Pentair NS3-P - What to Expect With Your New Water Softener Alternative System; If You Have Never Had a Water Softener; If You Had a Traditional Water Softener; If You Have a Dishwasher

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH YOUR NEW WATER SOFTENER ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM
If you have never had a water softener:
Immediately after the installation you will experience naturally soft water. Most detergents will work better with treated water
andyouwillbeabletoreducetheamountyouuse.However,therearemineraldepositsandhardwaterscalecoatingtheinside
ofyourpipesandxtures.Overtherstfewweeks,thishardwaterscalewilldissolve,detachitselffromthepipes,andcome
outofyourfaucets.Thisde-scalingprocessistemporaryandwillsteadilydiminish.Duringtheserstweeks,youwillnotice:
 This will be particularly evident when using hot water. The water can pick up more than ten
grains of mineral content per gallon between the water softener alternative system and the faucet as it travels through the
water heater and the plumbing.
• Mineral silt in the water. Sincetheexistinglimestonescaleissoftenedanddissolvedaspartofthewatersoftener 
 alternativeeffect,itwilldetachinsmallchunksranginginsizefromverynesilttopieceslargerthanagrainofsand. 
 Thelargerpiecesmaybebigenoughtobuildupintheaeratorscreensofyourxture.Considerablesilt-likeaccumulations
 maybevisibleontheshowerheads,socleanthemweeklyfortherstfourweeks.Higherowrateswillshearoffmoreof
 theexistinghardwaterscalethanwilllowerowrates.De-scalingactivitywillbemostobviousinbathtubs,whichhavehigh
 owandhotwater.Youmayseemilkywaterwithsand-likegrit,andpossiblesedimentorironinthebathtub.
 return
 
If you had a traditional water softener:
Atraditionalwatersoftenerturnsdissolvedmineralhardness(calciumbicarbonate)intodissolvedsodiumbicarbonate.The
watersofteneralternativetechnologymaintainsthehealthymineralcontentofthewaterwithoutaddingthebicarbonate.You
willnotice:
• In a traditional water softener, the absence of the calcium and the presence of sodium bicarbonate makes the water feel
 slickandslimy.Ifyoumisstheslickfeeling,addsomebakingsoda(sodiumbicarbonate)toyourbathwater.
• The water spots are more visible.Awatersoftenerreplacescalciumwithsodium.Thewaterspottingthatatraditional 
 watersoftenerleavesbehindisasalthazethatwipesoffveryeasilyandisfarlessnoticeablethanspotscausedbyminerals.
The water softener alternative treatment results in reduced spotting compared to untreated water, but more visible spots
than produced by traditional, chemically treated softened water. The water softener alternative mineral spots are much
easier to clean than spots from untreated water.
• Soap curd forms with certain products.Oil-basedsoapslikeIvorywillreactwithcalciummineralstoformastickylm. 
Detergent-basedcleanerslikeshampoos,showergels,dishsoaps,andlaundrydetergentswillreactveryslightlyornotatall.
Most detergent will work better with treated water, but you will notice very little improvement when using regular bar soap
or oil-based products since the minerals are largely still able to react with the fats in the soap to form the curd.
• There is some mineral silt in the bathtub. Dependingonthewaterchemistryofyourwatersupply,youmaystillhavesome
hard water scale deposits in your plumbing system.
If you have a dishwasher:
Generally,thewatersofteneralternativesystemremovesmineralhardnessfromsolutionandformsmicrocrystals;itdoes
notphysicallyremovethenaturalmineralsfromthewater.Harshchemicals,specicallyacidic(lowpH)detergentsorrinse
agents,canre-dissolvethesecrystals.Thisreducesthedesiredeffect.Also,dishwashersaresuppliedbythehotwatersideof
abuilding’splumbingsystem,sofortherstfewweeks,thewaterhardnessinsidethedishwasherwillbehigherthannormal.
Forbothofthesereasons,youwillhavetoadjustthecombinationandamountsofdetergentsandrinseagents.Gelpacksoffer
agreatalternativesincetheycontaindetergentsandrinseagentsinjusttherightamounts.
If you have glass shower doors:
Yearsofuntreatedhardnesscanetchthesurfaceofyourglassallowingforsoapscumandmineralstogetstuckinyourglass.
Werecommendcleaningtheglasssurfacethoroughlywithade-scalingcleanersuchasCLRthenapplyingafewcoatingsof
Rain-Xtosealtheporesontheglasssurface.Thisprocesswilllltheporesintheglassandallowthewatertobead.
10 • WATER SOFTENER ALTERNATIVE WITH NATURSOFT® SALT-FREE TECHNOLOGY