Hi!
We are looking for a water softening system that suits our needs.
The main issue is the water hardness of 44.1 degrees dH,
Sodium is at 34.5 mg/L.
Originally, we planned to use an ion exchanger because we thought the hardness was 32 degrees dH and that we would reduce it to 12, which is not ideal but acceptable for us.
However, we can only reduce it by about 20 degrees dH and still end up with 24 degrees dH, which I consider quite high.
Grünbeck has now recommended adding phosphates to bind the limescale. This would easily cost over €1/m3 for the mineral solution.
What other options are there that don’t involve gimmicks?
Carbon filter?
Reverse osmosis?
Other ideas?
And above all: how do the ongoing costs compare?
We have 3 bathrooms, expect 5–6 people living in the house, and honestly have higher water consumption. So the system must be able to handle a fairly high flow rate.
Thanks in advance for any advice on what direction to consider!
We are looking for a water softening system that suits our needs.
The main issue is the water hardness of 44.1 degrees dH,
Sodium is at 34.5 mg/L.
Originally, we planned to use an ion exchanger because we thought the hardness was 32 degrees dH and that we would reduce it to 12, which is not ideal but acceptable for us.
However, we can only reduce it by about 20 degrees dH and still end up with 24 degrees dH, which I consider quite high.
Grünbeck has now recommended adding phosphates to bind the limescale. This would easily cost over €1/m3 for the mineral solution.
What other options are there that don’t involve gimmicks?
Carbon filter?
Reverse osmosis?
Other ideas?
And above all: how do the ongoing costs compare?
We have 3 bathrooms, expect 5–6 people living in the house, and honestly have higher water consumption. So the system must be able to handle a fairly high flow rate.
Thanks in advance for any advice on what direction to consider!
D
Deliverer23 Oct 2019 15:28In such an extreme case, I would disregard the 200mg/L limit for sodium and accept the higher salt intake. Water with, for example, 300mg/L is not immediately toxic. It won’t affect healthy adults, and at-risk groups can always opt for bottled water. Besides, it is still healthier than most plastic-bottled water and many so-called "healing" waters. Also, what ends up in children’s stomachs from cooking, bathing, and washing is no worse than a small piece of sausage per week.
H
hampshire23 Oct 2019 15:38A high sodium content in water is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and young children. However, overall it is rather uncritical. If in doubt, I would filter the drinking water separately to reduce the sodium content again.
D
Deliverer23 Oct 2019 15:51Just for context: The recommended maximum daily salt intake (which most people probably exceed by a wide margin) is 6 grams of salt. This corresponds to about 2400 mg of sodium. The impact of choosing your drinking water is therefore somewhere around 20%, give or take. Or equivalent to two slices of salami.
Clearly, your water is very hard, but it’s not that bad.
As drinking water, it is perfectly suitable, and it won’t clog the pipes within three years because of that.
Cleaning efforts in the bathroom are higher with hard water, but this will still be the case even after water softening.
You might want to ask other people in the supply area how they manage.
As drinking water, it is perfectly suitable, and it won’t clog the pipes within three years because of that.
Cleaning efforts in the bathroom are higher with hard water, but this will still be the case even after water softening.
You might want to ask other people in the supply area how they manage.