Water hardness and limescale build-up is a favourite topic here - we supposedly have soft water but I still see plenty of limescale around our taps. I didn't want a plumbed in water-supply and there are no lines near my machine, so it would have been expensive anyway.
I opted for this highly technical mix of mixed-bed resin, recycled Sunbeam softener cartridges, an old yogurt container and food grade plastic tubing: https://coffeesnobs.com.au/general-c...tml#post612949
Two years on and I replace the resin container each month and in my daughter's Sunbeam less often - I still have the original shipment.
I bought some Hach test strips with a hardness indicator (you can get them from Bunnings in the pool section - but about $50). Hach do sell water hardness only test strips, but you need to find a stockist because transport kills. Woolies actually sell pool test strips that include hardness indicators... $20 or $15 on special last week! These might not give you a precise read, but it will be close enough. (edit: Just checked - a number of sponsors including JetBlack sell test strips)
With fresh resin installed, my test strip shows as low as it gets and my TDS meter is 4ppm.
After two years I just pulled my mushroom apart on the ECM and while there are a few deposits of scale, I thought it was pretty good for my yogurt container filter.
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I have theOriginally posted by Adam76 View PostThanks, I'll get the water tested asap.
What bench top system do you have?
CheersBenchtop Filter System, inc CFS117R Softening Filter 5 Mic - I had the water tested (don't remember the specs at the moment) but I passed them onto Bombora and they recommended the filter.
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Get your water professionally tested and go from there. If Bombora are convenient use them, They have a free water testing service and are very thoroughOriginally posted by Adam76 View PostWow, sounds like you have the home recipe nailed. Nice machine by the way.
I was hoping for the lazy way where the filter does it for me! [emoji6]
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My advice from Bombora and Brita is that these do not work for espresso machines. These are designed for drinking water only. Once the water is introduced to a boiler the whole ball game changesOriginally posted by robusto View PostFrom the Brita website
"Filtration
MAXTRA+ MicroFlow Technology reduces:
limescale build-up
metals such as lead and copper
chlorine and other substances that affect water’s taste"
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Wow, sounds like you have the home recipe nailed. Nice machine by the way.Originally posted by flashpixx View PostI went through this exercise when I found the local water in Perth was going to destroy the stainless steel boiler in my ECM Mechanika V Slim.
Our water is extremely high in Chlorides which the normal goto inline filter the Brita C150 Finest does not remove.
My solution is to use Pureau water which I buy in 10 litre goon bags for around $8. from Coles, Woolworths etc...
To that I add the mixture as described in here
Looks and sounds a bit complex but its not. All you need is a set of digi scales and I use a 5ml syringe, some Epsom Salts and Sodium BiCarbonate both of which are available from your supermarket shelves.
I mix up 2 litres at a time. I've also experimented with taste while getting a desired pH and TDS, and have reduced the individual component amounts into the Pureau to 4.2 ml per litre rather than 5ml. This gives me a slightly alkaline water and lower TDS than using 5ml. The taste is somehow cleaner and a little sweeter to my mouth anyway.
Analysis:
Ph 7.4
TDS between 70 and 80
Chlorine nil
I also bought a TDS meter and an electronic pH meter. But these are optional, I'm just a bit anal.
The other solution is to buy a Reverse Osmosis unit for about $250, to which you would still need to add the recipe as above.
I opted not to go this path as RO has a high waste level (1 litre of waste water to 1.25 litres of pure water), and the waste water from the RO is full of the nasties in the water in a concentrated form.
I was hoping for the lazy way where the filter does it for me! [emoji6]
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I went through this exercise when I found the local water in Perth was going to destroy the stainless steel boiler in my ECM Mechanika V Slim.
Our water is extremely high in Chlorides which the normal goto inline filter the Brita C150 Finest does not remove.
My solution is to use Pureau water which I buy in 10 litre goon bags for around $8. from Coles, Woolworths etc...
To that I add the mixture as described in here
Looks and sounds a bit complex but its not. All you need is a set of digi scales and I use a 5ml syringe, some Epsom Salts and Sodium BiCarbonate both of which are available from your supermarket shelves.
I mix up 2 litres at a time. I've also experimented with taste while getting a desired pH and TDS, and have reduced the individual component amounts into the Pureau to 4.2 ml per litre rather than 5ml. This gives me a slightly alkaline water and lower TDS than using 5ml. The taste is somehow cleaner and a little sweeter to my mouth anyway.
Analysis:
Ph 7.4
TDS between 70 and 80
Chlorine nil
I also bought a TDS meter and an electronic pH meter. But these are optional, I'm just a bit anal.
The other solution is to buy a Reverse Osmosis unit for about $250, to which you would still need to add the recipe as above.
I opted not to go this path as RO has a high waste level (1 litre of waste water to 1.25 litres of pure water), and the waste water from the RO is full of the nasties in the water in a concentrated form.
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Thanks, so I'm looking to see what sort of filtration system would be best for my set up and what other people are using?
Cheers
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And then you add Mg++ and some random TDS. Make me suspect that you might be best to use bottled. The jug will be useless I'm afraid.Originally posted by Adam76 View PostOne pool shop says l have 90pps calcium hardness.
Going to try one other shop
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One pool shop says l have 90pps calcium hardness.
Going to try one other shop
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That's easy for you to say Lb...Originally posted by Lyrebird View PostThey have very little effect on TDS but they do soften the water, by substituting monovalent (sodium) cations for divalent (calcium and magnesium) ones. This is quite effective at reducing scale formation.
Unfortunately this means it is very hard to measure when the resin is exhausted: the easiest and cheapest way is complexometric titration against EDTA using Eriochrome black as indicator. The test is easier than it sounds.
Mal.
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Hey
I’ve got a similar machine at home
I reckon just get a bench top water filter like this
Commercial link removed as per Site Posting Policy
It’s good coz you can use it for your drinking water as well as for your machine
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From the Brita website
"Filtration
MAXTRA+ MicroFlow Technology reduces:
limescale build-up
metals such as lead and copper
chlorine and other substances that affect water’s taste"
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In that situation it will exhaust more quickly. A back of the envelope calculation suggests that their stated capacity of 100 litres per recharge is pretty conservative, even with 200 ppm water. Assuming you are quoting hardness as CaCO3, 200 ppm = 2 μM = 4 μEq so their 100 litres is 400 microequivalents. Even the tiny quantity of resin they put in these things will handle that (most resins have a capacity around 1 eq per litre resin).Last edited by Lyrebird; 8 October 2019, 12:29 PM.
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Try one with 200ppm hardness (or more) which is not uncommon in parts of Australia
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