Water Profile

[ScottW Sugarland]

I just had my water analyzed.
Ph 8.1
TDS 502
Sodium 152 ppm
Calcium 22
Mg 4
Total hardness 72
Cl 91
HCO3 307
CaCO3 254
P .002
Fe <.01

Anybody have any recommendations on how to lower the total dissolved solids Etc.
I really don’t want to put in an RO system.

 

[Yooper]

I just had my water analyzed.
Ph 8.1
TDS 502
Sodium 152 ppm
Calcium 22
Mg 4
Total hardness 72
Cl 91
HCO3 307
CaCO3 254
P .002
Fe <.01

Anybody have any recommendations on how to lower the total dissolved solids Etc.
I really don’t want to put in an RO system.

Not much you can do about the high alkalinity, except to dilute with RO water. You could try neutralizing it with phosphoric acid, especially in the sparge, but you do have a long way to go to get rid of all of that alkalinity I'm afraid.

Mine wasn't as high as yours is, and I ended up getting an RO system. The only great beer I can make with my tap water is a stout. Any lighter colored beers are just not very good with my water, so I had to go with an RO system since I make 11 gallon batches and that's just way too much water for me to haul.

 

[mabrungard]

Kind of high in sodium content and the sulfate content isn't stated. That wouldn't be a first choice for brewing water. I'd say that the water supply has slight salt water intrusion.

 

[Bootlegger]

I don't know if this would help. I was thinking about asking the Pros here what they thought about adding this to RO water. Up here in N. Texas we have these little buildings called "Twice The ICE". I can get 5gal of RO water for $1. City water is way over chlorinated.
Anyway, check this out https://www.seachem.com/equilibrium.php
I don't know if this will help your water; but, it might give you another alternative. They make all kinds of water treatments.

For the pro's. Do you see anything here that is harmful for brewing?
Guaranteed Analysis


Soluble Potash (K20) 23.0%
Calcium (Ca) 8.06%
Magnesium (Mg) 2.41%
Iron (Fe) 0.11%
Manganese (Mn) 0.06%
Derived from: potassium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, ferric sulfate, manganese sulfate.

Elemental potassium is present at a concentration of 195,000 ppm (19.5%). Fertilizer laws require us to list potassium in terms of equivalence to a material that is not present (K2O) rather than the more scientifically sound method of simple elemental equivalence.

 

[Lefou]

I'm no "pro" on water, but I suspect treating RO water with that stuff would be more beneficial for plants than beer.

 

[SEndorf]

I hate to ask, but was your water tested from your house tap connected to a water softener?
At 20 grains of hardness, a softener will add about 150 ppm sodium.
The issue has popped up here before.

 

[stodds]

I don't know if this would help. I was thinking about asking the Pros here what they thought about adding this to RO water. Up here in N. Texas we have these little buildings called "Twice The ICE". I can get 5gal of RO water for $1. City water is way over chlorinated.

Hmm. . . Are you sure that your Twice the Ice dispenses RO water? Months ago, I looked on their website and it stated that RO water is an option for owners vs. filtered. But, at my location (the one I use, I don't own it), there is no mention of it being RO. Just curious if yours is RO. If so, what luck!

 

[Bootlegger]

@stodds said: Hmm. . . Are you sure that your Twice the Ice dispenses RO water? Months ago, I looked on their website and it stated that RO water is an option for owners vs. filtered. But, at my location (the one I use, I don't own it), there is no mention of it being RO. Just curious if yours is RO. If so, what luck!

Honestly, in Graham, TX there is no mention of RO, Simply"Filtered", I work in the oilfield and am on the road frequently. Recently, I have been getting water from Haskell, TX; and, it says on the side "RO water". Hmmm

I emailed them to ask.

 

[Bootlegger]

I'm no "pro" on water, but I suspect treating RO water with that stuff would be more beneficial for plants than beer.

Other than the potash, From my reading, I think all these minerals are good for yeast. The idea for me was to be able to repeat the water conditioning process with same results.

 

[Bootlegger]

Anybody have any recommendations on how to lower the total dissolved solids Etc.

I know it may sound crazy; but, fish are much more temperamental about water than wort. This is only me thinking out of the box; I have never tried these products; nor, am I suggesting you use them. I'm just pointing out that they are out there on the market. What you do with them is on you.

Alkaline Regulator
Acid Regulator