A recent thread considered the use of muriatic acid to drop pH. and hardness , isn't the by product of this.treatment sodium chloride? Does this go for the phosphoric acid too . Is it stable ie - bounce? Another angle , saving money on soap and detergent. The plumbing has already made 27 years nope , she won't buy it. She can't cook.... hope she dosn't read my mail kidding aside she cut me some slack and i bought a guy's fishroom 15 - 40's , sweetwater air blower, yada yada currantly my main tank a 120 gal fully planted lightly stocked community ,automatic Co2 injected , my Apisto's breed on a regular basis straight tapwater NO chemicals, only fertilizer. I can't afford 15 controllers, and want to breed Apisto's. It looks as if the r/o is out of my reach also. I'm not a chemist , but i'll post my water report over the weekend, maybe someone could tell me? Steve