No Salt Softener Systems - Beware!
I see ads for "No Salt" needed water conditioners.
How do they work without using salt?
1. Many dealers will advertise a no salt water conditioner. Any brand of water conditioner can be operated without using salt. This is done by using a salt substitute, potassium chloride. It generally costs twice as much as regular salt ( sodium chloride ), and can be difficult to find in some areas. Also, it is recommended to increase the salt setting on your control valve by about 10 % , when using a salt substitute. This is because it is not as efficient in providing the needed negative ions to the resin beads as regular salt.
2. Some companies offer catalytic filters and/or magnetic or Anti-Scale devices to "soften" your water that do not use salt, or anything else to regenerate their product. Buyer beware! If a technology had been developed that could replace a resin based water conditioner, then everyone would be selling it. I know I would. Those salt bags are heavy :)
If you have a water softener now, you will be very dis-pleased with the over priced "Anti-Scale" products, should you switch.
I've been told that many times over the years by people who tried them.
See Video that compares = https://youtu.be/8t8uRNdx0Ho
For more detials, I'd recommend this webpage written by a retired chemist. http://www.chem1.com/CQ/
And this one, http://askville.amazon.com/salt-free-water-soften...
And this one, http://www.uswatersystems.com/blog/2010/12/no-sal...
And this one, http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumbing/msg...
Please do some "home work" before you waste a lot of money on something that sounds too good to be true.
*** Another customer wrote / asked:
I was tempted to switched to salt-free water conditioning system. What's your opinion on those unit like www.nuvoh2o.com ? They claimed that you only need to replace the filter cartridge twice a year making it almost maintenance free?
And this one, http://askville.amazon.com/salt-free-water-soften...
And this one, http://www.uswatersystems.com/blog/2010/12/no-sal...
And this one, http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumbing/msg...
Please do some "home work" before you waste a lot of money on something that sounds too good to be true.
*** Another customer wrote / asked:
I was tempted to switched to salt-free water conditioning system. What's your opinion on those unit like www.nuvoh2o.com ? They claimed that you only need to replace the filter cartridge twice a year making it almost maintenance free?
***
My opinion is they don't work... they do NOT soften the water, nor do they remove manganese or iron from the water.
My opinion is they don't work... they do NOT soften the water, nor do they remove manganese or iron from the water.
Their "anti-scaling" process is very limited in it's benefit. And anyone who has enjoyed true "conditioned" water, is always disappointed if they switch to this OVER PRICED method.
You won't find those "testimonials" on their website.
And the Filter Cartridges are just Carbon Filters, because the media can not tolerate chlorine in the water supply, so it must be removed first.
Most Dealers use full size tanks with 1 cu.ft. of activated carbon instead of "cartridges" for better flow rate, and longer time before needing replacement of the carbon ( every 1 - 5 years depending on application ).
So, some of the "benefit" from their system is the removal of the chlorine ( and other chemicals ) from City water sources, but this is only because of the Carbon Filteration used, and have nothing to do with the anti-scaling media in the last tank.
* Here is a product description ( we do not sell for reasons listed above, and the fact the COST is $ 800 - $ 1,000 depend on size of tank just for the MEDIA ).
FILTERSORB® SP3 Scale Prevention method: Nucleation Assisted Crystallization (NAC) Technology. This is a directed crystallization process where continuous catalytic conversion of Carbonate water hardness into non-soluble sub-micron crystals takes place. Once formed and detached from the surface of FILTERSORB® SP3 media beads, the crystals will not adhere to any other surfaces, even in the case of hot water applications. The crystals cannot form scale because of its stable molecular structure and neutral surface electro potentiality. Nucleation Assisted Crystallization is the basis of reliable Scale Prevention capability of FILTERSORB® SP3. The transformation of water hardness takes place in the following steps: 1. Continuous transformation of water hardness makes the immediate crystal growth possible with unidirectional chemical equilibrium viz. Ca(HCO3)2 ? CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O As CO2 leaves fast the right hand direction of the equation is preserved. 2. The crystals developing on the surface of the FILTERSORB® SP3 bead, grow rapidly and nucleates 3. After a certain period of time the micro-emulsion of CO2 and CaCO3 forms colloid particle and leaves the media bead surface in neutral form. The average dimension of CaCO3 crystal coated globules ranges in sub micro-meter scale. The noted reaction time is normally around 5 seconds. Micro Crystals and Colloid CO2 : The story behind amazing pH stabilization of FILTERSORB® SP3 treated water Influence of formed CaCO3 as pH balancing factor: The reaction: Ca(HCO3)2 ? CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O is unidirectional while SP3 is transforming the hardness into water insoluble crystals. • In nucleation assisted crystallization process formed CO2 leaves as colloid gas and is used as the template by the rapidly growing crystals in the nucleation site. • Formed CO2 micro-bubbles exists in colloid form and thus does not form carbonic acid to dissolve back the calcium/magnesium crystals • Hence, the reverse reaction of CO2 with water forming Carbonic Acid is not possible and the pH stability is maintained. In fact every excess CaCO3 crystals are buffering any carbonic acid left over.
