Help with water softener please

[zimzam]

We've recently moved and aquired a water softener (Aquadial M2). However, the previous owner left no instructions whatsoever and now that I've found a small leak at the back I'm asking all sorts of questions:

• how much water should be in the tank? The current level is about a quarter...
• how much salt should I add and how often?
• we're on a water meter - I hear these softeners use a lot of water and are not great for those on meters!
• what do I need to do to it and how often???!
• I can't see where its connected to, I think the mains, but we don't have a separate drinking water tap...not good eh?

Thanks for any advice!

Have you tried to find the instructions on line or from the manufacturer?

I don't have an aquadial, but our unit does not fill with water, a bit in the bottom sounds right. Ours runs in the middle of the night I think, so I don't know what it does when it is operating. Salt just goes in (in tablet form) when the tank looks empty. Which reminds me, I need some!

No idea if any good or not for water meters, we don't have a meter.

You should have a regular mains drinking water supply as well as the soft water, softened water is revolting.

As for the leak, I can only think pipe or plumbing connections and you may need to disconnect it (should be a stop cock to isolate it) and recheck all the connections before restarting the water supply.

I'd start with the manufacturer though, either their website or their helpline.

Will be watching your thread as I have also just inherited a water softener. I don't have mains drinking water either. Is that so bad? We have been drinking the softened water which tastes fine to me... but is it actually bad for us, and why?

Not bad for you, as far as I know (though you are in-taking a bit more salt) but our softened water (in the bathrooms) is absolutely vile to drink, that's all. You may be a bit luckier!

We do a lot of plant and veg growing and softened water and its salt content is apparently not so good for plants, so our drinking and garden water are both mains "hard" water.

Thanks. I don't like the sound of drinking salty water so I will have to check that out a bit further.

anon "water (in the bathrooms) is absolutely vile to drink"

does the bathroom water come from a tank in the loft?

If so, a visit up the ladder to check it for drowned wildlife, and to ensure it has a close-fitting plastic lid to keep dirt out, might be due.

p.s.
unless the water softener is faulty, and has internal valves leaking, there will be NO SALT in the water that comes out of your taps. The softener contains a cylinder with a synthetic resin that absorbs calcium from the water by ionic exchange, and replaces it with sodium in the form of sodium bicarbonate - the same stuff that is included in indigestion remedies.

The amount is extremely small and will disappear in your daily diet. However it is not recommended for people with kidney disease, or young FF babies, as a precaution, since they will be on low-sodium diet and not encouraged to consume indigestion remedies, or salt, or ordinary bread. For this reason it is usual to have a hard-water tap left in the kitchen for drinking.

The amount is about the same weight as the limescale that would be in the water if you had not softened it. if you boil away a clean bright saucepan of water, you will find traces of bicarb powder remaining after all the water has boiled away, in the same way that you would find limescale with hard water. the difference is that the traces of bicarb are just a fine powder that easily wipes off with your fingertip. It is just a tiny trace.

John - it's a brand new sealed system, any of the soft taps through the house are not very nice to drink..... I just don't like the taste and when I try and cheat the kids (ie. I can't be bothered to go down stairs to fill their drinks) they know immediately!!!

When I say "vile" I perhaps exaggerate...!!! Just not quite the same as the good hard stuff coming out of the main tap.

Oh. Thinking softened water might be harmful, I had decided to drink wine this evening instead.

Seriously, though, this is all useful info. I have a couple of FF babies who regularly visit my house so I might get some bottled water in store for them.