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Ion exchange softened water vs. RO water.



Here is my experience of using an RO unit.  First of all my water comes from a
well where the KH and GH are over 30 degrees.  It is run through a water
softener for faucets inside the house.  The salt blocks in the softener are
made up of Sodium and Potassium chloride.  My pH is 8.3 out of the tap and
when it comes out of the RO the KH and GH are both <1.  The pH is still 8.3
but due to the lower buffering capacity of the KH it is easy to target a pH of
7 (just use some neutral regulator).  I mix tap and RO to get a KH of about 7.
The sodium obviously doesn't cause any problems or else I would have seen them
in the last several years of keeping planted tanks.  RO units are easy to use
and maintain.  I have a friend that purchased the Ani and Kati ion exchangers.
Using nice terms from her...it is a pain to recharge the resin.  Just set up
the RO in an unused tank with a float valve and you will have all the RO water
need.  This of course is just my opinion...
Sean