Water softener & carbon filters

[odie]

Starting to look into water...always just used tap...

I’ve got a water softener in use for the house. Plus i use an inline Camco carbon filter for RVs when brewing. I’m seeing differing opinions on bypassing the softener for brewing or not.

I’m having issues with yeast not fully attenuating. Getting higher than expected FG (1.020+ range) But it could just be lazy yeast, Muntons....wondering if sodium/salt is getting down stream of the softener, drinking water tastes fine though

I do have one outside faucet that is straight city water that I could still run thru the carbon filter. And stupid question, is carbon and charcoal filter the same thing?

I did pick up a couple free water test kits at Home Depot yesterday. So I’m thinking sending in an outside faucet water sample and a water softener sample.

My water is testing around 8ph with a handheld meter. Not sure if I’m using it right

 

[SEndorf]

I’m seeing differing opinions on bypassing the softener for brewing or not.

I've not seen too much debate on the subject. If your softener is the traditional type which replaces calcium with sodium, it is not advisable to use for brewing.
Activated carbon is superior to charcoal for filtering.
If it were me, I'd use get a water sample tested from the outside tap and go from there.
Your water Ph from the tap is not relevant to brewing.

 

[odie]

That’s kinda the conventional wisdom I’m sensing...bypass softener and just use charcoal/carbon filter for brewing water...test that water a see what/if adjustments are needed/desired

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

Carbon BLOCKS are much superior to GAC.

Russ

 

[Calder]

That’s kinda the conventional wisdom I’m sensing...bypass softener and just use charcoal/carbon filter for brewing water...test that water a see what/if adjustments are needed/desired

That's what I do. My drinking faucets are taken off before the softener and run through a carbon filter; two actually since I take water from he fridge and the fridge also has a carbon filter.

You could get water from the outside faucet, boil it and leave it to cool overnight and then use it. Boiling should remove any chlorine.

 

[odie]

Just letting the water sit in a bucket overnight should let most the chlorine’s dissipate. I’ve read that for fish tanks u can just let the water circulate a day before adding fish if you don’t have any chlorine remover to add

 

[odie]

My pond i add no more than 5-10% tap water at a time and let it naturally dissipate. On rare occasion I have forgot the hose running too long...several dead goldfish the next day...10 for a buck feeders :/