Joe, excellent explantion of the water softening process. One comment, it is not necessary to rinse the CHC's after the cation exchange with Epsom Salts, and Calcium nitrate, as only 3-5 grams of Epsom Salts and 3-5 grams of Calcium Nitrate are all that is required per gallon of water to complete the cation exchange. Actually, it is better not to rinse the Magnesium and Calcium Nitrate out of the Coconut chips, because of their fertilizer value to the tree - Millet