How To Use Salifert Alkalinity and Calcium Test Kits

[Piperbrew]

To convert the alkalinity to ppm as CaCO3 multiply the dKH value by 17.9 which gives you 211ppm alkalinity. With that and the calcium value you can make the necessary adjustments as per this thread.

Ah ha....cheers for that, maybe I can make sense of it now ))

 

[Piperbrew]

To convert the alkalinity to ppm as CaCO3 multiply the dKH value by 17.9 which gives you 211ppm alkalinity. With that and the calcium value you can make the necessary adjustments as per this thread.

So if I am reading what you have said correctly. Ideally I need to bring the calcium level up from 60 to 100? and reduce the Alkalinity as high? for most beers?

 

[strange-steve]

Yep, raise the calcium using gypsum and/or calcium chloride depending on the style and reduce alkalinity to the appropriate level using your acid of choice.

 

[Piperbrew]

Yep, raise the calcium using gypsum and/or calcium chloride depending on the style and reduce alkalinity to the appropriate level using your acid of choice.

Thanks for this and it looks relatively straight forward if you just go off beer groups so to speak.

Cheers

 

[stevey]

Hi @strange-steve , my alkalinity is 281ppm so I need to add CRS at about 1.3ml/l. Is that doable or would you recommend using half ashbeck then treating? My Ca is 160, so I'm guessing I don't need gypsum?
Incidently, the instructions with my kit says add 10 drops of ca-2, has this changed? your How to says 8 drops.
Great tutorials, I'd never have thought about adjusting my water without them. :thumb:

 

[strange-steve]

Hi @strange-steve , my alkalinity is 281ppm so I need to add CRS at about 1.3ml/l. Is that doable or would you recommend using half ashbeck then treating? My Ca is 160, so I'm guessing I don't need gypsum?
Incidently, the instructions with my kit says add 10 drops of ca-2, has this changed? your How to says 8 drops.
Great tutorials, I'd never have thought about adjusting my water without them. :thumb:

Yes it's doable, though maybe not ideal because it'll add a load of chloride and sulphate. It'll be fine for English styles but probably not for anything a bit more delicate.

And yeah it's quite possible the Ca kit has changed, mine is probably a few years old now.

 

[stevey]

Thanks for the reply. I brewed a bitter yesterday , so hopefully it will be ok. I think I'll use half ashbeck in future though, the saving in CRS will probably pay for the water.
I added 33ml of CRS in total. Which seemed like a hell of a lot to me.

 

[Clint]

I'm going to try and have a go this week... obviously need the kits and a small scales but should I test the water before buying any adjustment salts/chems?
Oh...are those pH strips any use for testing mash pH?

 

[F00b4r]

It is easier to multiply the meq/L value by 50 to get the alkalinity value, especially if doing it late at night or early in the morning :)

 

[cushyno]

Hey @strange-steve , when doing the Salifert Calcium test, would you expect this to happen?
When adding the CA-3 fluid, the vial gradually turns from pink to blue but goes through a stage where some purplish suspended solids appear. Is this usual? Is it best to keep going until they disappear or is the test finished as soon as the liquid turns blue?

Kit best before date is 2023, so should be right.

The for me in difference in ppm is 40 for with solids 80 without.

Thanks

 

[strange-steve]

Hey @strange-steve , when doing the Salifert Calcium test, would you expect this to happen?
When adding the CA-3 fluid, the vial gradually turns from pink to blue but goes through a stage where some purplish suspended solids appear. Is this usual? Is it best to keep going until they disappear or is the test finished as soon as the liquid turns blue?

Kit best before date is 2023, so should be right.

The for me in difference in ppm is 40 for with solids 80 without.

Thanks

I'm not sure about the solids, I've never seen that happen but you should stop as soon as it turns blue.

 

[cushyno]

Okey dokey, thanks for the advice. I think I'll test it again and wait longer in between adding a few drops, that may give the solids more chance to dissolve.

 

[SteveH]

Thanks for the guide!

Got myself a little confused though, did the KH test and used nearly all the small syringe (about 0.96ml), which says 0.3dKH or about 5ppm?

We have very hard water here so I expected a high reading, have I done something wrong?

 

[strange-steve]

have I done something wrong?

Yep you have, you look at how much is left in the syringe not how much you used. So there would have been 0.04 ml left meaning 15 dKH or 269 ppm.

 

[SteveH]

Yep you have, you look at how much is left in the syringe not how much you used. So there would have been 0.04 ml left meaning 15 dKH or 269 ppm.

Aha, doh! That makes more sense now, thanks for the help!

 

[Litmus]

thanks for this gudie @strange-steve I was wondering if we should test for Ca after treating the water with CRS, or test the raw water?

 

[strange-steve]

thanks for this gudie @strange-steve I was wondering if we should test for Ca after treating the water with CRS, or test the raw water?

CRS won't affect the calcium content but test the raw water anyway.

 

[Litmus]

CRS won't affect the calcium content but test the raw water anyway.

thanks :)

 

[BradleyW]

Thanks so much for these pictures!! I got my kits this week and the instructions are as clear as mud in English and even worse in Spanish so these pics really help!!

 

[Mrhandsome]

Need to get one of these kits and start treating my water.

Am I right in thinking hard water is generally better for darker brews than light? My stout efficiency is way higher than my pale ales.