[Auntiesue]

Quote: Originally Posted by farne230 I live in a hard water area with GH/KH above 300ppm and PH8.5 and above. I added the water softener to reduce the GH and it did but no effect I can tell on PH or KH. I too would like a lower PH without adding chemicals, but I am afraid the only way that may happen is if I add a RO unit which will also reduce tds and kh. Very wastefull and expensive to maintain. I have noted the tap water is over 300ppm (KH/GH/PH7.8) but the pond filtration system lowers the KH and GH to about 200 and the softener w/charcoal may have helped and brought KH to 143ppm, not sure. Bob

Bob I cannot comment totally on your combination system, but I do know that with my water softener my KH has not changed. Only my GH was lowered. That was my only goal. I discovered after lowering the GH to below 100ppm that my PH then dropped. It is possible that the GH needs to be below 100ppm to have any effect on the PH, if at all. I only know of a few folks personally (I'm sure there are more out there) that have had similar results once the GH dropped below 100ppm. Have you gotten to below 100 ppm yet. Sorry, I didn't go back and read the earlier posts again. I'm in Orlando and on battery power which may not last long tonight.

Sue