I'd like to see the results of a water test from a certified independent lab. The water utility can supply you with the specs of the water AS IT LEAVES their facility but that is not necessarily representative of the water conditions at your water meter which are the #s we need to know to size a softener correctly.

"Quality Water Treatment said that with an 80k tank I would likely have bridging issues"

You would have channeling issues not bridging issues. Bridging is a problem in the brine tank.

Did either company ask you what diameter the plumbing at the softener is? If it is 3/4" then the 6700 is OK but if larger then the 7000SXT is the choice. Actually, I'd opt for the 7000SXT in either case.

I prefer regenerations at max every 7 or 8 days unless there's iron in the water and then more frequent regenerations are necessary.

I would avoid a Vortech resin tank in all cases and opt for a gravel underbed.

Do you KNOW that the uber shower flows 15 gpm or is that a bench spec? If actual flow do you KNOW that your plumbing can deliver 15 gpm to the shower?

It's not that you'll lose water pressure so much as that hardness will leak through if you exceed the flow rate for a specific volume of resin.

The want of higher SFR with lower hardness is not an uncommon problem. One has to take all variables and circumstances into consideration and make the best compromise without introducing new problems.

This post was edited by justalurker on Tue, Aug 13, 13 at 18:48

Thank you for your response! Actually the shower is capable of putting out more than 15gpm, but the flow rate limits it to about 15gpm. I did a simple tub test and filled a 5 gallon bucket in just over 20 seconds from the best flowing tub faucet we have, which is where I came up with 15gpm. There are 3 heads and a body spray with 3 nozzles in the shower and I can use 3 of the 4 heads (counting the body spray as 1 head) with slight pressure loss but still workable. Using all 4 is too much pressure loss. I will take some sample water to a pool store by me when I go out today and post the results back here when I get home.

A couple of other questions for you if you don't mind:
1) You mentioned a gravel bed. Would the softener I purchase state if it has a gravel bed? (or if it was gravel bed capable)
2) I am interested in the mediaguard KDF 55 filter. Do you have any opinion on those?
3) Is there any advantage to going with a Purolite C100E 8% resin vs. the stock not-made-in-USA resin? If so, do the benefits outweigh the $80-$90 upcharge?

Thank you again, I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to help me!

UPDATE: I took my water to the pool store nearby and they measured the hardness right at 180 ppm, which looks like about 10.5 gpg.

This post was edited by sigma99 on Tue, Aug 13, 13 at 13:13

If you already know that your plumbing can't supply sufficient SFR for the uber shower then everything is a compromise?

Don't waste your time going to a pool store for a water test.
Either use a certified independent lab or just guess.

What diameter is the plumbing at your proposed softener installation point?

Since you are on a water system they add anti-bacterials and that degrades resin over the long haul. An 8% cross link resin is common for longer service life with chlorine and such and 10% is better. Any Purolite resin is better than any pacific rim resin.

You won't see a gravel bed listed cause they don't want to give it to you for free. They used to, but not anymore. Tell them you want it and for free and don't let them talk you out of it.

There are lots of little things that the online companies cheat or scrimp on to keep their profit margins up that didn't used to be done. They will substitute cheap and lower quality parts and components if you don't know what to EXACTLY ask for and make sure you get it.

'The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is gone'.

KDF55 filter... why, for what reason?

The installation point has 1" copper pipe. Yes, everything is a compromise, but currently I am happy being able to operate the body sprays and the 2 rain can heads. Then I'm only missing the hand-held which is not really a big compromise IMO...but I digress. The 7000sxt comes with a plastic Noryl bypass valve at 1" (is this cheap/not standard?), what other components will be cheap that I should watch for?

As for the KDF55 filter, it says it will remove the chlorine from the water as well as unpleasant taste. I figured anything I could do to make the water nicer would be a good thing, is this incorrect? We do use RO for drinking water, so if it's just going to double purpose then unless it saves RO filters work I'll leave it out. I'm unsure which was why I asked :).

I didn't realize I needed to find a certified lab (I did read that in your original post but I just thought that would be a pool store). I think I have a list pulled up here and I'll be calling once I get some much needed work done.

There is a big difference between 8 and 12 gpg hardness. Since the sizing and programming of your softener is done using arithmetic the correct numbers are kinda important.

You want hardness, pH, iron, manganese, TDS, arsenic, sodium at minimum.

With 1" copper you want a 7000SXT. There is plastic and there is PLASTIC. These valves are made of Noryl which is pretty trick stuff. It is so trick that it can be machined.

You already have insufficient flow and you want to add an unnecessary filter ahead of the softener? Anti-bacterials are in the water to make it safe. Removing the anti-bacterials at POE is IMO not a smart thing to do. Since you have an RO for cooking, drinking, and ice making you already solved the taste problem.

Since you accept the compromise then get a Fleck 7000SXT based softener and set it up for an efficient salt dose.

Here are the things you demand from you softener huckster...

Purolite resin... 8% or 10% if you can get it
gravel underbed @ no charge
Fleck brand top basket and bottom basket on distributor tube
Fleck 2310 safety float brine pickup

And buy a couple extra clips for the bypass. If you break one you won't find them at HD or Lowes.

This post was edited by justalurker on Tue, Aug 13, 13 at 18:51

Ok, what should I expect to pay for the certified lab tests? One place near me didn't answer and another wanted at least $20 for every test (some were significantly more), and each test you mentioned counted as a separate test. TBH, $160-$200 is a bit shocking for a water test.

"TBH, $160-$200 is a bit shocking for a water test"

Not really out of line @ $20 a test. It costs what it costs... overhead, certification, lab tech, materials, consumables, hardware and test equipment... everyone is entitled to get paid for their knowledge and expertise and experience.

Your city environmental health department might point you to another lab and they may or may not be cheaper.

Your alternative is to use one of the #s you got on the phone or from the pool store and not know any other water conditions that you'd want to treat. Once you've made a decision on size there's programming for efficiency to figure out.

This post was edited by justalurker on Wed, Aug 14, 13 at 11:09