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Author Topic: Do campden tablets affect water ions  (Read 2484 times)

Offline Steve L

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Do campden tablets affect water ions
« on: May 01, 2017, 04:10:40 am »
Greetings all,
Sorry if this topic has been covered, I haven't gotten a specific insight through searching. I've recently starting using my tap water to brew with and am concerned that I may need to treat with campden tablets due to the central well system that services our neighborhood. My question is, will campden tablets significantly affect so4, call and such levels or is the affect minimal and not worth worrying about? If there is a way to figure this into my bru'n water spreadsheet, that would make it simpler. Thanks for any help,
Corripe Cervisiam

Offline Todd H.

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Re: Do campden tablets affect water ions
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 08:06:36 am »
I copied and pasted from Dow Chemicals:

"Sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) is commonly used for removal of free chlorine and as a biostatic. Other chemical reducing agents exist (e.g., sulfur dioxide), but they are not as cost-effective as SMBS. When dissolved in water, sodium bisulfite (SBS) is formed from SMBS:

Na2S2O5 + H2O --> 2 NaHSO3

then reduces hypochlorous acid according to:

2NaHSO3 + 2HOCl --> H2SO4 + 2HCl + Na2SO4"

So, given that both sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate are water soluble, I'd expect that they would increase your sulfate levels (and sodium levels).

Offline Steve L

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Re: Do campden tablets affect water ions
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2017, 09:24:01 am »
Very good. Thanks for the info. I searched a bit more and finally found a section in Martin's Bru'n water knowledge  page that had the info as well. Thanks again!
Corripe Cervisiam

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Do campden tablets affect water ions
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2017, 11:19:55 am »
This subject is discussed on the Water Knowledge page of the Bru'n Water website.

Campden tablet additions to remove chlorine compounds result in a few ppm increase in sodium and sulfate.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

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Offline Steve L

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Re: Do campden tablets affect water ions
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 05:39:50 pm »
Excellent, thanks for the info. I have a brewlab, Do you think it's worth the time to dissolve 1/2 a tablet in 5 gallons of water and then recheck my water post campden to see how much the levels change?
Thanks again for the info
Corripe Cervisiam

Offline JJeffers09

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Re: Do campden tablets affect water ions
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2017, 03:37:12 pm »
Nope only oxygen ions😅😉

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