my water

Zambi

Zambi

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I just tested my water with test strips.
They are difficult to read, but the readings I got sort of seem accurate.
But they don't give all required ions: no Ca, Mg concentration etc.
What I got is the following and I wonder if I just should put the quality down as RO water or distilled water?
Fluoride/chromium/chlorine/bromine/nitrite/nitrate: all zero
Cyanuric acid: 30-50 to 100 mg/l
Lead: 0 - 20
copper: 0 - 10
Iron: 5 - 10
Hardness: 0 - 50
Total alkalinity: 0
Free Chlorine: 0
pH: 5.5 - 6.0

Looks to me like no buffering capacity. I have citric acid (and lemons and vinegar ;) ) to lower pH if needs be.
Nothing else, though I can put Calcium Chloride etc on my "to get" list.
Final remark: this is river water and we drink it like is (where else in the world can you still drink riverwater, besides mountain streams)
 
Wow Zambezi that water looks great! If you want calcium chloride, gypsum, and Epsom salt to build up your water profile you certainly can, but it's not strictly necessary
 
Sunfire96 said:
Wow Zambezi that water looks great! If you want calcium chloride, gypsum, and Epsom salt to build up your water profile you certainly can, but it's not strictly necessary
Click to expand...

It's freaking amazing, isn't it, to find water like this in the biggest, most beautiful river in the country !!!
 
Zambezi Special said:
It's freaking amazing, isn't it, to find water like this in the biggest, most beautiful river in the country !!!
Click to expand...
I'm jealous, the river in my town is barely swimmable and no one eats any fish from it. I think if you find your beer needs a little something something then water treatment could be beneficial. But if your yeast are happy and you're happy, then who needs the extra headache
 
Wow I'm jealous. Our treated tap water is 350 ppm / 12 grains, full of all sorts of "safe" stuff.
 
Zambezi Special said:
It's freaking amazing, isn't it, to find water like this in the biggest, most beautiful river in the country !!!
Click to expand...

All you now have to do is filter out the hippos and you are good to go...

iu
 
Going back to water...
Should I just put it down as distilled or RO water?
And maybe acidify?
Or do as @sunfire suggests and just ler it be?
 
Your iron is 5 to 10 PPM? If so... that will need to be removed prior to use.
 
Zambezi Special said:
I just tested my water with test strips.
They are difficult to read, but the readings I got sort of seem accurate.
But they don't give all required ions: no Ca, Mg concentration etc.
What I got is the following and I wonder if I just should put the quality down as RO water or distilled water?
Fluoride/chromium/chlorine/bromine/nitrite/nitrate: all zero
Cyanuric acid: 30-50 to 100 mg/l
Lead: 0 - 20
copper: 0 - 10
Iron: 5 - 10
Hardness: 0 - 50
Total alkalinity: 0
Free Chlorine: 0
pH: 5.5 - 6.0

Looks to me like no buffering capacity. I have citric acid (and lemons and vinegar ;) ) to lower pH if needs be.
Nothing else, though I can put Calcium Chloride etc on my "to get" list.
Final remark: this is river water and we drink it like is (where else in the world can you still drink riverwater, besides mountain streams)
Click to expand...
I'd really like to see these ppm numbers before I did anything to my brewing water.

Chloride, Cl - ?
Sulfate, SO4 - ?
Calcium, Ca - ?
Magnesium, Mg - ?

And I would be far more comfortable with firm, laboratory numbers on your lead, iron and copper numbers.
 
This is the best I can do with an easy test kit (strips)
Yes, I can get a full water test report, but it is very expensive and we are talking about a rain and swamp fed fast flowing river, so the figures will change.
I'm going to go with sunfire and I'll just let it be (except for another test strip reading)
 
Megary said:
I'd really like to see these ppm numbers before I did anything to my brewing water

Chloride, Cl - ?
Sulfate, SO4 - ?
Calcium, Ca - ?
Magnesium, Mg - ?

And I would be far more comfortable with firm, laboratory numbers on your lead, iron and copper numbers.
Click to expand...
Yep. I agree.
Would be nice but I can't find an easy test kit for those (ca, mg etc)
Not a single bit of kettle stone anywhere, so it is soft water for sure.
I'll use the strips again and I am sure I got an EC meter somewhere.

As an aside:
We had people from an aid organisation working here and they did water tests. I just never got the analysis report, but the conclusion was that the water was absolutely safe to drink
 
Hope it stays that way Zambezi we humans have a tendency to S@#t in our own water supply...

I'd brew with it as is as you have been doing and adjust chloride to sulphate ratio depending on what your brewing.
 
Zambezi Special said:
I just tested my water with test strips.
They are difficult to read, but the readings I got sort of seem accurate.
But they don't give all required ions: no Ca, Mg concentration etc.
What I got is the following and I wonder if I just should put the quality down as RO water or distilled water?
Fluoride/chromium/chlorine/bromine/nitrite/nitrate: all zero
Cyanuric acid: 30-50 to 100 mg/l
Lead: 0 - 20
copper: 0 - 10
Iron: 5 - 10
Hardness: 0 - 50
Total alkalinity: 0
Free Chlorine: 0
pH: 5.5 - 6.0

Looks to me like no buffering capacity. I have citric acid (and lemons and vinegar ;) ) to lower pH if needs be.
Nothing else, though I can put Calcium Chloride etc on my "to get" list.
Final remark: this is river water and we drink it like is (where else in the world can you still drink riverwater, besides mountain streams)
Click to expand...


I just added this into the list of profiles... I will never be able to match it.
 
Daniel Parshley said:
Ward Labs has us spoiled and we should be grateful for these small things that aren't that small elsewhere. But, if he likes his brew now, brew on.
Click to expand...
Indeed, and I think I will write them to A) thank them for existing and B) encourage them to expand to Africa.

@Zambezi Special drinks essentially every batch she brews. One cannot afford to be picky in the outback (or whatever they call it there) yet refreshment is important to the human condition.
 
Buckeye Hydro said:
Your iron is 5 to 10 PPM? If so... that will need to be removed prior to use.
Click to expand...

Would an RV style inline filter get that iron count down some? Usually the "if it tastes good, you can brew with it" rule plays well enough...I'd say you have options...brew on or filter out! My inner cheap bastard says brew on and see!
 
Daniel Parshley said:
Ward Labs has us spoiled and we should be grateful for these small things that aren't that small elsewhere. But, if he likes his brew now, brew on.
Click to expand...

Correction - Oops, But, if SHE likes HER brew now, brew on. I never was any good at this pronoun thing. Maybe need to have another beer.
 
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