Water Reports - Am I reading it wrong?

[sn00ky]

Hello

Attached is water report from my water supply company I found online. I am thinking there is a conversion somewhere to go from mg/L CaCO3 to calcium ions. I have read somewhere that 50 mg/L CaCO3 is approx. 20 ppm Ca2+

Does someone have a good link to send me to for that? I am no where near a chemist, but interested enough to start this step in brewing!

 

[Gledison]

You are right: the best way is always to understand where the numbers come from:

The mol mass of Ca+2 is 40g/mol; CO3 (carrbonate ion) is 60g/mol. CaCO3 = ca 100g/mol
1 ppm (mg/L) of CaCO3 = 1 mg of CaCO3/1000g water

50 mg/L of CaCO3 = 0,5mmol of CaCO3
0,5mmol of CaCO3 = 0,5 mmol of Ca Ions
so..
1mol of Ca Ions = 40g ; 1mmol =0,04 g :
0,5mmol Ca Ions = 0,02g = 20ppm

So, 50 ppm of CaCO3 = 20 ppm of Ca+2 Ions

i hope it helps :S

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I would suggest just getting your water tested, its worth it, plus those city specs aren't current some times
https://www.wardlab.com/BrewersKitOrder.php

 

[sn00ky]

Thanks Ozarks Mountain Brew, I have sent them an email to being the process. Hopefully they send back an estimate of cost.
In the mean time, I would like to make the best use of the report I have - Do you have an opinion regarding the Mg value to use?

From the info above, I gather I have Ca2+ of 39 ppm.

Has anyone heard of Mg2+ and Ca2+ being at a 3:1 ratio of total hardness?

In my example above, would be 148 mg/L total, therefore 3:1 ration leaves 37 mg/L Mg2+.
Mg2+ = 24 g/mol
37 mg/L = 0.37mmol
0.024g * 0.37mmol = 0.00888 ~ 9 ppm

Feel like I am out in left field, but maybe not? 9 seems reasonable. I am going to try and find the link where I read about the 3:1 ratio of total hardness...


Thanks Gledison, really appreciate the breakdown, I love understanding rather than taking at face value!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

https://producers.wardlab.com/pay/order-brewers-kit.php?step=1&op=kit

 

[Gledison]

Thanks Ozarks Mountain Brew, I have sent them an email to being the process. Hopefully they send back an estimate of cost.
In the mean time, I would like to make the best use of the report I have - Do you have an opinion regarding the Mg value to use?

From the info above, I gather I have Ca2+ of 39 ppm.

Has anyone heard of Mg2+ and Ca2+ being at a 3:1 ratio of total hardness?

In my example above, would be 148 mg/L total, therefore 3:1 ration leaves 37 mg/L Mg2+.
Mg2+ = 24 g/mol
37 mg/L = 0.37mmol
0.024g * 0.37mmol = 0.00888 ~ 9 ppm

Feel like I am out in left field, but maybe not? 9 seems reasonable. I am going to try and find the link where I read about the 3:1 ratio of total hardness...


Thanks Gledison, really appreciate the breakdown, I love understanding rather than taking at face value!

Hi there;
I develop products dor the laundry industry and a 3:1 Ca:Mg its a common ratio in US. A 4:1 can also be found. Its very dependent oft the location you are.
I dont know how the folks do Here, but where I leave in Germany the hardness is veeeery hard, above 300 ppm. I'm buying the water in the supermarket which have fairly price and ions levels. What you could do is to boil your water for 2 minutes, let it rest and filtrate. CaCO3 is insoluble at higher temps and will precipitate out of the water solution. Than you can add later on precisely the amounts you want.. A bit of work but an idea to have the values as you wish. Keep on mind that this will work only for Can ions
You could also buy a paper indication for hardness. Its not very accurate but can give you an idea about the limits you are in and its very practical to use.
Cheers