erics wrote:Then, I would start here: http://www.lamarzocco.com/water_calculator/

homeburrero wrote:Sean,
Even before using that calculator I think you need a better report - one specific to your area of LA. See if you can't find something better here: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/YourWat ... ports.aspx

The one you posted indicates a total hardness of 26 - 260 (mg/l as CaCO3) - useless because of imprecision. It also has no indication of alkalinity. You can also test your tap water yourself using an aquarium test kit.

Thank you! My city is not serviced by the DPW and our bills come from the site I got the report from. I have managed to find another company, Golden State Water Company, that shows that they service my city (I'm not quite sure how the water service works). Their report seems to give more details and after putting it into the La Marzocco calculator with the below values, I'm being recommended for RO, S, C, and P. I am hoping to avoid the RO route and just go with a 3 stage filter, mainline to sediment to softener to carbon.

pH 7.9
Alkalinity 164
TDS 271
Hardness 174
Chloride 16
Chlorine 1.21

I will be receiving a marine testing kit and I'll give it a test with the tap coming out of the faucet, hopefully getting better or more accurate results.

Los Angeles area water is typically pretty high in TDS and scales like crazy. I have one of those multi-stage water cartridge filters on my water for cooking, and while the water may taste good it's still quite heavy with TDS and still scales. Even have scale on the tip of the water filter faucet that needs cleaned from time to time.

My TDS numbers were up around 450 if I remember correctly. Really high, and not easy to tame for a boiler and scale issues.

Rather than deal with all the water filtration I would really need: RO + mineralization?
Since I'm a renter I just went with Crystal Geyser water for $1 or less a gallon. If it were my house I'd do an RO system with the waste water going to the garden or plants.

Remember, if you scrimp on the water treatments that means you'll spend more time and money on maintenance. Get a little test kit and you'll be able to test your water and know what is coming out of your tap. Once you get the system in place you'll want to test the water post filtration and then post machine too.

YseanY wrote:Iron 16

Hope that's in ppb (16ppb = 0.016 mg/l, which would be ok.)

A little iron goes a long way towards making coffee taste terrible.

Sorry, that was a typo for Chloride. There was no iron listed.

YseanY wrote: I am hoping to avoid the RO route ...

Good idea. Be sure to check this: Plumb-in options for La Marzocco GS/3.
Marshall is a long time poster, very knowledgeable about espresso, has a GS3, lives in LA, and I believe his wife is a water chemist. Even comes with a recommended LA plumber a couple posts down.

There are some theoretical arguments against the Claris. One manufacturer (Synesso) recommends against it (they also recommend near zero chloride levels.) Since your alkalinity and pH are both high, and your chloride is not that high I don't think it's something that should worry you, but if you want to be aware of the issues check this thread:
Warning: Chloride & sulfate levels with weak acid cation softeners (e.g., Everpure Claris)

Thanks for the great reads!

I just tested my water with the API GH and KH kit and got the below results.

10 dkh (I believe this translates to 178.57)
196.9 ppm GH/KH

I think I may stick with a solutions like Chris Coffee's offer but would the Commercial Rechargeable Water Softening System or the regular Water Softening and Filtration System with an additional sediment filter achieve better/ideal results? This would be roughly 25-30 milk drinks per week.

The commercial one would be way overkill. 30 drinks per week is light use. With a high estimate of 20ml or so for steaming, 80ml or so for brewing, and even if you're fastidious about cleaning flushes and backflushes you would expect less than an additional 100 ml per drink, so those 30 drinks will come in at less than 6 liter (~1.6 gal) per week. At 10 grains* the CCS home softener will last 86 gallons, so you're looking at filter replacements about once per year.

Not sure if you need to add the 1 micron sediment filter, I'd ask Chris Coffee about that.


* 10 dGH = 10.4 grains per gallon

homeburrero wrote:Not sure if you need to add the 1 micron sediment filter, I'd ask Chris Coffee about that.

If you are on City water I doubt you'd need one. I'm on a well with lots of sediment so my water passes through two sediment filters before it hits the two CCS generic set ups in our house. The softener cartridge lasts 8-10 months at my coffeebar. The one in our kitchen lasts 3-4 months but it sees lots of use. Be sure to add a drain between the carbon filter & machine so you can flush the new filters. The water coming out of a new carbon filter will run black for about 30 seconds or more & you don't want that in your boilers.

Replacement cartridges can be bought for $7-$10 at online shops like http://www.wateranywhere.com

Thank you! Looks like I can probably build my own kit from here to! What is the difference between Anti-Scale Filter Cartridges and Water Softening Filter Cartridges (this looks to be the same filter from CC)

JohnB. wrote:If you are on City water I doubt you'd need one. I'm on a well with lots of sediment so my water passes through two sediment filters before it hits the two CCS generic set ups in our house. The softener cartridge lasts 8-10 months at my coffeebar. The one in our kitchen lasts 3-4 months but it sees lots of use. Be sure to add a drain between the carbon filter & machine so you can flush the new filters. The water coming out of a new carbon filter will run black for about 30 seconds or more & you don't want that in your boilers.

Replacement cartridges can be bought for $7-$10 at online shops like http://www.wateranywhere.com

Thank you! Looks like I can probably build my own kit from here too! What is the difference between Anti-Scale Filter Cartridges and Water Softening Filter Cartridges (this looks to be the replacement filter from CC).