Got my water report, now im confused what to do

[Scout]

Water report from Ward Labs. I don't have any softener or filter, this is raw water right from the well. Somenof the numbers look ok, and some look high. Some, like sulphate, I dont know if it's acceptable or not.

 

[VikeMan]

This is probably not an answer you were hoping for, but that water would not be great for most beer styles. One issue is the Sulfate, at 438 ppm. (Ward reports Sulfate "as Sulfur," so the number has to be multiplied by 3.) I'm trying to think of a case where 438 ppm would be desirable. Maybe burton ales.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

pretty hard also, but you don't really need much except acid to lower the hardness and more calcium carbonate for some beers, are you asking what numbers to plug into calculators?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You need 6 of those elements to build a water profile each is ppm they are
Calcium 96
Magnesium 42
Sodium 78
Sulphate 146
Chloride 13
Bicarbonate 122

And that’s your water profile.

 

[VikeMan]

You need 6 of those elements to build a water profile each is ppm they are
Calcium 96
Magnesium 42
Sodium 78
Sulphate 146
Chloride 13
Bicarbonate 122

And that’s your water profile.

Sulfate is 438 ppm.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Sulfate is 438 ppm.

How when it says 146?

 

[VikeMan]

How when it says 146?

It says SO4-S, which means "Sulfate expressed as Sulfur." What that means is that the sulfate ions were counted, but then reported as if each Sulfate ion's mass was the same as a Sulfur atom. But a Sulfate ion weighs 3 times as much as a Sulfur atom, so the number has to be multiplied by three to get the ppm of Sulphate ion. Every mash pH/water calculator needs this "as S" number to be multiplied by three before entering the starting profile in order to work properly.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It says SO4-S, which means "Sulfate expressed as Sulfur." What that means is that the sulfate ions were counted, but then reported as if each Sulfate ion's mass was the same as a Sulfur atom. But a Sulfate ion weighs 3 times as much as a Sulfur atom, so the number has to be multiplied by three to get the ppm of Sulphate ion. Every mash pH/water calculator needs this "as S" number to be multiplied by three before entering the starting profile in order to work properly.

Ok but news to me.

 

[Scout]

This is probably not an answer you were hoping for, but that water would not be great for most beer styles. One issue is the Sulfate, at 438 ppm. (Ward reports Sulfate "as Sulfur," so the number has to be multiplied by 3.) I'm trying to think of a case where 438 ppm would be desirable. Maybe burton ales.

Yeah that sulfate number is a big question for me. I've done a little research and a water softener won't reduce it. I see mixed answers on safe limits for drinking.

 

[day_trippr]

There are ion exchange systems that can address sulfates and hardness in one unit.

"Sulfates in drinking water currently has a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 ppm (mg/l). At this level or above, sulfates may cause diarrhea and resulting dehydration."

https://www.raindanceh2ostore.com/blog/how-do-you-remove-nitrates-sulfates-tannins

Cheers!

 

[VikeMan]

Ok but news to me.

You're welcome.

 

[Scout]

There are ion exchange systems that can address sulfates and hardness in one unit.

"Sulfates in drinking water currently has a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 ppm (mg/l). At this level or above, sulfates may cause diarrhea and resulting dehydration."

https://www.raindanceh2ostore.com/blog/how-do-you-remove-nitrates-sulfates-tannins

Cheers!

Do you use that? It sounds good, but i can't find many reviews about it online. One reddit thread had a couple people happy with it, and a couple posting the same comment over and over talking ****.

 

[Bobby_M]

Rather than dance around it, you need to install an RO system. It's $150 or so.

 

[day_trippr]

Do you use that?

I do not. My well water sulfate and nitrate levels are both under 6 ppm.
My problem is the 230+ ppm alkalinity but I solved that with a 100gpd RO system.
If I had water like yours that'd definitely be on the to-do list lest my brewing efforts gave everyone the constant craps

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

The other alternative is to buy RO water from the grocery store dispenser. Just a couple things:
1. You don't know how well the store's filtering system is maintained.
2. Schlepping jugs of water around gets to be a PITA.

Check out Buckeye Hydro for a good RO system. Money well spent and you'll find other uses for the water, too. While you're at it, get a TDS meter. They're $10-$15 on Amazon.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I do not. My well water sulfate and nitrate levels are both under 6 ppm.
My problem is the 230+ ppm alkalinity but I solved that with a 100gpd RO system.
If I had water like yours that'd definitely be on the to-do list lest my brewing efforts gave everyone the constant craps

Cheers!

my well water is very low in everything except hardness lol, makes a good dark beer just by its self
35.9 25.0 5.0 3.0 5.0 151.0 CaCO3 8.2

 

[Kickass]

Grocery store RO would be my first choice, only because I’m too cheap to buy an RO system.

 

[VikeMan]

The other alternative is to buy RO water from the grocery store dispenser. Just a couple things:
1. You don't know how well the store's filtering system is maintained.
2. Schlepping jugs of water around gets to be a PITA.

Grocery store RO would be my first choice, only because I’m too cheap to buy an RO system.

Distilled water (also grocery store) is also an option. It's more expensive, and still has to be schlepped, but has the advantage of being immune from lazy RO system maintenance. That said, a TDS meter can detect a bad batch of RO water.

 

[Peebee]

Ok but news to me.

Get used to it, they've started doing it to us "GBians" already. This a Dwr Cymru snippet:

They've not done it to Sulphate yet, but over here there's "as N" and "as P" (which is same as "NO3-N" and "PO4-P", though the American Water Companies don't use the latter either?). Our water companies will do it because the numbers are much smaller, and "N" and "P" equals "pollution" and they (the UK Water Companies) want to hide that!

 

[hottpeper13]

I'm too cheep to not install an RO system.
Purchased RO water is between .30-.50 $ per gallon. Home RO water is .03 $ per. Filter change is ~100$ and I get 3000+ gallons. I think after 6 years it's more then payed for itself. Oh, my alkalinity is ~400ppm.

 

[Scout]

The other alternative is to buy RO water from the grocery store dispenser. Just a couple things:
1. You don't know how well the store's filtering system is maintained.
2. Schlepping jugs of water around gets to be a PITA.

Check out Buckeye Hydro for a good RO system. Money well spent and you'll find other uses for the water, too. While you're at it, get a TDS meter. They're $10-$15 on Amazon.

I thought about grocery store RO, but I generally start with 20 gallons strike water

 

[Bobby_M]

$132. That will pay for itself in 6 brew days if you'd pay about $1 a gallon elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Geekpure-5-S...cphy=1022369&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1

 

[Willy]

Rather than dance around it, you need to install an RO system. It's $150 or so.

RO - was going to suggest the same solution.

 

[Frank Nobrega]

$132. That will pay for itself in 6 brew days if you'd pay about $1 a gallon elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Geekpure-5-S...cphy=1022369&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1

I got this one for $70:
https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life...4834&sprefix=aquarium+ro+,aps,119&sr=8-1&th=1