Water Softeners- Salt-Free

[KULTULZ]

I am studying water softener systems as I do not want my drinking water coming from a salt brine solution. There has to be another method.

Any comment on the following system- Pelican NaturSoft Salt Free Water Softener - PelicanWater.com

I found these two questions interesting in their FAQ-

Concerning Municipal Water-

Isn't city water good enough without a Pelican Whole House Water System?

Most municipal water systems use chlorine or chloramines to treat water which are chemicals designed to kill living organisms. While they do an excellent job treating your water, they create dry skin and hair, unpleasant taste and odors that many people do not like. Pelican Water Systems filter out the unpleasant tastes and smells to provide clean filtered water, rich in mineral nutrients, from every faucet, shower, and toilet in your home.

Concerning Magnetic Water Softeners-

MAGNETIC WATER SOFTENER / MAGNETIC WATER CONDITIONER (USES MAGNETS)

About Magnetic Water Softeners

The majority of these devices claim to work by causing the carbonate salts that would ordinarily form adherent scale deposits to precipitate as small particles within the water instead. This would also presumably reduce the concentration of the calcium and magnesium ions that react with soaps to form insoluble scum.

Advantages

Magnetic water softening claims to reduce the scale build up and the affects of hard water. The magnetic devises are very inexpensive compared to other methods of softening water.

Disadvantages

The degree of efficiency is constantly changing. The magnetic field exists only in the immediate vicinity of the device and therefore only affects behavior of water that has passed through the immediate vicinity of the device. The state of the water after it has been introduced to the magnetic field will only stay in that state for a period of 48 hours, which means if the water is not used for more than 48 hour it will revert back to hard water with the negative effects. The Tests conducted at Purdue University found "…no significant, beneficial variation in the physical or chemical water quality parameters measured." Another disadvantage is that there is the possibility of experiencing interference from other high voltage cables in the surrounding area. Note: GMX magnetic systems were not tested by Purdue

[speedbump]

Until someone comes up with a new process for removing calcium and magnesium from water, the water softener as we have known it for at least the past 60 years or longer (that's my limit on remembering back) IS a tall skinny tank 3/4 full of water softener media sitting next to a 30 gallon or so tank partially full of either sodium chloride or *potassium chloride (*used in the salt free units) and water making a brine that is traded in the media bed for hardness. All the other units seen on TV and advertised on the Internet for unbelievable prices don't work. "Period".

When these outfits have all kinds of testimonials about how great they are and how they don't use salt or any other chemicals but refuse to tell you how they work and what is inside the majic box, they are lying.

Remember the famous words of PT Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute"

[grandwater]

What are your water concerns ? If they are chlorine, smell, sediment, then a salt free water conditioner will work. A water conditioner will not remove calcium and magnesium.

[speedbump]

What are your water concerns ? If they are chlorine, smell, sediment, then a salt free water conditioner will work. A water conditioner will not remove calcium and magnesium.

HUH?

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by grandwater

What are your water concerns ? If they are chlorine, smell, sediment, then a salt free water conditioner will work. A water conditioner will not remove calcium and magnesium.

I am a softee. I do not like the taste of well water. I have bought a filtering/conditioning system (not yet installed) but am concerned the water will stiil be hard after conditioning. A salt brine conditioner will add an objectionable taste (to me) that I would rather avoid.

Surely, if NASA can condition waste water for drinking, someone has a system of salt free water conditioning.

[speedbump]

I am a softee. I do not like the taste of well water. I have bought a filtering/conditioning system (not yet installed) but am concerned the water will stiil be hard after conditioning. A salt brine conditioner will add an objectionable taste (to me) that I would rather avoid.

If your unit doesn't use salt, what does it use? And what do you consider a conditioner? Lots of people have different ideas of what a conditioner really is.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by speedbump

If your unit doesn't use salt, what does it use? And what do you consider a conditioner? Lots of people have different ideas of what a conditioner really is.

It uses nothing really to soften the water and doesn't claim to. It has a unit that lessens iron content. I will have to see after install. My water is very hard according to the water test.

My understanding is that a reverse osmossis (sounds like a sexually transmitted disease) unit will remove everything but the body will receive no minerals at all.

I am a country boy at heart but your'als water stinks...

[speedbump]

RO's aren't used to soften water. The minerals in hard water will plug up an RO membrane quickly. For whole house RO's the iron and hardness is removed first with a softener and iron filter. Then it goes to the membrane.

If your water is hard, you WILL need a softener if you want to soften it.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by speedbump

If your water is hard, you WILL need a softener if you want to soften it.

Is there a filter that you are familiar with that will remove the salt after the softener?

[speedbump]

The RO will. That's what they were originally designed for, to remove salt from water.

The amount of salt in softened water is not detectable by the human palate. However it does leave a weird taste from the lack of minerals which I had trouble getting used to at first. Now, it tastes good to me and I am on a well.

If you studied water and it's taste, you would find that it's not the water's taste that people really object to, its simply not what they are used to. Once they drink it for a while, it starts tasting good again.