I hope I am posting in the right spot. DH and I are wondering how much salt does the water softener actually need? There is this huge tank but does it have to be all the way full? Also, he said it seems to be creating a "salt bridge" occasionaly so he takes a stick and breaks that apart. I just want to make sure it is working to its full potential. Thanks!

She did start urinating again yesterday. Twice, and it was not concentrated. Second time was a lot. So I believe she is no longer dehydrated, unless it takes longer to reverse than just the appearance of normal volume would imply. I tracked the intake so I know what went in. I didnâÂÂt get the lab reports. I saw them and had things explained to me, but was too disconcerted to ask for them to bring home. Normally I would have. I have to call today to get the results for her Phenobarbital levels. She had lost a pound since her annual checkup in March 2013â¦so dose likely needs adjusting. It was cut back a year ago, as she had lost weight then too (she was originally overweightâ¦now she looks smaller but not thin). They had no explanation for the dehydration. But for the last few weeks sheâÂÂs been in sort of a Twilight Zone, sleeping 95% of the time. ThatâÂÂs been coming on for a while, just sleeping greater and greater amounts of the time. If I put her in one place, she stays there, until I move her again. The only independent movements have been to get to the litter box, which is only half the time. I donâÂÂt think she wakes up enough to think sheâÂÂs thirsty. I have to stimulate her for a while to wake her up enough to eat, and to drink from the bottle, now. The food is Science Diet A / D âÂÂCritical careâ . Even I think it smells good. It stays soft, even straight from the refrigerator. She is lapping it rather than biting it and picking it up. She is 14 ý. I have polled my friends with cats, and it seems like many have cats who live longer, but her health issues may be compromising her health to the point where that is impossible for her. My last cat died of kidney failure at 10, so Shadow is the longest lived cat I have had. If you call this a life. As long as she responds to me and purrs I figure she is not miserable or in pain.

I received one as a gift and wonder how often/much I should water it. Can anyone please share their experience?

just a thought: poinsettia is also Euphorbia and if allowed to dry completely also will drop leaves. just barely moist is what it likes. I read the same about Euphorbia tithymaloides. Although when in ground it behaves more like a real succulent and can tolerate dryness. It is a native FL plant and grows in dry tropical forests in central America. so very hot and high humidity too. I've seen it growing outside in central FL in great thickets in dappled shade. if you give it good hot sunny window you can probably water it more. that said...Poinsettias drop leaves when too wet too - so..a lot depends on how water retentive your soil mix is. I can easily keep Poinsettia going in self-watering pot, but with half perlite for aeration. I also grow other succulents like Jades and Sansevieria and hawortias on top wicks (wicks inserted around the perimeter of the pot to wick less, as opposed to bottom wicks). my jades drop very few leaves when grown like that. when I don't wick and allow them to get bone dry, that's when they drop most.. so you need to observe and experiment a bit and water very carefully only when at least half the pot is dry. what sort of mix is it in?