🚀 go-pugleaf

After reading the article in this month's FAMA on water
conditioning, I decided to try out deionized water for my
tanks.  Coincidentally :-) the only 2 companies who advertize
in FAMA carrying deionization equipment had their adds among
the pages of that article.

After a little research, I bought 64 oz of cation resin from
Debron, whose supplier is Kent Marine. (This is not an endorsement,
I am not affliated in any way.)  It actually cost me less than
the price stated in the magazine, (by almost 50%) so interested
customers should call for prices.

My problem is that the resin came with no directions.  I am
keeping careful records of the water I am softening (pH, hardness,
volume softened, amount of resin) using 4 and 8 oz packets of
resin, and experimenting with muriatic acid to regenerate the
resin.  I'm just curious whether anyone else has already been
through this and has general outlines for:
   How much water can be softened before recharging?
       (gallons-hardness-amount of resin relationship)

   What concentration of acid is used to recharge, and how
       long does it take?

WARNING AND DISCLAIMER:
   Muriatic acid, aka hydrochloric acid 20%, can burn the hell
   out of you, your lungs, your clothes, your sink, your cat,
   and your fish.  If you don't know what you're doing, don't
   do it.  Keep the ventilation fan on.  Don't drink it.  Use
   your head.  If you break your legs, don't come running to me!


If anyone wants me to post my findings, (once I actually know what
I'm doing, I will.  It appears that for under $19 in resin, and
a $3 gallon of acid, I can soften at least a thousand gallons of
water.  That's around 2 cents a gallon: well within my budget.