Home-made water chemistry tests

[boist]

Hello to all,
I keep seeing home testing kits for water chemistry. Unfortunately, these kits are not sold in Israel, and the law forbids importing them. Can anyone guide me to resources about doing your own GH, KH and Chlorine tests, as well as any other tests that may be "standard" in brewing application (Aside from PH testing, which I already do)? I am planning to attempt to create a profile for my local supply, and use it for a water treatment plan, so I need something more accurate than a "soap test" for hardness.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Erroneous]

May be easier to just buy a reverse osmosis filter and build up your water profile.

 

[boist]

May be easier to just buy a reverse osmosis filter and build up your water profile.

That may be, but it still doesn't solve my problem as most home RO systems do not, in fact, create zero mineral profiles, and they degrade over time. Not to mention the fact that a full-fledged RO system is quite expensive, requires constant maintenance, and will make SWMBO quite unhappy that I'm buying "yet another ridiculous beer gadget".

 

[teresalgl]

If you can get your hands on some EDTA, an indicator dye, and a burette you could do a titration for total hardness.

 

[boist]

If you can get your hands on some EDTA, an indicator dye, and a burette you could do a titration for total hardness.

What are EDTA and burette and what sore of indicator die would I need (PH indicator, I imagine, but anything particular?)

 

[teresalgl]

EDTA is short for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. A large ion chelator. A burette is a long lube with graduations and a valve. The best dye to use is probably Eriochrome Black. Check out this page:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CGUQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpaws.wcu.edu%2Fsummers%2F140SL5b-hard.doc&ei=yfu0T6_ILYeIsAKK6aCiAQ&usg=AFQjCNEeSNzNNgzpMk48DdRVVWWyBKwYqw&sig2=_W9jCwbExbV6BZ7PZAtjnw