Water chemistry question not directly related to pool water

[mikefamig]

We have a private well in our home and I have a water question that I think this group can answer.

When I make ice cubes using the water from the well and then melt the ice cubes in a glass of the same water, small white particles fall out of the water and collect in the bottom of the glass. It's a slow process but if you leave the glass for a few hours you will find a white powder in the bottom. I had a neighbor do the same test and he had the same results.

I've asked around and the general consensus is that it must be calcium but I haven't tested calcium hardness of the water (it just occurred to me as I write this). Has anyone else ever seen this? Any ideas?

Mike.

EDIT - Correction - I meant to say that the white solid particles fall out of the ice as it melts.

 

[mikefamig]

Water question not directly related to pool

We have a private well in our home and I have a water question that I think this group can answer.

When I make ice cubes using the water from the well and then melt the ice cubes in a glass of the same water, small white particles fall out of the ice and collect in the bottom of the glass. It's a slow process but if you leave the glass for a few hours you will find a white powder in the bottom. I had a neighbor do the same test and he had the same results.

I've asked around and the general consensus is that it must be calcium but I haven't tested calcium hardness of the water (it just occurred to me as I write this). Has anyone else ever seen this? Any ideas?

Mike.

 

[salty87]

Do you get the same particles without freezing the water?...are you using ice trays or an ice maker?

 

[Richard320]

Re: Water question not directly related to pool

I've experienced similar.... an ice cube tray in the freezer where all the water sublimated away and a bunch of dust was left behind.

Sublimation is like evaporation, except it goes directly from solid to gas, skipping the liquid state. Dry Ice does it a lot faster than regular ice.

 

[mikefamig]

Do you get the same particles without freezing the water?...are you using ice trays or an ice maker?

This only occurs when ice cubes are melted in the water and I make cubes in a plastic tray.

Mike.

 

[mikefamig]

Re: Water question not directly related to pool

I've experienced similar.... an ice cube tray in the freezer where all the water sublimated away and a bunch of dust was left behind.

Sublimation is like evaporation, except it goes directly from solid to gas, skipping the liquid state. Dry Ice does it a lot faster than regular ice.

Does the sublimation occur when the water freezes to ice or when the ice melts into water? This can be new day-old ice that looks nice and clear.

Mike.

 

[Richard320]

Re: Water question not directly related to pool

Does the sublimation occur when the water freezes to ice or when the ice melts into water? This can be new day-old ice that looks nice and clear.

Mike.

Sublimation takes a while, a couple weeks. And it doesn't melt into water. It goes straight from solid to gas.

 

[mikefamig]

Re: Water question not directly related to pool

Richard320

After re-reading your initial reply I see that the sublimation occurs as the ice freezes or sits frozen in the freezer. So the solids left behind are bound in solution with the ice.

I've seen snow shrink during weeks of sub-freezing temps.

Mike.

 

[Vickery]

It's calcium and/or magnesium. We had the same problem. Also had urinary problems with our cats. A reverse osmosis filter took care of it for the ice cubes and cats, a water softener will do it for the house.

 

[Pv2]

I have that on two different wells in SE AZ, Tucson AZ 60 miles away city groundwater (at the time) and in Tempe AZ, on city treated river water 200 + miles away, I always assumed it was minerals precipitating out but no idea why.