Check that the water after the softener is ZERO hardness all the way until regeneration. If it is then the softener is operating properly. The spots aren't necessarily hardness. Have you tried a little white vinegar on the spots to see if they fizz? When a softener is installed in an existing plumbing system that had hard water over a number of years then calcium will release into the soft water over a period of time. It's not just the calcium in the WH. Hardness deposits are also coating all the internal surfaces of the plumbing system and fixtures.

The "water felt slimy" because you're really rinsing all the soap off the body. When you don't feel slick at the end of a shower, it's because there's soap curd left on your skin. You can overcome the soft water taste issue with an R.O. system, maybe even just carbon filtration. I would never ever consider running a household on hard water. Deposits build up in pipes, toilets, and water heater, hard water makes spots and scale on everything, and doesn't allow complete rinsing of laundry or hair/body when bathing. Soft water won't harm appliances, quite the opposite. We have a potassium chloride (instead of salt which is sodium chloride) soft water system for our well water household, hot and cold water. I wouldn't live in the house without it.

A 20" filter will not reduce pressure drop vs a 10" to any great degree and either will allow more than enough flow. A 10" filter will need to be changed more frequently. With your water conditions, even a 3/4 cubic ft softener would run for two weeks between regens, so we just size for flow rate. A 1.25 cubic ft softener will do the job. That particular size is a bit unusual, so you may want to go with a 1.50. The following requirements are for an industry standard softener. Any decent softener vendor should be able to provide the following: High quality American or German made resin. This will provide a tight size distribution for optimal flow within the resin, longer resin life, and more reliable, predicable water softening. This becomes even more important when you want to run longer between regenerations. Since you have WELL WATER: 8% crosslinked resin. Top basket. This serves two purposes. It sets up a proper water distribution during normal operation and prevents resin loss during backwash. Gravel underbed. The gravel underbed is there to set up proper flow patterns, improve backwash, keep the bottom basket in place, prevent basket failure, and prevent channeling. Many softener sales companies like to leave this out in smaller softeners or sell softeners with a vortex system instead. Vortex systems weigh less than gravel so they cost less to ship. In addition, they are a more expensive item that adds profit for the softener salesperson, but provides no additional benefit to the homeowner . It simply adds another piece of equipment that can break. Fleck or Clack valves. These set the industry standard. Be aware that you will not be able to purchase Clack valves online. This is not a problem if you purchase locally. The valve should regen based on water usage, not time. However, in your case, the softener will almost certainly regen based on time just because your hardness and water usage are low. Noryl bypass. Most softeners are available with either Noryl or stainless bypass valves. Both are good valves, but the noryl tends to be more reliable when not used for long periods of time. Brine tank: Although either round or square will work, round brine tanks are more structurally sound and will not deform like a square tank will. Additionally, if you need a softener 1.5 cuft or larger, a square tank will most likely be too small. Install the softener with a three-valve bypass. This will make it so much easier if you ever need to remove the softener for repairs or wish to take it with you when you move. Use full-port, quarter-turn valves.

I installed then a water softener hoping it will solve the stains issue. They still show up. I find myself drying everything to reduce seeing spots. I was told then that’s because I have high tds level - almost 600 this is the cause for them showing up. I was hoping someone would give me a tip on how to clean off these spots.