On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:01:59 -0700 (PDT), Gary Slusser
wrote:

On Aug 11, 12:45 pm, wrote:
On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:08:29 -0700 (PDT), Gary Slusser

wrote:

I suggest solar crystal salt because it is always the least expensive
and causes the fewest if any salt related problems with a softener.

The only problem with crystals, even solar salt is dirt. Many years of
using Solar Salt will leave a dirt bed at the bottom of the brine tank
that will plug the filter.

But there is no "filter" to block and a good softener has a brine well
and the brine pick up tube is in it and salt or dirt doesn't get into
the brine well or the pick up.

There is a pick up tube filter/strainer at the bottom of my brine tank
that can plug if surrounded by dirt.

Pellets lose their shape when they get wet and the grains of salt fall
to the bottom of the tank and then dry out in the 100 saturated water
that is not able to be sucked out. That becomes mass of rock hard
material and as it builds up, the water goes up into the pellets
higher and higher making more rock hard stuff in the bottom of the
tank.

It will only become rock hard if you overfill. Try to keep just on bag
of salt in the tank at a time.

So the choice is many years with solar or just a few with pellets.

My previous use Solar Salt is specifically what caused problems with
my
softener.