Transition from salt to potassium - water softener system, how to do it?

[BokCh0y]

I'm looking to transition from salt to potassium for my water softener, primarily because i hate the slimy feeling from the salt.

Does anyone know how to transition from salt to potassium? As in do i have to run the salt out in the system and the hot water tank or can i just dump the potassium in on top of the salt? I've already run the salt in the water softener to a few inches from the bottom, so say another few weeks and it should be all done. But if i can toss the potassium in right now...i'd prefer that.

I searched on line and not really any definitive answers. Some say run the salt out and clean the system others say you can just dump the new stuff on top of the salt once you're low enough.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Sugarphreak]

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[codetrap]

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[digi355]

The Ions don't care what's exchanging between the media and the water. When the media's spent, it will do a regen with whatever's available. I would dump it right in and not think twice.

At worst, you might have a couple inefficient regenerations as you transition between NaCl and KCL, but at the end of the day, it's all about the CL. You won't wreck anything, the media will still have CL on your media to exchange MG & CA.

Don't even bother cleaning in.

[Thaco]

Originally posted by digi355
The Ions don't care what's exchanging between the media and the water. When the media's spent, it will do a regen with whatever's available. I would dump it right in and not think twice.

At worst, you might have a couple inefficient regenerations as you transition between NaCl and KCL, but at the end of the day, it's all about the CL. You won't wreck anything, the media will still have CL on your media to exchange MG & CA.

Don't even bother cleaning in.

i have no idea on the topic, or what this guy even said, but i'm sold... lol, if he doesnt know what he's talking about he's about the best bullshitter on here.

[Boat]

Originally posted by Thaco
i have no idea on the topic, or what this guy even said, but i'm sold... lol, if he doesnt know what he's talking about he's about the best bullshitter on here.

He sounds like the Tony Stark of water softeners.

to slightly derail, if anyone has the inside scoop on water softener suppliers/dealers/sales, PM me, I am looking at options.

[digi355]

Originally posted by Boat


He sounds like the Tony Stark of water softeners.

to slightly derail, if anyone has the inside scoop on water softener suppliers/dealers/sales, PM me, I am looking at options.

Haha, I am in the treatment water business...

In terms of inside scoop there isn't one. Buy the cheapest one you can find that does what you want. Personally, I wouldn't buy any of the fancy ones that use 2 exchange tanks. While they are designed so that your supply of "soft" water is continuous and your precious "soft" water flow goes uninterrupted, for $200 - 400 extra, I'll risk it.

Especially when you consider a regen cycle takes 3-4 hours. Mine turns on at 01:00 and is finished before I wake up for a shower. At most a toilet gets flushed while the house is "hard."

Mechanically, all softeners I'm aware of are the same. Your house's inlet water flows through an ion exchange vessel where calcium, magnesium & iron ions are exchanged for sodium. While the metals in Calgary's water will precipitate out as sludge, which is the white and red shit on your taps and your toilet.

**Bonus fact: The red ring in your toilet doesn't mean your toilet is dirty, it's iron oxide. It just means the iron in Calgary's water has oxidized in the toilet bowl.**

Eventually, the sodium ions in your softeners media run out and need to be regenerated. To do this, a high concentration of sodium is backwashed over the beads. This backwash exchanges all the metals for sodiums and washes the metals down the drain. 4 hours later you have a fresh media bed making soft water all over again.

If you're really looking for a deal try to find a newer one used. As long as the softener has not been on well water, the duty of the media should be fine. This would be true in an older one as well, but the old ones tend to use a lot of water during the regen cycle and thus not as environmentally friendly.

Also, if for some reason you're not on city water, you're likely out of luck in terms of softening. Iron is hard to break off the media. Retail sodium does not have the strength to get it off the beads.

Hope this helps?

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
The main thing is you have to adjust your softener to a much longer wash cycle. Your softener should have instructions on setup for potassium. If it doesn't for some reason, you can look up another similar system (like Fleck) and just work the percentages out in your head.

Personally I would clean out the basin (if it is easy), but I don't think it is an issue if you dump it right on top.

Also, the only place I can find potassium seems to be the Home Depot across from Chinook. It is about 25~30$ a bag, and it typically will last about 3 months per bag

After having a potassium system for my whole house, I don't think I could ever go back to salt or hard water. Just too many benefits and virtually no drawbacks (aside from cost).

Thanks for this. I got the potassium from home depot like you recommended last time. And yes, aware I need to change the cycle, my softener actually has a setting from NaCL to KCL.

Thanks everyone for the tips btw.