Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Ionics IQ series -need HELP!!

I have an Ionics IQ series water filter/softener system in my house. When it regenerates, it puts out brown water. If I let the water run for 5-10 minutes, the water becomes clear. This problem happened a while back after I mistakenly put salt and potassium in the softener together. I didn't put any more salt(only) in it until this last week. It then started the brown water again. What could be causing this? I am frustrated with this.:wall:
Please Help.
Thanks
Disciple144

Are you on well water? If you have iron, the bed may be iron fouled and you need to add some iron out. If you are on city water, the carbon needs to be changed.

I am on city water. How do you replace or change the carbon?

You have to remove the drain flow control, put unit into a backwash cycle, and watch to make sure the resin does not come with it.

Is this something that I, someone who knows only a little about this type of thing, be able to do? Do I need to buy anything extra to add?

Follow the drain line to the unit. The hose connects to the drain housing. I believe the housing is held in place by a plastic u shaped clip. Pull the clip then pull the housing from the unit. The DLFC (drain line flow control) is in that housing. It's a rubber botton with numbers showing. Pull it out of the housing and replace housing onto the unit. Putthe drain line in a bucket and turn the unit to backwash. The carbon should come out first and if let run long enough, the resin will follow. The resin is tiny round beads where the carbon will look like black specks.

Thank You for the help. How will I know when it is done? Is there anything I need to buy?