Anyone know what the #water hardness is in for northern metro Melbourne in °dH or mmol/l? My dishwasher says it needs salt if it's above 0.9mmol/l or 5°dH.
Yarra Valley Water says it's between 7-29 mg/L, but that's kinda useless since I don't know what the actual chemicals involved are, nor can I remember how to actually do the #stoichiometry or whatever—I absolutely hated it at uni and don't intend to remember just because my dishwasher is blinking its LED at me.
@koberulz I just got a new one and was reading the instruction manual. There's a section that explains what the red "add salt" LED was telling me. I've always ignored it in the past, but since it's a new one I'm full of good intentions.
Turns out we have soft water in #naarm, so I didn't have to feel guilty. And the instructions actually showed how to program it for the local water hardness, so after holding down the power button and the start button while spinning widdershins in the light of the full moon it no longer has an annoying flashing red LED.
Next adventure: what actually is rinse aid really?
@koberulz it's basically the amount of Calcium and Magnesium Carbonates dissoved in the water. I think it has to do with how much limestone is in your local aquifer. Water hardness is a problem for things like boilers, coffee machines and dishwashers because it results in the buildup of scale, or for aquariums and home brewers who need to know the water chemistry.
If you live in #naarm the geology seems to be predominantly sandstone and basalt #CitationNeeded and so the water is quite soft, so unless you keep tropical fish, brew beer or actually read the manual that comes with the dishwasher the water hardness isn't generally anything you need to worry about.
Hi everyone I gain strength from the natural world including the stars and I think growing food is the closest thing to magic I know of
My bike is probably my best friend and has taken me (slowly) to many remarkable places, also I watch European cycling to ward off winter and to share with my beautiful #CouchPeloton community
I go to a lot of live music, mainly chamber music, which Melbourne has a lot of
Cats have had me as a pet most of my life although these days I prefer to whistle to the neighbourhood magpies and they are kind enough to warble back
I was born with itchy feet and like to travel near and far, especially on a whim