Tuesday, April 16, 2013

What is the difference between No-Salt Water Softeners and Salt-Free Softeners?

I have a question: what is the difference between “No-Salt Water Softeners” and “Salt-Free Softeners”?  I am looking for an alternative to my old salt water softener for our home.  We have 2 bathrooms, 4 persons.

Jack
Phoenix AZ

Hi Jack,

Technically a water softener removes hardness minerals from water in a process called ion-exchange where the calcium hardness is removed, and some sodium ions are exchanged in place of the hardness ions.

The ‘no salt water softeners’ or ‘salt-free water softeners’ are not really softeners, because they do not actually remove hardness minerals or any ions from water.  A “no-salt water conditioner” or “salt-free water conditioner” is a better name for these devices which attempt to transform calcium carbonate into nano-crystals which then do not form scale in pipes.  The so-called “no salt softeners “ or “salt free softeners” are both referring generally to the same type of device, which is a system that conditions water without salt.

No hardness is removed although the water is greatly improved because the water hardness won’t create scale problems and the water will feel a little softer.


Filtersorb System 4.5 LiterFor your home we would recommend the medium sized 4.5 Liter system:
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/B5000200-p-filtersorb-conditioners.html


Filtersorb System 1054 with 1 inch bypass and pipe connectors.

Maximum flow 15 gallons per minute.
Dimensions: Height 59.5 inch Depth 15.25 inch Width 10.75 inch.
Includes 4.5 liters of Filtersorb SP3 media.

Green Alternative to Conventional Water Softening: The Filtersorb SP3 media acts as a catalyst by accelerating the transformation of the calcium and magnesium minerals into harmless Nano particles.

When the inlet water goes into the water conditioner tank, the Filtersorb SP3 media acts as a catalyst and pulls the hardness minerals of calcium and magnesium out of the solution and then transforms these minerals into inactive Nano crystal particles. Because the hardness minerals have been transformed into Nano particles, these Nanoscopic particles make their way through plumbing systems without attaching to pipes, fixtures, valves, or heating elements. The end result being conditioned water with minerals, not “soft water” but water containing the same mineral content as the source.