Water Softeners - any idea?

dlowe1992 · 2025-02-27T13:24:51+0000

Right, I'm two weeks into our new house and the better weather has me itching to brew while sorting out the garden / shed this weekend.

The new place has one of these installed..
https://www.calmagltd.com/calsoft-mini-water-softener/

Having got some info out of Severn Trent on our supply I can see why they got it. I know we're in a hard water area but that's impressive!
Ca 104 Mg 10 Ch 44 SO4 40 Bicarbonate 362 NA 16

Sorting that out with AMS would take a hell of a lot of it, so I'm wondering about using a mix of the tap water and softened water to get me where I want prior to any additions. But I've no idea what these things do to other salt levels in the water. I'm presuming they work by predominantly stripping out the carbonates, but do they take other stuff with it?
I've emailed into the manufacturer to try and find out what these softeners do to the water exactly in terms of salts etc. Anyone any experience with one of these or something similar and exactly how they work?

Any info greatly received at the minute!
Ta,
Dan

Appleton Brews · 2025-02-27T13:56:51+0000

I would dilute it 50/50 with Ashbeck water from Tesco which has Alkalinity of 25 which would lower yours to about 200. I would then further reduce that with AMS.

JockyBrewer · 2025-02-27T14:14:55+0000

That water softener is an ion exchange unit. It replaces calcium and magnesium with sodium.
You shouldn’t brew with water from it.

Normally when you have a unit like this there’s a tap that bypasses it for drinking water.

Most of London and the South East has water like yours, and either treats it with AMS/CRS or uses some/all RO water.

RO systems are cheap, or you can get RO from a ‘Spotless’ water station or aquarium shops.

dlowe1992 · 2025-02-27T14:31:48+0000

Yeah I've just had a reply from the manufacturers saying much the same thing. Hadn't realised it stripped out the calcium and magneisum.
Pretty much the polar opposite of what I want it to do. Never mind! At least it'll be good water for cleaning.

I've been looking at Spotless as I'm trying to avoid buying more 'gear' whilst also a little reluctant to keep buying Ashbeck - nearest Tesco a fair way away!

RichardM · 2025-02-27T15:09:54+0000

dlowe1992 said:
Yeah I've just had a reply from the manufacturers saying much the same thing. Hadn't realised it stripped out the calcium and magneisum.
Pretty much the polar opposite of what I want it to do. Never mind! At least it'll be good water for cleaning.

I've been looking at Spotless as I'm trying to avoid buying more 'gear' whilst also a little reluctant to keep buying Ashbeck - nearest Tesco a fair way away!

The only thing you need to buy to use Spotless is a container to transport the water in. Plastic jerry cans don't cost much.