Soft water, anyone?

[wbholwell]

Ok, so I'm wondering why my dKH is so low when I do almost a 15% waterchange every week. So I test the water from my RO unit and it's less than 1 dKH! I guess I have really soft water, and the buffers in the salt mix aren't able to keep up. In the future I suppose I'll have to add the appropriate amount of buffer to my top-off water to maintain the correct dKH.

Does anyone else have this "problem" and is this what you do? Also, could anything else be affecting my dKH?

Thanks in advance!

 

[vettesarebest]

We have a water softener but it doesn't seem to effect the DKH. But we are also using well water

 

[wbholwell]

Yeah, well water typically has loads of minerals. You're on the lake though, so depending on what your water table looks like, you could be getting water from the lake. BTW, what is the dKH of your tap water?

 

[vettesarebest]

Lovely! I never thought of that. Great lol jk. Lake Lanier is Filthy!

 

[wbholwell]

Don't worry, water usually runs underground towards </em>lakes and rivers. And even if it's coming from the lake it's probably well-filtered by the time it reaches your well. But if you start to grow a third arm, well I guess I'm wrong ;-)

 

[vettesarebest]

You mean this third arm isn't normal? Is that what your trying to tell me?

 

[wbholwell]

Uhh... hey, at least you can make good money as a carney freak!

(No offense to anyone who might have a residual third limb, tail, absorbed fetus, etc.)

 

[vettesarebest]

lol, Back to the subject.

 

[schwaggs]

Doesn't the definition of RODI water mean it lacks impurities and therefore is very soft?:unsure:

 

[cgill311]

Schwaggs;35224 wrote: Doesn't the definition of RODI water mean it lacks impurities and therefore is very soft?:unsure:

Yes, assuming the membranes work perfectly, the RODI water should be devoid any any dissolved minerals and ions.

 

[wbholwell]

CGill311;35228 wrote: Yes, assuming the membranes work perfectly, the RODI water should be devoid any any dissolved minerals and ions.

Hmm... then am I wrong to expect my salt mix to buffer the water adequately? Or can it not keep up with the topoff?

 

[schwaggs]

No, you are correct in that your salt mix should buffer the water adequatly. I have the same experience that you do, I need to buffer up my ALK after doing a water change.... I like your idea of putting it in the makeup water. Kind of like bufferwater (instead of kalkwater)

 

[wbholwell]

You know, I don't think Reef Crystals is all it's cracked-up to be. I think I'll give Tropic Marin Pro Reef a try. Anyone here use that?

 

[cgill311]

wbholwell;35241 wrote: You know, I don't think Reef Crystals is all it's cracked-up to be. I think I'll give Tropic Marin Pro Reef a try. Anyone here use that?

That's what CBA uses for the saltwater they use and sell. They say its the best.

 

[wbholwell]

CGill311;35242 wrote: That's what CBA uses for the saltwater they use and sell. They say its the best.

Good! And b/c I'm going to start buying the buckets instead of the 50 gallon packages the wife shouldn't notice any increase in cost- win-win! (The one downside of being married to an accountant is that she knows of every penny I spend :boo: )

 

[vettesarebest]

wbholwell;35244 wrote: Good! And b/c I'm going to start buying the buckets instead of the 50 gallon packages the wife shouldn't notice any increase in cost- win-win! (The one downside of being married to an accountant is that she knows of every penny I spend :boo: )

I don't know how you manage.

 

[wbholwell]

I don't either- it's a fine line between getting my tank the way I want it and divorce. I'm about to spend $160 at AquaBuys- if this is crossing the line, does anyone have a place for a recent bachelor to crash?

 

[lifestudent]

As you're probably aware, artifical salts do vary from one brand to another.

For example, users of Instant Ocean (like me) should always add buffer to their salt water mixture since IO is known to be low in buffers.

Bob

 

[kwl1763]

I use RC and never have to buffer but I'm also happy running at around 9 dkH. It has nothing to do with the RODI as others have mentioned it should have zero anything, When you mix the salt in that's where you get the hardness. Varies by salt and by batch at that. I always test my water change water and see where it's at. I use RC because I've tried several others and it's closest to what I want on alk, calcium and Mg.