I got a watersoftner installed today. The Installing company sells
"Dura-Cube" by Cargill for around $6.00 for 50lbs. Of course they set me up
with my first 250 pounds. The salt is sort of in a chip form. The
Installer said rock salt and "solar-salt" are inferior and are less pure, so
do not use them. Is this so? What brand of salt do you use? And the cost?
And of course where to purchase?
Is the $6.00 for the "Dura-Cube" too much or about normal. I can purchase
the salt on my own at the dealer when needed, but I am not paying them a
service call to bring it by.


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
I got a watersoftner installed today. The Installing company sells
"Dura-Cube" by Cargill for around $6.00 for 50lbs. Of course they set me
up
with my first 250 pounds. The salt is sort of in a chip form. The
Installer said rock salt and "solar-salt" are inferior and are less pure,
so
do not use them. Is this so? What brand of salt do you use? And the
cost?
And of course where to purchase?
Is the $6.00 for the "Dura-Cube" too much or about normal. I can purchase
the salt on my own at the dealer when needed, but I am not paying them a
service call to bring it by.

Rock salt has many impurities and should be avoided. The price you have for
the Dura-Cube is not bad and yes, it is a bit better than solar salt. For
the slight cost difference in a year, I'd continue to use it.

That said, we use solar salt at work. I buy 2,000 pounds at a time and pay
about $5 a bag delivered. We treat about 8,000 to 11,000 gallons of water a
day. Twice a year we drain and clean the brine tank.

Samuel Warren wrote:

I got a watersoftner installed today. The Installing company sells
"Dura-Cube" by Cargill for around $6.00 for 50lbs. Of course they set me up
with my first 250 pounds. The salt is sort of in a chip form. The
Installer said rock salt and "solar-salt" are inferior and are less pure, so
do not use them. Is this so? What brand of salt do you use? And the cost?
And of course where to purchase?
Is the $6.00 for the "Dura-Cube" too much or about normal. I can purchase
the salt on my own at the dealer when needed, but I am not paying them a
service call to bring it by.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM


I use Diamond Crystal (Cargill) "Hardi-Cube". It's also in a chiplike
form. The recent price was $4.70 per 50lbs at the local seed&feed store,
not delivered.

As I recall, I was told by a wholesale distributor that Hardi-Cube
tended to be less susceptible to "bridging" than the more easily-found
pellets.

I know that rock salt should not be used in a softener but I believe
that "solar-salt" is OK -- in fact, I think some recommend it, though it
is not as pure as some other kinds of salt.

What is this "bridging"?


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"Erma1ina" wrote in message
...
Samuel Warren wrote:

I got a watersoftner installed today. The Installing company sells
"Dura-Cube" by Cargill for around $6.00 for 50lbs. Of course they set
me up
with my first 250 pounds. The salt is sort of in a chip form. The
Installer said rock salt and "solar-salt" are inferior and are less
pure, so
do not use them. Is this so? What brand of salt do you use? And the
cost?
And of course where to purchase?
Is the $6.00 for the "Dura-Cube" too much or about normal. I can
purchase
the salt on my own at the dealer when needed, but I am not paying them a
service call to bring it by.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM


I use Diamond Crystal (Cargill) "Hardi-Cube". It's also in a chiplike
form. The recent price was $4.70 per 50lbs at the local seed&feed store,
not delivered.

As I recall, I was told by a wholesale distributor that Hardi-Cube
tended to be less susceptible to "bridging" than the more easily-found
pellets.

I know that rock salt should not be used in a softener but I believe
that "solar-salt" is OK -- in fact, I think some recommend it, though it
is not as pure as some other kinds of salt.

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
What is this "bridging"?


I think it's when the salt hardens from being wet and causes a bridge above
the brine level causing the water to not effectivly reach the salt causing
the softener not to be able to regenerate.

So an occasional stirring up of the salt would be a good thing?


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"John" wrote in message
...

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
What is this "bridging"?


I think it's when the salt hardens from being wet and causes a bridge
above
the brine level causing the water to not effectivly reach the salt causing
the softener not to be able to regenerate.

Yes, most manufacturers recommend occasionally pushing a clean piece
of wood or plastic down through the salt to make sure a salt "bridge"
hasn't formed keeping the loose salt from falling to the bottom.

I did every other week or so for a year or so, and never had a
problem, so now I don't bother. I'd notice soon enough if the water
went hard.

I buy my salt at the local "Sams" warehouse club for around $5 for 40
lbs. It's Mortons softener salt.


On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 10:16:07 -0500, "Samuel Warren"
wrote:

So an occasional stirring up of the salt would be a good thing?


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"John" wrote in message
...

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
What is this "bridging"?


I think it's when the salt hardens from being wet and causes a bridge
above
the brine level causing the water to not effectivly reach the salt causing
the softener not to be able to regenerate.

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
I got a watersoftner installed today. The Installing company sells
"Dura-Cube" by Cargill for around $6.00 for 50lbs. Of course they set me
up
with my first 250 pounds. The salt is sort of in a chip form. The
Installer said rock salt and "solar-salt" are inferior and are less pure,
so
do not use them. Is this so? What brand of salt do you use? And the
cost?
And of course where to purchase?
Is the $6.00 for the "Dura-Cube" too much or about normal. I can purchase
the salt on my own at the dealer when needed, but I am not paying them a
service call to bring it by.


I just picked up salt at Mendard's (Local big box home store). I think I
paid $4.50 for a #50 bag.