RO/DI water and PH. EHERMS H20 minerals

[USMChueston0311]

I brew on a 3 20g EHERMS system. I have a Hanna HALO ph meter, and a 100GPD RO/DI system.

Second brew using RODI water and I know you can’t accurately check PH because there isn’t any ions etc. I’ve been adding my sparge salts to the boil kettle once hotbreak forms and clears like Kal suggests.

But I can never get my sparge PH within range. I add like literally .5-1ML 88% lactic acid and it drops from 7 down to low 4s. Should I just bite the bullet and add salts to my full kettle around 15-16 gallons and then adjust PH, or what?

Both brew with the RODI water ive had to remove RODI water 2 gallons and add 1-2 gallons of tap water, which throws mineral profile off target, and cools my HLT down making me have to warm back up.

What do you guys do/suggest in this situation?

 

[ajdelange]

You don't need to acidify RODI sparge water. If you want to adjust kettle pH do it after the sparge.

 

[USMChueston0311]

You don't need to acidify RODI sparge water. If you want to adjust kettle pH do it after the sparge.

So sparge as usual, and add my minerals to boil kettle once volume is reached and then adjust PH if necessary?

 

[ajdelange]

Yes.