(Part 2) Best water softeners according to redditors

Distilled water doesn't have enough minerals to bring out subtle flavors. Many good water purification systems have a re-mineralization filter, usually of volcanic rock. For instance, I use a counter-top Santevia system, and in the water chamber I put this rock and it really helps. The ceramic balls in this mix don't seem to help much, but the rocks themselves make a huge difference.

Get a real hardness test first. Money well spent.

Hach 145300 Total Hardness Test Kit, Model 5-B https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FM7WLU/

Then get a water softener. Put it after your filters. They are easy to install if you have done any plumbing work. I got this one, it’s great (edit: size your water softener based on your hardness test! I had 19 grains hardness. You want to run a week between regen, give or take, with a 20% buffer. 19 grains x 4 people x 75 gallons per day x 7 days x 1.20 buffer is 47,880. I got a 48,000 grain softener):

Metered water softener with 3/4" Fleck 5600SXT control, 48,000 grain capacity with by-pass valve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GBZ2P6/

My water was quite hard, around 19 grains. The softener fixed that, but made it taste like mud.

So I got an RO system and plumbed it to my fridge only. That was easy too. Took me a couple hours total.

I got this one:

iSpring RCC7 High Capacity Under Sink 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System and Ultimate Water Softener- WQA Gold Seal Certified https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XELTTG/

It’s been a trouble free year now with great tasting water. The showers are a bit slipprier, yes, but my kids are less itchy, and gross shit doesn’t grow over every water source in my house any more. Worth it.

I actually didn't tally up the cost as that wasn't really of a concern to me, but I'll try my best to provide links to the things I bought for this. Feel free to add it up for me!

• Lighting
  
  • T-5 Grow light (came with 6500K bulbs)
    
  • 2700K bulbs
    
  • Grow light hangers
    
• Grow medium
  
  • Net Cups
    
  • Black Buckets
    
  • Black lids
    
• Nutrients
  
  • General Hydroponics Flora Series
    
  • General Hydroponics pH control kit
    
  • pH/EC/Temp Meters
    
• Grow tent
  
• Air ventilation
  
  • The only thing I ended up using from this kit was the cheapest part, the ventilation duct...
    
  • The fan from this kit is way too powerful for my setup because my humidifier couldn't keep up
    
  • I didn't use the carbon filter because I'm not growing weed.
    
• Water Distiller
  
• Humidifier
  
  • The cheaper the humidifier, the better. I first bought (and destroyed) one that had some sort of digital switch, so it would always be in the off state when you first supply power to it, meaning you can't turn it on/off with just a relay.
    
• Plumbing
  
  • Aquatec 8852 booster pump
    
  • 2 Gallon accumulator tank
    
  • Pressure relief valve
    
  • Tubing
    
  • Inline Pre-filter (Sorry they must have taken the product down...)
    
  • Misting nozzle T's
    
  • Tube ball valves
    
  • Analog pressure gauge
    
  • Misting Nozzles
    
    • Note that these nozzles are meant for WAY higher pressure systems (~1000psi) and I actually had to take out the spring for them to operate correctly, but they never clogged up, are easy to clean, and worked perfectly for me!
      
• Electronics
  
  • Raspberry Pi 3 kit
    
  • Humidity sensor
    
  • Pressure sensor
    
  • Water solenoid valve
    
  • 5V 4-channel relay module
    
  • Analog-to-digital converter
    
  • 24V to 12V converter
    
  • 24V Power supply
    
  • Resistor kit
    
  • Semiconductor kit
    
  • Circuit boards
    
  • Standoffs
    
• Wiring
  
  • 22 gauge stranded wire
    
  • 22 gauge solid wire
    
  • Power supply cord
    
• Connectors
  
  • Electronic Connectors
    
    • JST-XHP Connectors
      
    • JST-SM Connectors
      
    • Dupont Connectors
      
  • Plumbing Connectors
    
    • Bulkhead connectors
      
    • Quick-connect kit
      
    • NPT to quick-connect connector
      
      I also bought various tools, like crimpers, Dremel kit, drill, etc, but I don't consider those to be project-specific as I'll have them for the foreseeable future. Let me know if there's anything you see that you think I missed!
      

hardware stores, homedepot, lowes, walmart, amazon..

i get mine at costco, and i know sams club has it too.

You need to open an air purge valve (I am assuming you have one or more of them) to allow the water to drain out.

The reason that it may be gunky is that it has not been cleaned, nor has had an anti-corrosion additive used.

https://www.amazon.com/Oatey-35206-Hercules-Heating-Cleaner/dp/B000BVOTD2

https://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-68712-Quart-Boiler-Treatment/dp/B008A3UEA0

With boilers, a clean system is a happy system. If you take care of this now, and drain and maintain it on a regular schedule, you should get many years of great service out of it.

It is when they get neglected that things can go to shit.

You're not going to find a small RO filter. You're better off with a small distillation unit like this one.

Why don't you want a regular RO filter? I have one that fits nicely under my sink.

I have well water that was a little high with iron so I went with this one. DURAWATER Fleck 5600 SXT Iron Pro 48,000 Grain Water Softener Ships Pre Loaded with Resin In MIn Tank for Easy Insatllation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LYGBWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YTCqDbE78KVCY

Had multiple water treatment companies out and they were into the $1000s for thier equitment. Was told most strore softeners are throwaways, work for maybe 2 years then replace. I have since been able to tie into our local water company and passed in it. Our well is putting out such good water that it wasn't needed.