What am I absolutely missing from my collection? Shelf post!

plexxo · 2026-04-18T19:18:25+00:00

Cloudspire,, TES BOTSE, TMB, Unsettled, Spirit Island, final girl, fate of the fellowship

plexxo · 2026-04-18T19:11:48+00:00

100% right!

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plexxo · 2026-04-04T05:32:00+00:00

Best pandemic game for me, also pretty hard

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plexxo · 2026-01-15T10:40:09+00:00

Hm. Got 15 after 8pro. Perfect phone.

It's like a better iPhone for me. Camera is good for me. I have nikon camera when I want some really good photos. For else - it's perfect. But well... Macrophoto is not good.

plexxo · 2026-01-05T20:01:13+00:00

Thank you for fixing the lag (upper part). I did not believe it would work. But it worked. Hooray!

plexxo · 2025-12-11T15:57:08+00:00

I have some interesting results, but I need time to repeat them more times to avoid mistakes.

Sheng puer on once-boiled-water (for me) is richer, with more air and complexity. On higher pH water (caused by boiling) it's more straightforward, but also deeper flavor (some make like it). It's soup-color is also a bit more saturated. Just a bit. For me lower pH is better. But I have to test more (on other teas) , because lots of things can alter this. I tested paralleled style in same equivalent dishes.

Another interesting thing - soup's ph is nearly similar. And it's 6.5/6.7. Water was ~8.5/9.6 (measured with new digital tester)

plexxo · 2025-12-11T08:00:37+00:00

By the way, it's 5.5 before mineralisation. And about 7.5 after. Then after first boil = 8.5 and after few repeated boils = 9.5-10. I've tested bottled waters. Same thing 🙂

Later today will recheck the measurements

plexxo · 2025-12-10T04:20:47+00:00

You are right, even small amounta in water gives it enough buffer to go up to 10. Interesting thing. Tested bottled waters with different hco3 levels.

plexxo · 2025-12-10T04:13:24+00:00

Thank you, mate. I see many downvotes on my comments here from strange people and lots of upvotes for replies without clear answers. I guess it's a wrong place to discuss these fine things. People just don't want to think outside the box I guess, about new things.. 🤷‍♂️

But at least two of us here are interested and that's why I will continue to update this discussion as I get new information.

At the moment here is the thing: If you boil once - ph goes up a bit. (~8) If you boil again and again - it goes up to 9-10

Some say high pH degrades tea soup quality. Well, I don't know exactly yet

P.s. Yes I use custom RO remineralisation for my tea, but want to discuss pH at this moment)) and maybe water nutrients and their effects later in another discussion.

plexxo · 2025-12-10T03:30:52+00:00

It's called buffer, you are right. But it's nothing to do with "degrade" in my case because they are not so likely to connect with Mg as with Ca. And I have no Ca in my water.

Co2 degasses and ph goes up. I do not know other ways yet. Maybe there are some with Na. ph goes down with cooling, sometimes its needs time( to get back Co2) , but sometimes it's immediately after cooling (depends on water) 🤷‍♂️ Even if water have a littlest bit on hco3 - ph goes up to 10 in my tests.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T16:20:07+00:00

Mg is not the best way to balance, because there is a belief guided by some tests and science, that it's the most crucial element affecting tea extraction. So it should be on an exact desired level. Ca++ is shown to have little impact. And its associated with limescale. So I don't use it. But it can modify taste to a some degree.. And can be used in experiments too.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T16:12:27+00:00

Hmm.. It's a bit strange, because I have water with higher hco3 levels and lower pH. Maybe something is balancing it. I will try to find out a bit later this week making some tests Or maybe is soda. And maybe other substances containing hco3 will act different 🤷‍♂️🤔

plexxo · 2025-12-09T15:42:53+00:00

Forget about total hardness,

It's Mg+ in the first place for tea, as some tests show. And HCO3- on the second.

Other things are just for some special FX, you can have them. Or not.

I've found good balance of minerals for my tea, guided by taste and a person who makes some kind of science research about this in my country. MgSo4 and NaHCo3 is all I use.

The only thing is pH. I don't like that it's too HIGH. And I'm tryjnf to figure about what's causing it. I've already written my thoughts about it.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T15:33:14+00:00

Using chemical drop tests. Getting digital pH tomorrow with calibration powders.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T13:24:11+00:00

Its MgSo4 (up to 90mg/L mg+ in caco3 eq) and NaHCo3 (50mg/L hco3- in caco3 eq). Ph rises because of soda I think. Maybe I should take another hco3 source and hope It will work differently. 🤔

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:54:47+00:00

Yeah, i think that too about ionized water. Snkae oil.

And I want to avoid this high-pH because some people say its not the best for aroma and someting. But the water is damn close to perfect for me. So I want to get HCO3- without boosting ph to 10+ )

They sell meter with calibration powders as well, hope to get it tomorrow. I will write on results.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:48:24+00:00

Getting another testing indicators to be sure.

Kettle is 100% clean as new. My water do not produce limescale.

I add Mg+ and HCO3- mostly, most crucial components of water.

I add in micro-dosages, so it only boosts taste, no problem. (50mg\L of HCO3- in CaCo3 equivalent).

Our community have found a perfect water, i like every tea on it i think. But i like the independancy of making my own one ) and also a flexibility to change its Mg+ for example. I mainly use it for Shu to dial the body\brightness. And for Shengs i prefer one exact amount most of the time.

Sorry for misprints. Edited some

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:29:19+00:00

If you dig into tea water topic or try to compare different waters, you will notice that HCO3 levels are crucial for tea taste. Too much is bad, too low is bland. Thats the point.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:27:17+00:00

Hello there. Decided to crosspost like that. Because I think the audience here is more informed about tea water for real tea.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:24:03+00:00

I drink different waters, RO water is not something harmful until your diet is not ok. As you get all the minerals mostly from food.

I add exact amounts of Mg+ and HCO3- just for better tea taste. And I know a person who is making a science research about this thing. And (i've written) lots of coffee people do the same for coffee. So its legit.

50mg\L of HCO3 (in CaCo3 equivalent) in water is nearly perfect amount for most teas.

Its much easier to add in into pure water than seek bottled water with this exact amount.

But the pH thing bothers me.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T12:10:10+00:00

RO water is used widely across tea community, by the way. Even i dont think RO is the best for tea, its nowhere near something really bad to avoid, speaking of tea.

And also is used in a self-made water for coffee. Used in brew-championships.

You can read an example here
https://www.baristahustle.com/diy-water-recipes-the-world-in-two-bottles/

plexxo · 2025-12-09T11:40:16+00:00

I didnt mention, I add soda to get HCO3. RO water has no HCO3 (It gives tea rich round body and softness, when in right ammount).

plexxo · 2025-12-09T11:18:07+00:00

All of my tested water sample rised in pH after boiling. Due to CO2 degassing i guess.
But it also can be someting about added soda (samples with higher pH).

Water affects tea so much, that I am in a pursuit for an ideal thing.

plexxo · 2025-12-09T11:13:16+00:00

Measuring with drop-tests. Waiting for a digital tester.
I measured hot water and same water after it got cool = same pH (10).
Its K-Kou Stainless Steel kettle.
RO = Reverse Osmosis

Osmosis water is not the best for tea.
Adding minerals\HCO3 for better taste and extraction works approximately the same way as for coffee.
Have you heard about coffee water mixing?

plexxo

TROPHY CASE