Hi all,
If you can use rainwater? That gives you softer water, I'm a <"rainwater user, others will use RO">. Plenty of members will be successful with harder water, but it is more difficult to keep some nutrients (ions) in solution, particularly iron (Fe+++), where you need a chelator that works at higher pH levels. Have a look at <"Chempak Sequestered Iron">.
cheers Darrel
My guess would be that the true values lies somewhere in the middle. Nitrate testing isn't <"entirely straightforward">. What does the water report (from Thames Water?) say for your postcode? Water companies have an analytical lab. and the values they report will be accurate. Tap water, over most of the SE of England, has at least 30ppm NO3-.I also believe my initial nitrates measurement was wrong. I was using test strips that always seem to show 100mg/l but after using a liquid test I get <5mg/l.
No, it won't help. You can only really soften water by taking things away, not by adding them. I think of it like a cup of black coffee, once you added sugar and milk you can't ever get back to just the black coffee. The companies that sell these products are disingenuous about what their products contain and <"how they work">.So having said that and assuming things would improve if the PH was lower, would something like Seachem neutral regulator help or not really?
If you can use rainwater? That gives you softer water, I'm a <"rainwater user, others will use RO">. Plenty of members will be successful with harder water, but it is more difficult to keep some nutrients (ions) in solution, particularly iron (Fe+++), where you need a chelator that works at higher pH levels. Have a look at <"Chempak Sequestered Iron">.
cheers Darrel