Home total hardness

tcarter1936 · Feb 24, 2016

I'm about to purchase a water softener in order to get better water at home due to our crap well water. My question is can I use my salifert alk test to determine hardness for my equipment supplier. My readings are
Ph-7.8
Dkh-12.2
Tds-550
Temp-75
My water is so bad that my ro out put before di is 30-40 tds and 60 without booster pump on also I'm running it 95 psi through membrane.
My dual chamber resin is exhausted after 110 gallons lol
They want a hardest and ph. Reading,or should I just send a sample thanks in advance.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 24, 2016

No, alk won't work for this purpose.

Alkalinity is measuring things like bicarbonate while hardness is calcium and magnesium.

You can use a calcium plus magnesium result, adjusting the units into what he would understand, but that may be more trouble than just getting a total hardness kit for freshwater.