RO water measuring TDS of 70

[SEndorf]

I've always purchased RO water the grocery store with TDS measuring from 9-15.
I believe the incessantly high heat and humidity here has taxed their system with a high demand for refillable jugs.
So I'm sitting on five 5 gallon jugs of water that I'm not sure what to do with.
Use it? Modify the salts? Dump it and start over?

 

[schematix]

I've always purchased RO water the grocery store with TDS measuring from 9-15.
I believe the incessantly high heat and humidity here has taxed their system with a high demand for refillable jugs.
So I'm sitting on five 5 gallon jugs of water that I'm not sure what to do with.
Use it? Modify the salts? Dump it and start over?

what are you trying to make?

worst case drink it as drinking water.

 

[SEndorf]

what are you trying to make?
worst case drink it as drinking water.

Next batch in the queue is a lawnmower beer - Watermelon Wheat. (It's so blasted hot here)
I forgot to mention the alkalinity measured 75ppm with a titrate kit.
Presumably need to bump the lactic a bit more from the "normal" RO calculation, but it's a guess without the numbers.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

For a TDS of 70 the Alkalinity is likely in the ballpark of 40 ppm. That would likely be the only serious concern that you might (recipe depending) need to address by adding some acid. Add minerals just as you normally would, or at least that's what I would do. Depending on your recipe, the ballpark 40 ppm alkalinity may well benefit the recipe.

 

[SEndorf]

With "normal" RO water. (TDS in an acceptable range), Bru'n water calls for 4.1 ml lactic. I might keep the salts the same and bump lactic to 4.5. Worst case, this might be tart.

 

[divrack]

I'm no expert but how are you measuring it? many of the cheaper kits don't work on ro as it has no buffering capacity. also a lot of the TDS might be co2?
please discount everything I say though as I am no expert by any means

 

[Nagorg]

TDS of 70?? LOL You'd run away from my water! Granted I'm talking tap water but my water supply is a softened well water blend and if I get under 300 I'm doing good. I always use 60%DI water when brewing so my finished profile is still above 70.. Still making tasty beer though!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Yes, (with due consideration for its likely alkalinity) there are greater things to worry about than water with a reading of 70 TDS.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

For reference, my well waters TDS varies between 811 and 876 ppm. Now that's bad water.

 

[day_trippr]

Yikes! Ok, ^that^ makes me feel better about my 300tds well and the resulting RO system I installed
You don't actually brew with that, do you?

Cheers!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Yikes! Ok, ^that^ makes me feel better about my 300tds well and the resulting RO system I installed
You don't actually brew with that, do you?

Cheers!

I did use it once at 25% well and 75% RO plus a load of lactic acid. It turned out OK, but it was a one time only thing. RO ever sense.

Even with my RO unit I can't get it below 38 to 42 ppm on the TDS meter.

 

[SEndorf]

Yes, (with due consideration for its likely alkalinity) there are greater things to worry about than water with a reading of 70 TDS.

LOL... OK..OK... I get it. It's not a big deal... But it does throw the water calculator off. High TDS is not the end of the world if alkalinity is manageable.

 

[Nagorg]

FWIW, I use TDS to guesstimate my starting water profile. By that I mean, I get my water analyzed roughly every few months and I measure its pH and TDS prior to sending it off. I've kept a chart of the results that include my numbers and the analysis data. On brew day, I measure both pH and TDS again and then refer to my chart for the closest match. I then use that match in Brun'water for my adjustments.

I'll admit this is a SWAG approach but I think its been working for me and I also believe its better that using a single analysis.