More water questions.......RO/tap mix

Water analysis, treatment, and mineral recipes for optimum taste and equipment health.
cruzmisl
Posts: 167
Joined: 16 years ago

#1: Post by cruzmisl »

Hi All,
I've gotten involved in the water quality topic and am considering going to a reverse osmosis system mixed with 50% tap. Here are my current numbers,

Current salt softened water taken from group,

Temp: 90f
pH: 7.5
Total alkalinity: 80ppm
Calcium hardness: 10ppm
TDS: 126

Municipal supply,

Temp: 71f
pH: 7.2
Total alkalinity: 80ppm
Calcium hardness: 80ppm
TDS: 110

My thinking is the RO water mixed with tap will yield a boiler safe water that tastes good with no salt.

In theory I should end up with,

pH: 7.??? not sure what RO does to the pH
Total alkalinity: 40ppm
Calcium hardness: 40ppm
TDS: 55

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Joe

shakin_jake
Posts: 29
Joined: 16 years ago

#2: Post by shakin_jake replying to cruzmisl »



~~~Or you could add one of chris coffee's carbon calcite cartridges after your RO unit, instead of tap. Try both and see what your taste buds prefer. About $50 or so for the cartridge and canister. I was running straight RO water for the longest time (I know, too soft, acidic, not supposed to taste good but it did-YMMV). Then June 1st this year I added the aforementioned cartridge after my RO system. More mouthfeel immediately...tastes good to me but I did not run the numbers on my well water like you have with your tap water. No desire for me to experiment blending water as you are wanting to do


Jake
Reddick Fla.

trix
Posts: 114
Joined: 16 years ago

#3: Post by trix »

I've heard Berkey water filters are very good.
Lucy
LMWDP #166 trix

User avatar
shadowfax
Posts: 3545
Joined: 19 years ago

#4: Post by shadowfax »

I'm confused. Your municipal water supply seems pretty decent (though alkalinity is a little high). Try putting a mixing valve on your water softener so that you can raise the hardness a little over 10ppm, maybe 25-30. Minimal scaling, but some decent amount of minerals in the water. Honestly, your scale rate isn't going to be horrible, and I think if I had your water I'd carbon/sediment filter it and enjoy, descaling the machine every 6-8 months. It's pretty easy work with citric acid. Seems like marginally more work, but maybe 5% of the cost of buying an RO system and replacing the filters every year.
Nicholas Lundgaard

cruzmisl (original poster)
Posts: 167
Joined: 16 years ago

#5: Post by cruzmisl (original poster) »

I was considering doing that too but to be honest I don't know much about water chemistry to know whats good and not good for espresso machines. For pools however I'm very comfortable :)