First, only use salt or potassium chloride that is designed for water softeners. Do not use cut salt or table salt.
Water softeners and conditioners work effectively with sodium chloride (commonly called salt) or potassium chloride (which is actually also a type of salt).
Some softening salt pellets sold at supermarkets or home improvement stores contain large amounts of materials or impurities that are insoluble in water. These insoluble materials can cause buildup in the water tank or cause the softener to malfunction. If you notice buildup, you will need to clean the brine tank more often. So when you buy softening salt, check the label on the bag of salt pellets to indicate that you are purchasing the highest purity salt.
Potassium Chloride:
There is one last option for brine tanks - potassium chloride. It can be used in place of salt (sodium chloride) in the brine tank to regenerate the softening resin. Potassium chloride contains 99.9% of sodium and is an alternative for those who wish to reduce their sodium intake.
Note that potassium chloride pellets are generally more expensive than salt pellets and are not as easy to find as salt pellets. If changing from salt pellets to potassium chloride pellets, it may be necessary to increase the salt dosage program setting on the valve by 10% to ensure proper regeneration of the resin.
