salt concentration for 27 GPG hardness

[lifespeed]

While retrieving the resin datasheet from my local water treatment vendor, he mentioned they liked to salt with 9 - 10 lbs, especially for high hardness water. I assumed he meant per cubic foot, and not total for my 1.5 cu ft system.

I have been getting pretty good results based on the slippery soap feel and Hach 5B tests, neither of which are that accurate near 0 GPG.

Any reason I should increase regenerant concentration because my feedwater hardness jumped from 7 GPG to 27 GPG? All I did was reprogram, and with the exception of shorter regeneration intervals it seems OK.

Edit: I am currently programmed for 30K capacity, BF time of 12 minutes through 0.25GPM BLFC for 9 lbs salt. Also, I have a tankless hot water heater so to some extent I am protecting it from scale. With this in mind "feels soft in the shower" may not be the most appropriate metric of adequate results.

[ditttohead]

Excellent question. The simple answer is no. You only need to change the hardness in the programming and you will be fine. The complex answer would take several pages, but considering this is a residential application and you have done the proper hardness testing, and you are maintaining below 1 GPG, the system should be fine. There are compensations we use for TDS, etc, but residential applications tend to have plenty of reserve to negate the need for complex equations. In large commercial applications, a 5% increase in efficiency can be significant, in a residential application, it is almost insignificant. How often will your system need to regenerate now? As long as you are over 5 or more days, you will still maintain considerable efficiency.

[lifespeed]

It now regenerates every 8 - 10 days, whereas before it was 3 - 4 weeks. I have been testing feedwater hardness monthly and recording it in a spreadsheet. Hopefully next year this data will allow me to do something simple like set hardness to 7GPG in spring and 27GPG in the fall.

Based on the radical and possibly seasonal change in hardness my guess is spring and summer water consist of snowmelt from the Sierras, switching to groundwater aquifers in the fall.

[ditttohead]

Good call. You are very likely correct on your assumption of the changin water sources. I would check the hardness every few weeks. The Hach 5B test kit is good for about 100 tests, so it should last for a few years. At only $30, it is a good investment. And since tesing only takes a minute... I have a friend in Norco Califonria, hi water varies from 25 grains, to 90+ seasonally. His water requires a little bit of work.