"mp" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Guys

I will appreciate if some one could help. I have to get a new house and
I am not sure which water system to buy. Water is hard in my area. I am
thinking of buying a water softener system but I am concerned about the
salt.

The water softening system is nice when you take a shower or use it in the
washing machine, but you do not want it to improve the water you use to make
seawater for your aquarium. Better to use the hard water right out of the
tap which, of itself, is not a problem. Seawater *is* hard water.

And also I am not sure if reverse osmosis is the right choice.

Also a bummer. If your tap water is hard, you will be replacing membranes
constantly.

The problem is trace phosphates. The calcium in your hard water is not a
problem but your reverse osmosis has to deal with large amounts of calcium
salts in order to get at the trace of phosphate you do need to get rid of.

*IF* you are lucky enough to have low phospate tap water, feel free to use
it. If that's the case, the fact that it is hard won't hurt!

When I had to deal with this, I would purchase de-ionized water from a local
health food store which had in bulk. This I would use for the large,
initial, tank fill. Then I would use my own Sears distiller for make up
water and water changes. Distilling is the only practical way I know for
dealing with hard water. You need to clean the stainless steel distilling
pot with vinegar frequently but that is cheap and easy compared to replacing
membranes for reverse osmosis.

read some where that one should buy both water softener and reverse
osmosis system.

Maybe! Maybe your reverse osmosis filter will hold up better.
I doubt it but someone else will have to chime in here.

Thomas Bartkus