Softener Salt - Pellets or crushed?

[ScottV]

I've been buying solar salt for my softeners by the pallet (49 qty) at the local True Value store for the past 5 years. Have been using the blue bags which are crushed salt crystals.

Recently someone told me that I should be using the preformed pellets in the yellow bags, because the blue bagged stuff will take the heads out of the softeners over time.

I asked my technician and he said that both are dirty but the crushed stuff does have more junk in it. He recommended just emptying and cleaning out the sludge from my salt brine tank periodically.

I figured I would post a question and see what you folks are using or what your opinions are about solar salt. Thanks in advance for your replies!

ScottV

 

[Jeff_L]

I use pellets. Never had a problem, so don't see a reason to change.

 

[Waxman]

Pellets. Yellow 80 lb bag from Aubuchon Hardware.

 

[soapy]

I don't have the experience of the previous posters but I have 20 grain hard water and have been using the same softners for 16 years at the carwash using just cruches rock salt and never had one problem with the softners being damaged. I buy a pallet every month for my locations so I go through a lot of salt. I buy mine direct from the trucking company that sells to all the local stores.

 

[Waxman]

Soapy

How did you figure out to contact the trucking company for purchasing thru them? Pretty smart!

 

[Washmee]

Soapy

How did you figure out to contact the trucking company for purchasing thru them? Pretty smart!

We buy from a local salt distributer by the pallet. Look in the yellow pages or on the internet for the one in your area. I am paying $7.50/80lb bag delivered for morton pellets.

 

[Randy]

I don't have the experience of the previous posters in regards to water softeners. But I stayed at a Holiday Day Inn last night and watched a show on the History Channel about Salt. I guess that makes me a subject matter expert.

 

[ScottV]

Randy,

Only if it was Modern Marvels! I love that show.

ScottV

 

[Tom Thumb]

Morton Pellets

 

[MEP001]

You can have an issue with rock salt/crystals creating a dome over the brine, but it won't usually happen with a car wash because of how often it regenerates. I will say the sludge I've seen in brine tanks of people using Solar crystals really scares me, and I wouldn't put that in my softener. Solar crystals is dried salt lake water, pretty much unprocessed otherwise. Even the Solar pellets will leave crud in the tank, just not as bad. Morton is pure enough that I've never had to remove and clean a brine tank because of it, and there are additives that make the resin last longer and soften better. I have no way to estimate whether the potential for higher maintenance outweighs the higher cost of better salt, but to me less maintenance is always better.

 

[Waxman]

Great info. Thanks Mep1.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I usually just buy a pallet from the local Sam's Club. It seems like a decent deal. I can't remember what it was per bag, but it was better than the local hardware.

 

[MEP001]

I did buy a pallet from Sam's once, but there was no discount. Were you able to work a deal with them? We would go through a pallet a month.

 

[ScottV]

MEP001,

Thanks for that explanation. It was very useful on the difference between Solar salt and Pellets.

ScottV