That is correct! I have a water softener because water here in Central Florida is hard. I learned the haed way about the water softener based on the numbers of fish I killed. I was checking the water like MAD and I was getting normal readings with the API Master Test kit. Problem was I was not testing for the right thing. There was no test for Sodum, which I learned about when Joe Gargas taught me about TDS, Gh, Kh, and conductivity. Because of the limestone, water tends to have a high PH as well. Because of the sun and heat, water has more chlorine, chloramines and high compression which can cause embolisms in fish gills and blood stream. That is why I use such an elaborete water purification system as well as storage, aeriation , sterilization , heating, flow and vitamin C. Once I got all of this figured out, I have had nothing but good luck. My fish have tripled in size and I have had no losses in a long time. Before I was losing 3-5 fish every day. My filtration system strips a lot from the water so it is a little hard on plants, but with the addition of Iron, Phosphate, Total and trace elements, things with the plants are good. I also use metal halide lighting and pressurized CO2.