Can a Water filter affect my yeast health

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milldoggy

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All,
This weekend I used new water filter, it was a two stage, think 5 micron and then .5 micron. My fermentation has been real slow, one no signs, the other nothing huge. I pitched onto a yeast cake too. Could the .5 filter pull to much out? Going to send a sample to wards this week.

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Mineral deficiency can lead to several problems including off flavors, mostly esters and fusel alcohols. The yeasties need zinc and calcium to stay healthy.

I would think that it would still ferment, but just reduce the health of the yeast. Maybe more would die off than usual.
 
Thought so, thanks. Will investigate other things.

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Water filters barely change the ionic content of the water. I mean, a couple ppm max. Look elsewhere.

As ions are much smaller than half a micron a filter will not remove any of them. If the water is super saturated WRT calcium carbonate particles may form (precipitate) and remain in suspension. An alkalinity test would pick those up and a filter would trap any larger than its pore size so you might get a change in alkalinity from a filter. Conversely of the water is supersaturated WRT CO2 the mechanical agitation associated with being forced through the tiny channels in a filter could cause CO2 bubbles to form and escape. This also could potentially cause a change in subsequently measured alkalinity.

OTOH oxidized trivalent metals (most notably iron and aluminum but also manganese) do form gels which floc and will be removed by a filter. This is the basis upon which most water purification plants clean up water as the gels formed carry out other particulate matter such as bacteria. If your water is high in "clearwater iron (FEII) and exposed to air/oxygen Fe(OH)3 will form and be removed by a filter. If you have "graywater iron" (FeIII) the gel has already formed and it will be filtered out. Techically it isn't an ion being removed here in either case but practically speaking the iron ion content will be reduced. An iron test would reveal lower iron content post filter compared to pre.
 
That's a much better explanation than what I saw via empirical data from a pre and post filter water analysis. FWIW, Calcium dropped from something like 67ppm to 62ppm and HCO3 had a similar drop. Cl, SO4, Mg no change.
 
So in normal people speak, .5 micron does not really affect mineral, salts, ion content.

Thanks again, this helps me narrow down what I messed up this time.

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Depending on materials in the filter, your pH could be affected. I would double check the pH of your mash. Some even use ion exchange resin that removes calcium/magnesium. I used to work for one of the big 2 filter companies for residential use.

The particle size removal (.5 micron) should not affect your results.
 
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