The Rural Water Secret: How This Best Softener For Well Water Transformed Our Farm

Written by Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips

SoftPro Water Systems Overview

Meet the Family: Quality Water Treatment & Phillips Crew

Quality Water Treatment (QWT) is more than just a company—it's your friendly neighborhood water fix-it gang. Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips kicked things off in 1990, and he's been running the show alongside his son Jeremy and daughter Heather ever since. They aren't fans of scare tactics or overpriced stuff. They're all about clean water, done right.

What's the Scoop:

• Craig Phillips: The big boss and founder, all about honest water care.
• Jeremy Phillips: The sales whiz, pulls customers in with cool, no-nonsense advice.
• Heather Phillips: Keeps the gears turning smoothly behind the scenes, making sure your experience is top-notch.

What Makes Us Tick:

• Family vibes with every interaction.
• Straightforward pricing without any smoke and mirrors.
• We're everywhere, but still feel like your local water buddies.

The Goods: SoftPro Product Line

SoftPro Water Systems came about to fill a big gap—good, solid water systems without the wallet pain. Here’s the lowdown on these softeners and filters, what they’re made of, and who they're best for.

A. SoftPro Water Softeners

SoftPro ECO Water Softener

• Why It's Cool: Real bargain among the SoftPro gang.
• Design & Efficiency: Perfect for folks who want reliable water softening without breaking the bank.
• Where It Fits: Great for homes on a budget, whether you're on city or well water.
• Who's It For: Perfect for newbies or penny-pinchers.

SoftPro Elite Water Softener

• Why It's Cool: Top-notch performance that doesn't skimp on efficiency.
• Design & Efficiency: Loaded with tough resin and smart settings for a smooth ride.
• Where It Fits: For homes dealing with pesky water hardness.
• Who's It For: A top choice for folks wanting a reliable buddy that'll last.

SoftPro Smart Home+ Water Softener

• Why It's Cool: Syncs with DROP smart home stuff for a faucet-level view from your couch.
• Design & Efficiency: You get real-time alerts about leaks and odd water behavior.
• Where It Fits: Whether it’s city or well water, tech fans love its modern spin.
• Who's It For: Gadget geeks who sleep better knowing they’ve got an app for their water.

Model	What It Does Best	Where It's Useful	Best For
SoftPro ECO	Bargain hunter's delight	City, Well	Thrifty ones
SoftPro Elite	High efficiency	City, Well	Value seekers
SoftPro Smart Home+	Smart tech integration	City, Well	Tech enthusiasts

B. SoftPro Filtration Systems

SoftPro AIO Iron Master Whole House Iron Filter

• Street Cred: Tops in zapping iron-friendly gunk from well water.
• Performance: Swipes out iron, sulfur, and manganese with clever AIO tech.
• Perks: Banishes gross tastes and the dreaded rust rings.
• Who's It For: Well water users tired of funky metal flavors.

SoftPro Whole House Fluoride & Carbon Filter

• Catch the Buzz: Hot choice for folks wary of fluoride.
• Filtration Power: Strips away fluoride, chlorine, and other yucky bits from city water.
• Who's It For: City dwellers looking for the ultimate clean sip.

SoftPro Whole House Catalytic Carbon Filter

• Performance: Targets stubborn stuff like chlorine and chloramine.
• Catalytic Carbon Tech: Takes down mean contaminants with style.
• Who's It For: Those after tastier, chemical-light water.

Model	What It Does Best	Where It's Best Used	Best For
SoftPro AIO Iron Master	Booting out iron, sulfur, manganese	Well water	Battling nasty gunk
SoftPro Fluoride & Carbon Filter	Trims fluoride, chlorine	City water	Removing fluoride and other scaries
SoftPro Catalytic Carbon Filter	Super carbon chops	City, Well	Cleaner, fresher sips for all

If you’re itching to know about the best stuff for your well water, check out our guides on the best water softener and solid water softeners. They’ll clear things up faster than you can say “H2O.”

Picking the Right Water Softener

Finding the best softener for well water is a bit like picking a sidekick—some options just work way better than others. To nail it, though, you gotta get your head around what makes water hard, and know the types of softeners that could be your saving grace. So let's dig in and make sure you make the right choice!

What Makes Water Hard?

Water hardness is all about how much calcium and magnesium it's lugging around. These bad boys can lead to some real headaches, like junking up your pipes with scale, slowing down your appliances, and even messing with your skin. So, knowing the hardness of your water is a big deal if you want your softener to do its job.

Water Status	Grains Per Gallon (gpg)	mg/L or ppm
Easy Peasy (Soft)	0 - 3.5	0 - 60
Getting Noticed (Moderately Hard)	3.5 - 7.0	61 - 120
Headaches Ahead (Hard)	7.0 - 10.5	121 - 180
Nightmare (Very Hard)	10.5+	181+

Take the Millers, for example: they're living in a sweet spot with a custom crib fed by well water. But, with their water sitting at over 20 grains per gallon, they needed a softener that means business.

A Look at Your Options

Salt-Based Water Softeners

These guys are the workhorses in the water-softening game. They swap out those pesky minerals, calcium and magnesium, with salt. They're champs at dealing with super hard water but do need regular TLC (Tender Love and Salt).

Benefits	Drawbacks
Knocks out minerals thoroughly	Guzzles salt like a champ
Loves a challenge (great for tough water)	Not great for small nooks
Built for the long haul	Maintenance ain't cheap

The Millers opted for a salt-based tank like SoftPro Elite, given they're wrestling with iron stains and hefty scale problems.

Salt-Free Water Softeners

These guys go salt-free. They don't exactly soften the water—they boss it around to stop minerals from hanging outs. While they might come with a bigger price tag up front, they don't drain your wallet or space.

Benefits	Drawbacks
Salt and electricity don’t enter the chat	Not at their best with super gnarly water
Easy on the maintenance	Pay more up front
Fits snugly in tight spots	Don't truly soften the H2O

For folks just getting started like the Millers, the SoftPro ECO serves as a budget-friendly alternative with less hassle over salt refills.

Electromagnetic Water Softeners

Think of these as the minimalist approach. They use a magnetic field to keep scale from forming. These pocket-sized gadgets are super easy to set up and require barely any babysitting once they're in place. However, don't expect them to take on heavyweight hard water.

Benefits	Drawbacks
Small and hassle-free setup	Stumbles with hard cases
No plumber needed	Not for sprawling spaces
Set it and forget it	Packs less punch

Electromagnetic gizmos are great for folks wanting an easy, hands-off fix in a cozy house.

Full Filtration Systems

These bad boys play the long game, stripping out a whole roster of contaminants and softening your water. They're the big leagues of water systems, both in price and in size, but they do a bang-up job.

Benefits	Drawbacks
Jack-of-all-trades for treating water	Heavy on space and wallet
Takes out the nasties	Pricier out of the gate
Keeps appliances and pipes from biting the dust	Filters need regular tunes-ups

For the all-encompassing solution, like those facing iron and gas stink issues, a robust system like the SoftPro AIO Iron Master is ideal.

With a clear view of how hard water acts and the smorgasbord of softeners out there, families like the Millers can zero in on the best choice for their well water setup. Need more clarity? Don’t miss our rundown of top-rated water softeners for well water.