Solar salt vs pellets

[Amateurplumber1]

Ive always used solar salt, but have recently been hearing the the pellets are better. Is this true? Thanks!

 

[Reach4]

There is a difference of opinion. I use the pellets mainly because they are a little cheaper here, but I think I would choose pellets even if they were the same price. However they are both good. The Morton System Saver II pellets that I use have the added bonus of a little citric acid to deal with any residual iron that might get past my iron+sulfur filter, and I still get a very nice price. Maybe in an area that produces solar salt, the solar salt is cheaper. Shipping costs have to be considerable.

Some think the solar salt has less residue; others think the pellets do. I guess there can be differences in pellets and differences in solar salts. So I believe the differences in residue are minor either way.

http://www.cargill.com/salt/about/faqs/water-conditioning/index.jsp#q7
http://www.mortonsalt.com/faqs/water-softening-faqs

I like to put salt in tilted so there is a little water showing, and I like to add more if there is no longer salt peeking above the water. If I went through more salt, I would do differently.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Noyzee1]

Personally, I just use whatever's cheaper, assuming the same % of purity. I've heard some complain that the pellets turn to a non-soluble mush on the bottom of the tank, but cannot verify.

 

[ditttohead]

Too many variables to answer this one. Regionally salt varies. Salt is expensive to ship due to weight so most salt is sourced locally. Mined salt can be very cheap, but very dirty. Solar salt can be very clean, but it depends on the region and who Is doing the final processing. Pellets can mush up in the bottom, but this is not too common.

If you notice the solar salt is excessively dirty in your area, then use the pellets. If the pellets are much more expensive (as they are here), then use the solar.

Whatever you do, ignore anything you read online that gives you a definitive answer, these people lack knowledge and experience or they are trying to sell you something.

FYI, my knowledge came from selling in excess of 15 million pounds of salt annually. Almost all of it Coarse Solar salt, and the vast majority of it went to commercial/industrial softening applications. And most of it was sourced from Guerro Negro.in Baja California.