Buy right. Use right. Maintain right.
Softener size, test kits, salt, filters, and settings—organized by what you’re trying to do, not by brand trophies.
Where you are
Three steps in order—decide, run, maintain. Settings is the cross-cutting one: anything you program on the valve, anytime.
1 · Get ready
Still shopping or deciding
Size the softener, know your gpg, then pick salt type—before you buy.
How to Choose a Water Softener (Size and Features)
Three steps: test hardness gpg, size by people x gallons x gpg x regen days, then pick metered regen, resin volume, and matching iron rating before buying.
Read the guide
Hardness Test Kits and Strips: What to Buy
Strips vs drop-count titration vs digital TDS meters compared. How to sample cold tap water, convert ppm to gpg, and avoid a softener sizing mistake.
Compare kits
Water Softener Salt: Pellets, Crystals, How Often
Water softener salt types, how often to add salt, salt bridge and mush, and when resin cleaners help—an editorial overview, not a ranked top-10.
View salt types2 · Day-to-day
Salt & softener routine
After you own a softener: salt form, refills, and salt-bridge issues.
Salt Pellets vs Crystals for Water Softeners
Salt pellets vs solar crystals for water softeners: how each dissolves, when bridges form, when blocks matter, and an if-then pick—not a ranked list.
Explore comparison
How to Add Salt to Your Water Softener (Step by Step)
Step-by-step guide to adding salt to your water softener: when to refill, how much to add, how to break a salt bridge, and common mistakes to avoid.
Step-by-stepComing soon
Salt bridge: prevent and fix
Why the crust forms, how to break it safely, and how to stop it coming back.
3 · Maintain
Filters & upkeep
RO stages, resin, and cleaners—scheduled upkeep. If something already failed, start under Problems.
RO Filter Replacement Schedule: How Often to Change Filters
RO pre-filters need annual swap; membranes every 2 years. TDS-based trigger works better than calendar timing on the membrane.
Replacement scheduleComing soon
Softener resin replacement
When resin is shot, what capacity fade looks like, and DIY vs pro.
Coming soon
Softener resin cleaner
When cleaner helps, how often, and what it will not fix.
Settings
Control heads & programming
Valve menus and hardness settings—how to program what you already own.
Fleck 5600SXT Settings: Programming Guide & Common Errors
Fleck 5600SXT programming guide: set hardness (gpg), day override, and regeneration time. Decode Err 1/2/3 codes and fix the settings people get wrong.
Open settings guideComing soon
How to set softener hardness
Map your strip reading to the valve dial/menu without guessing.
Related hubs
Systems for types, problems for failures, tools for sizing.