Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Will Kinetico Quad 51 do for hard well water?

I'm looking at a used Quad 51 softener/filtration system. The seller says he bought the system about 10 yrs ago, about 6 of which he's stored it unused inside his warehouse, but he says it worked fine. It hasn't been in use now for a couple years. My digging suggests that if something is wrong with the unit when installed it could likely be repaired. I'm wondering if it will do the job required. We're on a deep well (140') and the water is super hard. We get lots of scale but no apparent rust stains. Had a softener guy come out to look a few months ago who did some tests and said we had 90-95 hardness (10=hard and 0=target) and 1780 TDS.

Any thoughts on whether the Quad 51 will work, or other, are greatly appreciated. My wife will strangle me if I don't get the water soft soon.

No, absolutely not. The K-51 (now the 2040) will not be able to handle that level of hardness...no way.

If you go with a Kinetico, I would recommend a 2175. These are twin tanks of 13" x 54". A lot bigger that the two small tanks you asked about. The 51 can easily handle water from 0 to around 30 grains per gallon.

Where are you located to get that kind of water? Have you tested for iron? This must be calculated along with hardness to determine appropriate equipment.

Regardless of the correctly-sized equipment you use to handle that hardenss, you need to make attempts improve your drinking water whether with bottled water or an RO.

If you want more data and specs send me PM.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Thanks Andy for your reply. We're located in SW Florida just off the gulf of mexico. We've been drinking bottled water - well water tastes nasty and lord knows what it does to ones 'innards' when it's this hard. I'm going to get a good test kit and double check the levels. I ended up picking up the quad 51 yesterday because the deal seemed good and I have someone to forward it to when I'm done with it. I also may hook up to municiple water and keep the quad if it'll work good in that senario. We hooked up the unit today and ran it thru a couple of cycles. The water is noticabley better but, as you advised, still too hard.

We've got an aerator tank and test strips say iron is not a problem but will re-check that with a better kit also.

I would like more data and specs but I'm a rookie at this thread business and don't know how to PM. If instructions are quick maybe you can advise, otherwise I'll figure it out soon as time allows and follow-up with you then.

Thanks again for your help!

Wow! I didn't know water was that hard in Florida. In your area, sodium is oftn a big problem. What city are you near and do you know their water quality?

I sent you a PM

With older Quads, if they were well maintained, then the only things that might need to be done is to replace the carbon media in the bottom two tanks. Care should be taken to inspect the bottom distributor to make sure it is in good condition.

Keep in touch on your water treatment.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Andy - Sarasota County handles the municiple water. There've been problems for years with many people on county water having to re-plumb newer houses due to pin holes in the copper. My prior house was hooked-up and the water always smelled a bit of chlorine. It was an older house and never had a pin hole problem.

The dial on the quad system is orange. Does the color make a difference? System seems to be working but water is so hard the test strips aren't clear - hence new test kit to be. Kind of figured I should be changing the carbon media. Is that something a tech has to do or can I? Wrench twisting is no problem.

I'll keep you posted on test results and status. Thanks for your help on this.

Just found your PM. Will reply same.

If i were you I would get your hardness checked again, i think your water guy made a mistake, i used to be in the florida water business - Kinetico is the best system but that quad will only do on city water.

Thanks for the reply Doc.
I thought the same thing. I had already hooked up the quad 51 so last week I took in two blind samples, before and after the quad system, to have re-tested. The untreated sample from the aerator tank registered a whopping 113 (grains?) hardness this time, and the treated sample from a faucet was down to 60. Both sample were checked twice. I'm told I have the third hardest water ever tested. Just lovely. This appears to indicate that the quad 51 works great, just not great enough for my application. Seems I'll either need to hook up to municiple water and keep the quad, or trade up the quad to a bigger softener. Is either solution preferable?