3: 304

Mash / Sparge Vol (gal): 4 / 3.2
Dilution Rate: 0%

Adjustments (grams) Mash / Boil Kettle:
CaCO3: 0 / 0
CaSO4: 3 / 0
CaCl2: 3 / 0
MgSO4: 4 / 0
NaHCO3: 0 / 0
NaCl: 0 / 0
HCL Acid: 0 / 0
Lactic Acid: 0 / 0

Mash Water / Total water (ppm):
Ca: 100 / 56
Mg: 25 / 14
Na: 292 / 292
Cl: 259 / 216
SO4: 242 / 147
CaCO3: 304 / 304

RA (mash only): 218 (23 to 28 SRM)
Cl to SO4 (total water): 1.47 (Malty)

Jmurm · 04-18-2010, 12:50 AM

Basically i am wondering if i need to mix water to lower the sodium, or if the level will be unnoticeable? Also if i go through a soft water filter is it going to fluctuate all the time? every time the filter flushes out with brine will the first few uses have a much higher sodium level? Any water experts out there?

**ajf** · 04-18-2010, 01:40 AM

You're not using a soft water filter. You're using an ion exchange water softener.
Now I'm no expert, but I wouldn't want to use water that has been treated like that. It strips out Ca and Mg (which I need) and replaces them with Na (which I don't).
Your Cl reading looks incredibly high, but I don't know if the water softener affects this.
I would ask Ward Labs how they come up with an analysis of 1 ppm Ca and 0 ppm Mg, but 304 ppm CaCO3. As I say, I'm no expert, but that just doesn't make any sense to me.

-a.

Jmurm · 04-18-2010, 02:15 AM

I totally agree with you, i was so bummed out when i got my lab test back. The weird thing about the Mg is that the lab test said it was below detection levels. U think i should just have the carbon block filter coming from the main line? Our place is in the country, so the water has some iron bacteria that makes the water smell like rotten eggs when not treated. Any advice for **** water?

**ajf** · 04-18-2010, 03:00 AM

The water softener should remove almost all the Mg, so that wouldn't surprise me.
I use a carbon filter for my water. It works wonders, but is not usually necessary.
Following a power outage, I get a lot of iron deposits which turns the tap water a yellowish color for a day or two. The filter removes all of that. I also get excessive chlorine occasionally, and the filter handles that as well.

The thing that I don't understand about your water test is the CaCO3 (used to express the total hardness) is 304 ppm while the Ca and Mg (the two ions that determine hardness) only achieve 1 ppm.
What accounts for the other 303 ppm?

-a.

Jmurm · 04-18-2010, 03:24 AM

I guess i got the Total alkalinity mixed up with the total hardness, total hardness is 3 on the water test.

Jmurm · 04-18-2010, 03:30 AM

I found a test from our city water in 2008, i think i am just going to brew with that water until i find out what the water test is with out the filter i am going through.

Would you take a look at this profile? My Mg is low, but i dont think they have it in the test. Manganese is not the same at magnesium right? and thats the only other one on the sheet that sounds similar

Starting Water (ppm):
Ca: 70.7
Mg: 2
Na: 29.6
Cl: 17.8
SO4: 78
HCO3: 202

Mash / Sparge Vol (gal): 3.9 / 3.28
Dilution Rate: 0%

Adjustments (grams) Mash / Boil Kettle:
CaCO3: 2 / 0
CaSO4: 0 / 0
CaCl2: 1 / 0.841025641
MgSO4: 0.75 / 0
NaHCO3: 2 / 0
NaCl: 2 / 1.682051282
HCL Acid: 0 / 0
Lactic Acid: 0 / 0

Mash Water / Total water (ppm):
Ca: 143 / 119
Mg: 7 / 5
Na: 120 / 103
Cl: 133 / 133
SO4: 98 / 89
CaCO3: 313 / 246

RA (mash only): 206 (22 to 27 SRM)
Cl to SO4 (total water): 1.49 (Malty)