RO Water Profile when using Brun or EZ

Can't find a straight answer yet...what does everyone plug into the calcium, magnesium, sulfate.....etc. fields in the calculators when using RO or distilled water. I know my pH is 5.4 with Walmart distilled water but every single other thing is "ND". Does that translate to zero's for the purposes of the calculator?

 

I use Ez and it does not seem to make a difference when you tell it that all water is RO for mash and sparge. I BIAB so my mash volume is 100% ro.

 

I also do BIAB! Perfect! So what do u plug in though.

 

In distilled water, all those values are zeros. If it is high purity RO water, those values are nearly zero and can be assumed to be zero without much error.

ND means not detected. However, detection depends on the detection limit for the testing method. Some methods can't 'see' very low levels, but the implication is that any ion that is ND is probably at really low concentration. Assuming zero should be OK.

 

Exactly.

On the minerals I have been experimenting and only using small amounts of gypsum, calcium chloride, baking soda and chalk (may not meet all of Palmer recommendations) to reach the desired chloride/sulfate ration (bitterness, balanced, malty) with some acid malt for mash ph (no more than recommended). Allso check out A Brewing Water Chemistry Primer that helped me under stand things better.