bobukbrewer
Landlord.
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2015
- Messages
- 693
- Reaction score
- 174
Total Alkalinity: Total alkalinity is the measurement of all bases in the water and can be thought of as the buffering capacity of water, or its ability to resist change in pH. The most common and important base is carbonate. Total alkalinity is expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), note that other carbonates may be present, their levels are converted to equivalent CaCO3 levels and added to the CaCO3 level.
Hardness is the sum of the multivalent metal ions in solution, whereas alkalinity is a measure of the solution's ability to neutralize acids (sum of hydroxide, carbonate, and bicarbonates).
{\displaystyle {\text{Carbonate Hardness CH (mg/L)}}=[{\text{HCO}}_{3}^{-}]+[{\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-}]}However, for water with a pH below 8.5, the carbonate will be less than 1% of the bicarbonate, so carbonate alkalinity will equal carbonate hardness to within an error of less than 1%.
Adjusting your RA - Adding calcium will reduce your RA, so additions like Gypsum (CaSO4) and Calcium Chloride (CaCl) can be added. Magnesium also reduces your RA, so Epsom Salt (MgSO4) will also work. You do need to be cautious, however, as you don’t want to raise the Calcium or Magnesium levels beyond the range recommended for brewing. Calcium has a recommended range of 0-150 ppm, and Magnesium a range of 10-50 ppm, and you don’t want to exceed those.
My water report
hardness as Ca 97
total hardness as CaCO3 242
Mg 9.5 Na <.35 SO4 114 Chloride 76
pH 6.6
Alkalinity as CaCO3 124
Carbonate as CO3 74
nitrate 19 sulphate as SO4 129 calcium as Ca 52
magnesium as Mg 7.2
am I right in saying I should add magnesium sulphate and calcium sulphate ?
and if so how much per 25 litres ?
Hardness is the sum of the multivalent metal ions in solution, whereas alkalinity is a measure of the solution's ability to neutralize acids (sum of hydroxide, carbonate, and bicarbonates).
{\displaystyle {\text{Carbonate Hardness CH (mg/L)}}=[{\text{HCO}}_{3}^{-}]+[{\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-}]}However, for water with a pH below 8.5, the carbonate will be less than 1% of the bicarbonate, so carbonate alkalinity will equal carbonate hardness to within an error of less than 1%.
Adjusting your RA - Adding calcium will reduce your RA, so additions like Gypsum (CaSO4) and Calcium Chloride (CaCl) can be added. Magnesium also reduces your RA, so Epsom Salt (MgSO4) will also work. You do need to be cautious, however, as you don’t want to raise the Calcium or Magnesium levels beyond the range recommended for brewing. Calcium has a recommended range of 0-150 ppm, and Magnesium a range of 10-50 ppm, and you don’t want to exceed those.
My water report
hardness as Ca 97
total hardness as CaCO3 242
Mg 9.5 Na <.35 SO4 114 Chloride 76
pH 6.6
Alkalinity as CaCO3 124
Carbonate as CO3 74
nitrate 19 sulphate as SO4 129 calcium as Ca 52
magnesium as Mg 7.2
am I right in saying I should add magnesium sulphate and calcium sulphate ?
and if so how much per 25 litres ?
