Water Softner for my home?

A water softener is a whole-house filtration system that removes hardness-causing calcium and magnesium minerals from your water through a process called water softener

I used https://www.crystalclearwater.ie/ earlier this year. Installed a water softener and a filter system for drinking water in the kitchen.

The water softener was installed outside, in a protective box, which was useful for me as I've a small kitchen.

No connection to the company other than as a customer.

Got same issue with mine, hoping someone can come up with an answer.

Doesn't seem to be affecting the ability of it though, still working fine.

Edit: for reference, I bought mine from CWS Water Solutions, think they are Galway based. Happy with system.

THe brown water has come back again, after I drained most of it out, scrubbed the sides of the salt container, and put fresh water back in.

no idea, might have to organise a service.

can anyone recommend someone in the midwest who can do a service?

my system is a clack softner and everything I read about them said they do not need a service but I too get the brown sludge/film on the side of the tank but not on the surface

Same problem with the brown sludge, have rinsed out the salt container a few times but it always comes back. Would be great if someone knew what the cause is.

What type of salt do you use? My installer mentioned that there are two types sold - rock salt (quarried) and sea salt.

The installer said that the sea salt is often cheaper, but it can contain impurities - he doesn't recommend it.

Sea salt might be causing the sludge?

Yeah, starting to think it must be the salt, as I changed brands a good while back, and had zero brown sludge for many years with the previous brand.

yeah it’s a clack water softener. Salt from local place. Axal salt (orange bag)

The annual service covers the water filters also. Steep at 160e a year

This is the salt I have been using of late, and which is probably the reason for the brown sludge? There's no supplier name, Brand etc on it. The writing you see here is the only writing on it.

It is about €3 per 25kg bag cheaper than what I had been using, but I think I'll switch back to my original brand (can't remember what it was) to see if the sludge goes away.

Yeah, the salt I used for years moved from 9.99 per bag to 13.50, and then I spotted this different salt in another hardware store for 9.99, so changed over to it. Then the brown sludge arrived.

So it's a decision as to whether to accept the sludge (which doesn't seem to be affecting the operation of the softener), or go back to the more expensive salt and get a clean container.