Understanding my water report

[SMD]

Can anyone advise which figures I should be using to calculate water chemistry from my water report. There are two separate sections that list Calcium, Sulfate and Alkalinity levels. I would like to make calculations based on the correct source minerals. Thanks in advance!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

If you use these values your water will at least exhibit the all important mEq cation/mEq anion balance. I'm not saying these numbers are right, but I am saying that cations and anions absolutely must be in mEq balance. No cation/anion mEq balance = unreal water. And we know your water is real. But unfortunately we don't know the reality at any given moment.

Ca++ = ~27.3 mg/L
MG++ = 15.1 mg/L
Na+ = 15.6 mg/L
K+ = 2.1 mg/L
Cl- = 26 mg/L
SO4-- = 52.6 mg/L
NO3- = 1.2 mg/L
HCO3- = 90.8 mg/L
Alkalinity = 74.4 mg/L

The main problem here is that Alkalinity is said to range from a low of 52mg/L and on up to 203 mg/L (or of course anywhere in-between). That seems to be a major problem in my opinion.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

This water would be a prime candidate for AJ deLange's Zero Effective Alkalinity Method.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/the-0-effective-alkalinity-method.651983/

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

At 52 mg/L of Alkalinity, 5 gallons of your water will require ~16 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid to knock Alkalinity down to where the water is at ~5.5 pH. And at 203 mg/L of Alkalinity, the same 5 gallons would require ~63 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid whereby to reach ~5.5 pH.

10% Phosphoric Acid Range = 16 mL to 63 mL to treat 5 gallons to ~5.5 pH