So, some of the "benefit" from their system is the removal of the chlorine ( and other chemicals ) from City water sources, but this is only because of the Carbon Filteration used, and have nothing to do with the anti-scaling media in the last tank.
* Here is a product description ( we do not sell for reasons listed above, and the fact the COST is $ 800 - $ 1,000 depend on size of tank just for the MEDIA ).
FILTERSORB® SP3 Scale Prevention method: Nucleation Assisted Crystallization (NAC) Technology. This is a directed crystallization process where continuous catalytic conversion of Carbonate water hardness into non-soluble sub-micron crystals takes place. Once formed and detached from the surface of FILTERSORB® SP3 media beads, the crystals will not adhere to any other surfaces, even in the case of hot water applications. The crystals cannot form scale because of its stable molecular structure and neutral surface electro potentiality. Nucleation Assisted Crystallization is the basis of reliable Scale Prevention capability of FILTERSORB® SP3. The transformation of water hardness takes place in the following steps: 1. Continuous transformation of water hardness makes the immediate crystal growth possible with unidirectional chemical equilibrium viz. Ca(HCO3)2 ? CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O As CO2 leaves fast the right hand direction of the equation is preserved. 2. The crystals developing on the surface of the FILTERSORB® SP3 bead, grow rapidly and nucleates 3. After a certain period of time the micro-emulsion of CO2 and CaCO3 forms colloid particle and leaves the media bead surface in neutral form. The average dimension of CaCO3 crystal coated globules ranges in sub micro-meter scale. The noted reaction time is normally around 5 seconds. Micro Crystals and Colloid CO2 : The story behind amazing pH stabilization of FILTERSORB® SP3 treated water Influence of formed CaCO3 as pH balancing factor: The reaction: Ca(HCO3)2 ? CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O is unidirectional while SP3 is transforming the hardness into water insoluble crystals. • In nucleation assisted crystallization process formed CO2 leaves as colloid gas and is used as the template by the rapidly growing crystals in the nucleation site. • Formed CO2 micro-bubbles exists in colloid form and thus does not form carbonic acid to dissolve back the calcium/magnesium crystals • Hence, the reverse reaction of CO2 with water forming Carbonic Acid is not possible and the pH stability is maintained. In fact every excess CaCO3 crystals are buffering any carbonic acid left over.
*** "ECO-friendly"?
Salt is "natural", and not unfriendly.
Some plants like salty water, but most do not. Salt is necessary for life, but too much ( of anything ) is harmful.
To be more specific:
You can use Potassium Chloride ( a type of salt ) instead of Sodium Chloride ( common "salt" ) to regenerate the resins in the tank. This regeneration is required to "charge" the beads with a strong negative ion charge. With this negative charge, the resins are able to attract and remove positive ion molecules ( calcium, magnesium, iron, etc ) from the water.
SEE: WATER SOFTENER BASICS
The only other methods for removing these from your water are Distilling, or Reverse Osmosis. Both of these two processes require equipment that is very expensive and operate by producing "pure" water slowly, requiring large storage tanks, and re-pressurization pumps to feed your home with the water produced. Also, this water is so "pure", it is slightly corrosive, and commonly some "hardness" minerals need to be reintroduced to prevent corrosion of the metal plumbing in the home.
There are also advertised some "salt free" systems on the market. They do not remove the hardness minerals, nor iron from the water. The "catalytic" process does not give all the benefits of "ion exchange" softeners, and most people are not happy with the results provided by these system ( which have been around in one form or another for decades ). I have only talked to the dissatisfied consumers who had to get their money back, and have a "real" water softener installed.
Believe me, if I knew of a "better way" to soften water that did not use any type of Salt ( NaCl or KCl ), I'd be selling it and promoting it. I always check out "the latest" and "newest way" to treat water, and so far nothing has been developed to replace the ion exchange method of softening water.
And the "salt discharged" from the softeners is only a problem is you drain it out into your yard, where it can cause some plants to die. If this is a concern, then you can use the more expensive ( and 90% as efficient ) "salt substitute" Potassium Chloride ( KCl ), instead of Sodium Chloride. The Potassium acts as a "fertilizer", and is less harmful to plant life. It should also be noted here, that most water naturally contains some level of salts.
