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Re: Curiouser and Curioser

>

Hmmm.

> 			PH	Kh	Co2
> Tap			5.75	3.8	215ppm
> Boiled			6.8	3.8	30ppm
> RO			4.5	.784	210ppm
> Tap 2 day light		7.4	3.8	10ppm
> Tap 2 day dark	(underway)
>

Well, I've spent *way* more time on this than my work schedule is supposed
to allow.  Here's what I propose is going on:

Your well water quality is effected by fermentation of organic material in
the aquiver. This creates high CO2 concentrations and releases organic
acids.  Your water probably carries somewhere around 200 mg/l of CO2.
Your RO filter isn't removing the CO2, so your RO water is very acidic.
This is very high and can't be readily explained by normal respiratory
processes.  Most of the apparent CO2 that remains after sitting or boiling
is actually organic acids.  There's around 10 mg/l of "faux" CO2 which
could be created by about 0.23 meq/l of organic acid.  I can't tell what
that might mean in term of mg/l.

I have a hard time believing 200 mg/l of CO2, but I spent some time
massaging your test results and given the precision of the test kits, all
of your analyses seem consistent with that conclusion.  Also I'm only
guessing that CO2 will get through your RO filter.  I called the local
Culligan man; he thought that CO2 might get through RO membrane, but he
couldn't really say for sure.  You might call your supplier and see what
he says.  It does seem that whatever is causing the high CO2 reading -
whether or not it is CO2 - is getting through the membrane.

I can think of two additional tests.  If you've got fermentation going on
in your ground water, then it should contain no measurable oxygen.  Oxygen
is a tough analysis, but there are kits for it.  Make sure that your
sample doesn't get mixed with air before or during the test.  Also,
organic acids might be oxidizable.  You might try treating a sample with
hydrogen peroxide to oxidize the acids, then test pH, alkalinity and CO2
in the oxidized sample, boil the sample (or wait two days) and repeat the
test to see what changes.

Its been interesting,

Roger Miller


Does the last rose of autumn really smell sweeter than the rest?