Re: WATER pH/hardness/conductivity

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/10/99 12:02:28 PM Mountain Standard Time,
hickmanb@accessus.net writes:

> 6.0 to 6.5 pH would be what I'm looking for, so do I remove the peat
>  granules and find that mix of tap to RO that works?  OR  Should I keep the
>  peat and find the RO/tap mix that works?

You might want to get a Wardel's alkalinity test kit.  This measures the
amount of buffering in your tank as represents results as ppm of Carbonate.
If your alkalinity is under 60 or 70ppm, you could probably get the desired
results from tap water and peat alone.  If your tap water is 50ppm general
hardness, peat will probably drive the pH down to that range.  Your problem is
not that you are approaching softening and acidifying wrong.  It is that you
are doing too much of it.

Using RO water does not lower pH.  It simply reduces alkalinity, which is the
water's ability to resist a drop in pH.  It also and softens water,
proportionately to the ratio of RO/tap that you use.  Less RO will give harder
water with more alkalinity.  More RO will reduce hardness and alkalinity,
making your water more likely to drop below your target range of 6.0-6.5.

One thing that can be done with peat is to set up a barrel of water with a
bunch of peat in it.  This water will soften by itself as it sits.  Use it for
your changes and keep it topped off.  When the water stops softening and
acidifying, replace the peat.  Instead of the expensive granules, you can get
away with using sphagnum from the local garden center.  Usually it is refered
to as Canadian sphagnum or Canadian peat, sisnce that is where the vast
majority of it comes from.

Bob Dixon


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