bcd@eryops.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bryan Dunlap) (01/21/88)
I finally started testing my water for things besides pH, and found
that the general hardness (as opposed to carbonate hardness) is quite
high. The books I've looked in recommend either boiling water before
adding it, or filtering through peat to reduce hardness. Peat seems
like it would reduce my pH, which I don't want to do because the pH is
just ducky. It seems like if I boil water in my usual aluminum pot,
I'll contaminate the water. Does anybody have any nice easy ways to
soften water, or do I have to nuke it in my microwave a liter at a
time?
Thanks in advance.
==BD
bcd@ohio-state.arpa 614/292-6573
...cbosgd!osu-cis!tut!bcd OSU IRCC/CIS Computing Lab
dunlap@mike.ohio-state.edu (someday)
You know, I'd rather see this on TV. Tones it down.
-- Laurie Anderson
-=-
==BD
bcd@ohio-state.arpa 614/292-6573dalka@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Ken Dalka) (01/24/88)
> It seems like if I boil water in my usual aluminum pot, > I'll contaminate the water. Does anybody have any nice easy ways to > soften water, or do I have to nuke it in my microwave a liter at a > time? There is a product on the market called "water softener pillow" made by aquarium pharmaceuticals. I've used it very successfully. essentially its a bag filled with stuff that you put in your filter. It removes as much of the hardness as it can absorb. then you take it out and recharge it with salt water and repeat the process. Take care to use uniodized salt. -- Ken Dalka (Bell Labs) ihnp4!ihlpg!dalka IE 2F-518 (312) 416-7437
richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (01/25/88)
In article <4961@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> bcd@eryops.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bryan Dunlap) writes: >I finally started testing my water for things besides pH, and found >that the general hardness (as opposed to carbonate hardness) is quite >high. The books I've looked in recommend either boiling water before >adding it, or filtering through peat to reduce hardness. Peat seems >like it would reduce my pH, which I don't want to do because the pH is >just ducky. It seems like if I boil water in my usual aluminum pot, >I'll contaminate the water. Does anybody have any nice easy ways to >soften water, or do I have to nuke it in my microwave a liter at a >time? Raising water to boiling does nothing to remove dissolved minerals. Where do you think they were going ? Either use an ion exchange resis specifically designed for this purpose, or start with water that has less hardness, like rain or distilled water, and add 'regular' water untill the hardness is at a reasonable level. -- "...and before too long I might, see those flashing red lights" richard@gryphon.CTS.COM {ihnp4!scgvaxd!cadovax, philabs!cadovax, codas!ddsw1} gryphon!richard
bing@mcnc.org (Carter E. Bing) (01/26/88)
In article <4961@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>, bcd@eryops.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bryan Dunlap) writes: > I finally started testing my water for things besides pH, and found > that the general hardness (as opposed to carbonate hardness) is quite > high. The books I've looked in recommend either boiling water before > adding it, or filtering through peat to reduce hardness. Peat seems > like it would reduce my pH, which I don't want to do because the pH is > just ducky. It seems like if I boil water in my usual aluminum pot, > I'll contaminate the water. Does anybody have any nice easy ways to > soften water, or do I have to nuke it in my microwave a liter at a > time? > > Thanks in advance. > > I tried boiling water and it works okay if you like your kitchen looking like a mad scientist's lab in a b-grade movie. The easiest way that I found was to use distiled water which is softer than home boiled. You can also by a water softening pillow which will kept it at the desired level. I have a tank of Neons and since they like soft acid water I also put a "bar of peak " under the gravel which helps keep the ph around the level which is to thier liking however you will need to check the level at least once a week due to peak having a tendency of lowering the ph toward a more acid side. This isn't a big deal because if you stay on top it. This should solve your problems. Let me know how things turn out.....