Softened Interior Alaskan groundwater report

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bstacy1974

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
396
Reaction score
203
Location
Fairbanks
Read it and weep. I knew my tap water was very high in alkalinity, but wanted to know, without a doubt, the concentrations of the other ions.
I'll probably go 100% RO just to save money on purchasing lactic acid by the gallon. :)

pH: 7.5
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm: 491
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm: 0.82
Cations / Anions, me/L 8.7 / 8.4

ppm
Sodium, Na: 199
Potassium, K: < 1
Calcium, Ca: 0
Magnesium, Mg: < 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3: < 1
Nitrate, NO3-N: 0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S: < 1
Chloride, Cl: 56
Carbonate, CO3: < 1.0
Bicarbonate, HCO3: 417
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3: 342
Total Phosphorus, P: 0.01
Total Iron, Fe: < 0.01
 
I gotta ask because I know zip about what softeners can accomplish, but looking at the post-softener alkalinity and bicarbonate numbers I'm wondering what the softener is actually removing/replacing...

Cheers!
 
I gotta ask because I know zip about what softeners can accomplish, but looking at the post-softener alkalinity and bicarbonate numbers I'm wondering what the softener is actually removing/replacing...

Cheers!

I used to operate a water plant and would occasionally test my raw ground water. The hardness was always about equal to the alkalinity, right around 350 mg/L. Also, the iron averaged just over 4 mg/L.
So basically, high iron and hardness.
 
When I lived in Fairbanks, it felt like the shower couldn't rinse the soap off at all. It had a slimy feel until I dried off.
 
Add gypsum, boil out the bicarbonate....

Alternatively, use snow - you have some of that in Alaska, right?
 
I gotta ask because I know zip about what softeners can accomplish, but looking at the post-softener alkalinity and bicarbonate numbers I'm wondering what the softener is actually removing/replacing...

Cheers!

The softener is removing the calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sulfate and replacing it with sodium. Basically removing the hardness, but it does not affect alkalinity at all.
 
The softener is removing the calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sulfate and replacing it with sodium. Basically removing the hardness, but it does not affect alkalinity at all.

No. Ion-exchange softening only removes divalent metal ions and replaces them with sodium (in this case) or potassium.

Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn can be removed with this process. The rest of the cations and anions are unaffected. (well except for Na)
 
I live in Alaska too. But way south in Ketchikan where rain water is the liquor I brew with. My pH from the tap is 6.9. I think it's a it on the acid side from the pine needles in the gutter the water passes over its to the cistern. I only treat my strike water with calcium sulfate. Pale ale mash pH is typically 5.3. I don't check it for stout beers. I get full conversion post 60 minutes if there are no cereals in the mash.
 
Back
Top