Right?!?!
I have to assume the test kit results are correct, and even though I'm certainly a hobbyist amateur when it comes to tanks, I know I did the testing correctly, so I'm not sure what to make of it all.
One thing I'm assuming is:
Madison WI has a population of just over 260K, and as such we have multiple wells/pumping stations for the water utility, so which source was tested? are the numbers they provided on the webpage an average across all the wells/stations? Could the station providing my service have lower numbers than the one across town, but the city erred on the side of caution and posted the highest levels tested?
I don't know, but I do think I need to soften the water a bit, and the RO from my local store is only .79/gallon so it isn't really an expensive proposition to make the fish happier. Though I'm not sure what the impact is on the plants, will they be happier in softer water? or were they enjoying the harder water...time will tell I suppose.