My city supply shows up at ~220 on the ppm meter.
Most of the metal water supply pipes in our city's water supply have been replaced with PVC (big huge green pvc) for maint. reasons. I wonder if that plays into the configuration. I think mineral buildup on the PVC is much less than the iron. Plus, it's newer.
One can't echo these words enough....
The majority of def's I've witnessed seem to be PH related.
I do a fun thing to get the most out of my PH range. I start at 5.5 and the mix drifts up over a few days. This drags my PH thru the various uptake ranges with an ending PH of ~6.1
So, at 225 PPM you have very hard water and it's surprising (to me!) that you would need Cal-Mag, although I'm truly not denying you do.
Here's how water hardness is measured:
Water hardness is classified by the U.S. Department of Interior and the Water Quality Association as follows:
Classification mg/l or ppm grains/gal Soft 0 - 17.1 0 - 1 Slightly hard 17.1 - 60 1 - 3.5 Moderately hard 60 - 120 3.5 - 7.0 Hard 120 - 180 7.0 - 10.5 Very Hard 180 & over 10.5 & over NOTE: Other organizations may use slightly different classifications.
And the typical cause of hard water:
So, it's the dissolved Magnesium and Calcium that is largely responsible for water hardness and hard (or moderately hard) water is present in something like 85% of the US:Hard water is a very common problem, affecting water in more than 85% of the country. It is a result of the dissolved minerals calcium, magnesium and manganese. With an increase in these minerals, the following are seen (1):
While these are all unpleasant effects, hard water is not a hazard to human health and can be treated.
- Soap scum in sinks and bathtubs
- Bathtub rings
- Spots on dishes or shower doors
- Reduced foaming and cleaning abilities of soaps and detergents
- Dingy and yellowed clothes with soapy residues that require extra rinsing to remove
- Clogged pipes from buildup of minerals
- Increased water heating costs from buildup of minerals, reducing efficiency of water heaters
- Possible skin infections from bacteria trapped in pores underneath soap scum
Patterns of hardness in the United States are shown on the map of accounting units below. Softest waters were in parts of New England, the South Atlantic-Gulf States, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii. Moderately hard waters were common in many rivers of Alaska and Tennessee, in the Great Lakes region, and the Pacific Northwest. Moderately hard waters were common in many rivers of Alaska and Tennessee, the Great Lakes region, and the Pacific Northwest. Hard and very hard waters were found in some streams in most of the regions throughout the country. Hardest waters (greater than 1,000 mg/L) were measured in streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and southern California.
Mean hardness as calcium carbonate at NASQAN water-monitoring sites during the 1975 water year. Colors represent streamflow from the hydrologic-unit area. Mape edited by USEPA, 2005. Modified from Briggs and others, 1977.
Note to Readers:
Water hardness is based on major-ion chemistry concentrations. Major-ion chemistry in ground water is relatively stable and generally does not change over time. Although the map illustrates data from 1975, these data have been found to be accurate and useful in current assessments.
This is why I suggested that IF you're using tap water, you likely will not need the Cal-Mag UNLESS you see the deficiencies (which you're obviously experiencing!).
I think that, if we disagree at all, it's only in semantics!