Thanks Evan!! you always make chemistry easier to understand. Most of the products claim to do the same thing - some even claim to "reduce" metals, and some claim that they will filter out. I learned from you, that they are really only sequestered, and stay in the water - unless the product does change the metal so it can fall out in a substance that can be filtered, as the metal magic claims. One of the products I looked at said that ascorbic acid was a chelator, that's where I got that from. It is so hard to believe anything they claim. So I always go back to the experience I have with my own staining. I just tried the metal magic yesterday - so far I don't see any difference. Will keep you posted.