Thanks for the feedback. My general knowledge of chemistry is weak. I know that most of the materials I use in glazes are used because they are not easily soluble in water (which would create long term storage issues), and that sulfates and nitrates are generally avoided in glazes because the are so soluble. I picked up some epsom salts the other day and it got me thinking about what else in my glaze material cupboards might work in the garden. Thanks AL - I do have potassium carbonate and I know that I read that TUMS is an excellent source of soluble calcium. which makes sense. Valerie - I couldn't find a "chemical forum" Dan - from my observations it seems that you and Al often disagree - I enjoy reading the banter. Thanks again for the feedback

Hi kayemdee, Your previous growing season soil conditions are not necessarily exactly what this years analysis is. The 3 fold level of calcium analysis means your ground has a lot of it. It is not what the sheep ate that is of interest. The form of nitrogen called urea is broken down in the soil and in the process you get an ammonia nitrogen the plants can use & also stray carbon atoms. The plentiful calcium ions in your soil can then bind the newly available carbon to form a molecule that contributes to raise the pH; similar to what adding lime to the soil does. (Ammonia's pH itself is 11.6.) In retrospect, your pH during the last growing season may have been higher than recently measured because of the urea that was used around that time. (To the forum readers in general: (In most soils the ammonia concentration from urea becomes volatile so some vaporizes up. This makes the soil surface (pH go down & is a factor in long term acidic problem. ( In fact, many agricultural teachings are that urea acidifies the soil, dropping the pH. In hydroponics some use urea (based fertilizer to drop pH in their nutrient solution at the ratio of 1 Tbs Miracle G./20 gallons. ( However, in published research you will find the axiom that urea causes pH to rise; so they study what to do.) So kayemdee, all this by way of explaining that you should review the type of nitrogen fertilizer you have used in the past to see if urea might have been a factor. (Japanese betel damage is different symptoms.)

A few egg shells added to the bin will keep the ph about neutral. I don't like the idea of adding chemicals to worm bins. Marshall

Q1. What are the key features to look for in a water softener? In other words, what features do you look for to judge the quality of the system? ...I have had excellent success with the a twin tank design. These give seamless treatment regardless of volume. They are highly salt and water efficient, which in CA is becoming an important issue. Kinetico invented the twin tank design. ...Because there are NO electrical components, there will be zero issues in service, maintenance, repair or replacement of electronics and electrical parts. ...Long warranties give an indication of reliability. Q2. Chlorine filter vs. carbon in the resin tank: mixing carbon in the resin tank to neutralize the chlorine seems illogical to me. Carbon loads up fast and must be changed frequently to be effective. I know this because I must change my pre-carbon filters at 4x's the frequency as my HEPA filters on my air purifier. Resin doesn't perform the same functions as carbon; ions simply cling to the resin surface; it takes years before its surface is rendered ineffective so it does not need to be changed frequently; I also understand it is very expensive to replace. My guess is if you replace the carbon, you will end up replacing the resin before you really need to; so it doesn't make economic sense to mix the two in the same tank. With the level of chlorine in our water, will a cartridge filter work? Or do I need something bigger? ...What is your chlorine level? I don't like mixing tanks with resins and carbon, in part, for the reasons you stated. A carbon cartridge or upflow tank ahead of the softener will perform well and be easier to to maintain. Q3. Drinking water filters: will a reverse osmosis filter system improve the taste of water AND remove the potassium, aluminum, boron, chromium, vanadium in our water? If so ... Yes, an RO will significantly reduce a very wide range of contaminants. The Kinetico K5 is certified to remove more contaminats than any other RO system available. Q4. What are the key features to look for a reverse osmosis filter system? In other words, what features do you look for to judge the quality of the system? ...A self-rinsing membrane will provide up to ten times the life of the membrane. A metering or monitoring system that indicates when to change filters. A water pressurized (rather than air charged) holding tank provides superior water pressure, volume and recovery. A pressure pump will also greatly enhance performance and water quality. ...There other features that incluse aesthetics (designer faucets), easy of filter changes, availability of filter elements, filter options to handle particular water quality problems, A looong warranty, ability to handle new fridge water flow issues, and how long the membane is expected to last. Q5. Salt vs. Potassium chloride: discharge of sodium into the citys sewer system is fast becoming an issue in our state; one city in the area banned the use of residential salt water softeners; all salt water softeners in that city must be removed by June 2009. ...I don't see a question here. Potassium chloride, is NOT recommended by some of the manufactures, such as Kinetico. Does anyone know why potassium chloride is not suitable for some softeners, but okay for use in others? What damage will result to the softener? What brands can potassium chloride be used in safely? ...Not sure why you say Kinetico doesn't recommnd KCl...? That is perfectly fine and salt dosage charts are there to provide settings. The cost of KCl is causing some problems with dealers who don't want to sell it anymore. There will be absolutely no damage to softeners using KCl. Q6. Is a sodium filter for water softeners available? ...I don't know of any sodium filter that will work and is cost effective. Are you talking about removing sodium from the discharges water (brine rinse)? An RO will remove it for drinking water purposes. Q7. Since there is no room in our garage for a water softener (downsized house came with a downsize garage), the logical solution is to replace the humongous water heater with a tankless one, then put a water softener where the water heater currently sits. So the question is can I place a cartridge chlorine filter next to the softener, or do I have to find a location some minimum distance "up stream" from the water softener? ...Kinetico makes a quad-tank system that removes chlorine before entering the resin beds or a cartridge can be installed anywhere ahead of the softener.