Water Expert Andy Ball: Type of Salt for Softeners

We recommend buying salt for your water softener that is very clean; around the 99.5% salt content and up. All softeners can use Potassium Chloride in place of salt…and we recommend the crystal over pellet. Pellets tend to melt when they get wet, sometimes forming a “bridge” inside the salt tank, and recommend filling the brine tank about ¾ full, so you can easily monitor it going down inside the tank after the unit regenerates.