Another Water discussion

depends, people confuse ro with rodi,

ro will have a tds to it,

rodi is like distilled nothing in it

My Skuma RO water certainly retains something. The TDS of my tap water, measured daily over the last two weeks, has ranged from 186 to 258, while the RO has ranged from 65 to 72. I make that a filter efficiency of no better than 75%. In the same period, the TDS of the coffee-minerals water has ranged from 94 to 107 (usually in the 90s).

Of course, what matters most is what’s in that TDS (whether from plain RO or coffee-minerals RO). I’ll have to measure that sometime or send it out to be professionally analysed. 

My TDS reading from the Skuma filter RO water tends to be in the 60s - my tap water is over 300 whenever I’ve checked (as high as 450 once - grim).

I use Sainsbury’s cheapest in 5 litre bottles in UK (about £1+- a bottle) which has very low Ca, Mg and TDS. In France I use Montagne (ex LeClerc) also 5L bottles (Ca4.7, Mg 1.8, TDS 74mg/L). As I use each machine for about 6 months a year I plan to descale every 2 years. The French bottles claim to use 25% recycled plastic.

Where do people buy their food safe Epsom salts and other chemicals from?

Where do people buy their food safe Epsom salts and other chemicals from?

Where do people buy their food safe Epsom salts and other chemicals from?

simonc - Bought from amazon - just search “food safe epsom salt” and you’ll get a few. The one I have is “Made in Wales” and can be used as a food supplement as per instructions, under medical supervision.

[unknown] thanks. Think I’ve ordered the same

Thanks MWJB, I hadn’t spotted this discrepancy. I might need to review the water for UK.

I am totally confused with water :) I’m using Ashbeck which I initially thought was good, then I had alarm bells going off in my head because I felt like my boiler would turn to a rusty pile, now reading this thread it seems fine again.

It’s like a water rollercoaster…!

Is there such thing as perfect water receipe? As in it:

• Won’t scale at all
• Won’t corrode everything
• Tastes nice

Or is that just nonexistent? e.g. if it won’t corrode, will it always lightly scale your boiler etc?

And is Ashbeck ok now? I’m confused :)

I have an LMLU, and LM have this Water Spec Doc which is nice. Although they also have this Water Calculator which, if you put entries in which fall within the ranges of their own water spec create some slightly worrying summaries like “slightly corrosive”.

caffeinated-carp Is there such thing as perfect water receipe? As in it:

Yes. Start with Reverse Osmosis / Distilled water, and then add 100mg/L of sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate.

This is what the osmio zero adds back (from their website)

The final filter in the system contains calcium and magnesium active ceramic balls. They have the effect of adding around 20-30 ppm in total to remineralise the water.

I will just use this and try not to overthink it all 👌

caffeinated-carp

Scaling and corrosion are both dependent on temperature, alkalinity, and hardness.

Water that scales at 125c might not at 105c or 25c. You’ll see the langelier saturation index (or a modified version) telling you a water spec is corrosive at room temp but scaling at your service boiler temp. So no, there’s no perfect solution.

You can remineralise water to an appropriate alkalinity (e.g 40-60mg/l) which will help prevent corrosion. Corrosion is caused by more than just a lack of hardness and alkalinity, and depends on boiler material.

Would not use Ashbeck. Low alkalinity and over 10mg/l chloride and sulphate, so not great.

MediumRoastSteam Well that sounds easy, what’s with all the mad water recipes? Reading here you have the “rao/perger” recipe:

• 5 g epsom salt (MgSO₄•7H₂O)

• 2 g MgCl₂•6H₂O (hexahydrate) or 1 g anhydrous MgCl₂

• 1.5 g anhydrous CaCl₂ or 2 g CaCl₂•2H₂O (dihydrate)

• 1.7 g baking soda (NaHCO₃)

• 2 g bicarbonate potassium (KHCO₃)

That seems a little complex to me :)

Rob1 Would not use Ashbeck. Low alkalinity and over 10mg/l chloride and sulphate, so not great

Hm ok, although apparently at least no longer corrosive?