Rain water re-mineralization

Discussion in 'Off Grid Living' started by JackBlack, Apr 17, 2023.


  1. JackBlack

    JackBlack Monkey

    Hi All,
    I hope you are doing well in these strange times.
    I have a question re re-mineralization of water.
    From what I see rainwater is closer to distilled what makes it more acidic what apparently is not good comparing to loaded with chlorine, fluoride and other minerals (some desirable some not) mains water.
    I collect rainwater to IBC to black tanks (to prevent algae buildup) and drink it with minimal filtering. Just initial debris filtration then carbon filter like Berkeley but DIY system with 30l capacity.
    I know some people use sand and rock + bio filter. Do you know if this also adds minerals to the water. Technically distilled water is a solvent so it supposed to take something off the sand and rocks.
    Or is there any other method to re-mineralize water.
    Let me know.
    Best regards
     
    Alanaana likes this.
  2. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    @JackBlack I noticed that this is your first post here on the Monkey.
    Please introduce yourself by creating a post in the thread New Member Introductions
     
  3. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Monkey+++ Founding Member

    I grew up drinking rain water right out of the tank it was collected in from the roof of our house. No “filtration” other than a small mesh filter that removed whole frogs ;) and other debris from the water. When bush now I still do as did most all of our ancestors at some point. I think we can overthink it a little. Also drank from creeks lots (nothing like finding that week old dead sheep in the creek 100yds up stream from your last drink either) :)
     
  4. plumberroy

    plumberroy Monkey+

    It will pick up some but that depends on the type of sand and gravel . I have built treatment systems that put water through a calcium tank after the R.O. to add a little hardness back. Very few places use distilled water anymore Reverse Osmosis is more energy efficient
     
  5. JackBlack

    JackBlack Monkey

    thanks for replying. I haven't drank rainwater before so I wanted to check because I see most people go into great lengths to filter rainwater. I was drinking from the mountain streams and had no issue.

    1. Your anti-frog mesh pretty much matches what I have. I also use a pair of pantyhose to pick most of the fine stuff.
    The other thing I can worry is the IBC tank itself leeching some undesirable elements. At the end of the day it's a black tank that keeps the water in complete darkness but at the same time absorbs a lot of heat during hot days. This could led to some plastics going into water. Maybe an IBC tank cover is needed.

    2. I assume you drank rain water for prolonged periods of time and not alternating with other water. Could you think of any side effects?
    The anti fluoride folks from my country for some reasons are not supportive of rainwater collection. I tell you why. There are filter makers behind many of these grassroot initiatives. It's not good for the business, they want people buying filters. Problem Solution Paradigm.
    However in densely populated areas rainwater collection is not possible so they still have customers but still denounce the idea.
    Apart from chlorine and fluoride there is also arsenic from hexafluorisilicic acid they add in my area (a waste product they import from Israel). Apparently the desirable ones are phosphorus, calcium and some magnesium but from what I heard you get all of this from food so supplementation from water is not needed.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2023
  6. JackBlack

    JackBlack Monkey

    How do you know how to design such treatment tank? I mean to get the right amount of calcium into water.
    I mean you need to be a geologist to know which rocks to pick to create these different layers.
    As I mentioned in my previous post I think calcium, phosphorus, sodium are the desirable ones.
    These are the top ingredients in my mains water:
    Chlorine 118mg/l
    Sulphate 65mg/l
    Nitrate 39mg/l
    Sodium 23mg/l

    You would think that some Sulphate is also ok.
    Actually I don't see Phosphorus or Magnesium in my water report.
    Strange because the report does not even lists Calcium.
     
    Dunerunner likes this.
  7. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    A good Beer Brewing program would have a water profile correction calculator. You would have to be able to test your water to know where to start, what to add and in what quantities. You could distill the rain water, then enter all zero's in the profile for the original water then add the compounds to create the profile you want.

    You can purchase the minerals needed to correct any water from a number of home brew supply stores online.

    Here is one online https://www.brewersfriend.com/water-chemistry/
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2023
    JackBlack likes this.
  8. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Monkey+++ Founding Member

    No side effects from rainwater here.
     
    JackBlack and Dunerunner like this.
  9. JackBlack

    JackBlack Monkey

    This is very interesting, thank you.
    Is it how the journey ends of all the people collecting water?
    They are so good at collecting it then they don't know what to do with it and start brewing.:D
    The World of Tanks LOL
     
    Dunerunner likes this.
  10. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    The process described in my post is how breweries create the desired mineral content and PH of the water they have available. This is how a company in Texas can brew an English Pale or Porter to mimic one brewed in London, Buffon on Trent, a Stout from Dublin, Oktoberfest from Munich or a Scottish Export Stout from Edinburgh.

    I know of a brewery that recreates the mineral content of a famous Italian sparkling water from the chlorinated city water of the area.

    All it takes is knowledge, a heat source and the minerals.

    Here is a downloadable water profile calculator Download Bru'n Water Software | Bru'n Water
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2023
    JackBlack likes this.
  11. plumberroy

    plumberroy Monkey+

    Honestly ? I gave the specs for the water to a water treatment company and they designed a system to meet the requirements. Needed it to be 2 grains hard. It was water to mix with the orange GM anti-freeze
     
    JackBlack likes this.
  1. jodirumph
  2. DKR
  3. Asia-Off-Grid
  4. Asia-Off-Grid
  5. Asia-Off-Grid
  6. Asia-Off-Grid
  7. Asia-Off-Grid
  8. Asia-Off-Grid
  9. Motomom34
  10. garden_gnome
  11. Asia-Off-Grid
  12. wrekless
  13. ditch witch
  14. ffp911
  15. CATO
  16. Gopherman
  17. nkawtg
  18. jblaise
  19. jack_froste
  20. jack_froste
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7