Learn about your water
85 guides, charts and fixes from Aquatell’s Certified Water Specialists: how treatment works, what your water needs, and how to keep your system running.
Water softeners guideHow to properly size a water softenerMost sizing tools ignore salt efficiency. Here’s the method that sizes a softener to use a fraction of the salt, with a calculator for your home.
Guide, water softenersHow a water softener worksA water softener is an appliance that is typically used in a residential environment to remove the hardness from the water being used for drinking, bathing, cooking, and washing clothes.
Chart, iron and sulphurWater Symptom & treatment solution chartsNot sure where to start? This resource is designed to help you quickly identify and address common water quality concerns.
Guide, iron and sulphurRemoving iron with a water softenerCan a water softener be used to remove iron from water? The answer is yes - but it's complicated!
Guide, reverse osmosisRemove fluoride from drinking waterFluoride can be removed from drinking water with a reverse osmosis system.
Water softeners
- GuideBest water softeners (2026 Buyer’s guide & industry breakdown)When researching the best water softener system, it's easy to assume there is a single system or brand that universally earns that title. In practice, "best" is contextual and depends on what a homeowner values and how the softener will be used.
- GuideDetermining water softener sizeMany of the new water softener sales inquiries we get are from customers looking to replace an old water softener. Our sales process involves steps where we help our customers figure out precisely what size of new softener will get the job done for them.
- GuideDo you need a twin tank water softener?If you're a residential homeowner you probably don't need a twin tank softener. The exceptions are when water hardness is extreme or where salt efficiency is the primary system selection criteria.
- GuideFleck 5600SXT water softener installation, programming and startup instructionsA most sincere thank-you for your purchase of the Fleck 5600SXT water softener! We look forward to helping make this experience an excellent one for you.
- GuideSoftener grains capacity vs cubic feet of resinThere are two ways to describe the 'capacity' of a water softener. Historically, softener capacity has been described in Grains Capacity which is a description of the amount of softening that a water softener can accomplish, before it needs to regenerate.
- GuideUnderstanding true water softener capacityThe capacity of a water softener is simply the amount of hardness it can remove before it needs to regenerate. Water softener capacity is one of the most poorly understood aspects of water softener sizing by both dealers and consumers alike.
Drinking water and reverse osmosis
- Buying guide3MThe Aqua - Pure water treatment product line from 3M is a great example of easy-to-use, easy-to-install home water purification equipment. This line includes drinking water systems, under the sink filtration, whole house filtration systems, replacement filters, and scale inhibitor systems.
- Buying guideAquasafe Canada RO replacement filtersOver the last few months we've had a number of Aquasafe reverse osmosis system owners contact us asking if we sell replacement cartridges for these systems. We do! We've built filter bundles at discounted prices that make replacing your Aquasafe reverse osmosis filter cartridges and membranes easy and affordable:
- Buying guideDrinking water systemsAre you looking for a drinking water filtration system that’s easy to install, doesn’t waste any water, and makes your drinking water safer and tastier? Look no further than Aquatell’s selection of drinking water systems.
- Buying guideReverse osmosis water treatmentKnow exactly what you are looking for? Shop by reverse osmosis brand, product name, or any other keywords using the search bar below.
Well water, iron and sulphur
- GuideClear water iron test kit guideIron is a destructive water contaminant that is tough to treat because it's found in the natural environment in several different forms. Each of these forms is treated a different way, so understanding the form of the iron in your water is absolutely critical to knowing how to treat it.
- GuideIron pro 5600 & iron pro 2 WS/ IFAre you considering buying an Iron Pro 5600 or Iron Pro 2 Water Softener? If so, you might be surprised to learn that every water softener will remove iron.
- GuideUnderstanding pipe diameterPlumbing diameter affects both how easily your system installs and how well it performs.
- ChartResidential water treatment by contaminant chartNot all water contaminants are easy to detect—many have no taste, no smell, and can’t be seen with the naked eye. Yet, they can pose serious health risks or affect the quality of your home’s water over time —like arsenic, lead, nitrates, and fluoride.
- ChartWater treatment filtration systems by water issueFrom iron and sulphur to chlorine, chloramine, and hard water minerals, common water contaminants and issues can affect the taste, safety, and performance of your home’s water supply.
- ChartWater treatment mediaWater Softener Resin TANNIN / ORGANIC COLOR RESIN GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON (GAC) Granular Catalytic Activated Carbon (Catalytic GAC) Iron / Manganese / Sulphur Media PH CORRECTION MEDIA OTHER FILTRATION MEDIA Water Softener Gravel Base Water Treatment Media Accessories
UV disinfection
- GuideTrojan / Viqua advantage / 700-series UV lampsTrojan UV 722 / 650140 Trojan UV 775 / 650139 Trojan UV 750 / 650138 Trojan UV 776 / 650137
- ChartViqua Arros UV lamp selection guidePlease continue reading below for more information.
- ChartViqua discontinued productsThis is a running list of the UV products that have been discontinued by Viqua. Viqua products have been sold under several brand names including Sterilight & UVMax.
- Buying guideUltraviolet (UV) light water treatmentUltraviolet (UV) Water Filter Treatment Systems Ultraviolet (UV) Water Filter Treatment Systems
Whole house and city water
- ChartDiscontinued filter cartridgesThis is a running list of the water treatment filter cartridges that have been discontinued. If a discontinued filter has a replacement, a link is provided in this chart.
- ChartPentair ChlorPlus 20BB filter alternativesAquatell offers several alternatives to the Pentair Chlorplus 20BB carbon block filter. Many of these cartridges offer outstanding filtration value.
- ChartPentek ChlorPlus 10BB carbon filter cartridge (355752-43) - product alternative
- ChartPentek ChlorPlus 20BB carbon filter cartridge (355753-43) - product alternative
- ChartPentek ChlorPlus 20 carbon filter cartridge (255417-43) - product alternative
- ChartPentek Chlorplus 255416-43 - product alternative
Troubleshooting and tech support
Step-by-step fixes for Clack and Fleck valves, brine tanks, filters and UV.
- Troubleshooting, water softenersClack water softener manual regeneration
- Troubleshooting, water softenersClack water softener stepped regeneration
- Troubleshooting, water softenersFleck 5600 & 5800 error codes explained
- Troubleshooting, water softenersRemoving the cover from a Clack control valve
- Troubleshooting, water softenersToo much water in my brine tank
- Troubleshooting, water softenersTroubleshooting the Clack error 102
- Tech support, whole houseAquatell backwashing carbon filter assembly & start guide
- Tech support, whole houseAquatell tannin system installer settings
- Tech support, iron and sulphurAtmos AIO assembly & start guide
What’s in your city’s water?
Hardness, chlorine or chloramine, and fluoride for thousands of cities in the US and Canada, each from the city’s own water report.
Can’t find it?
Aqua has read every guide here, knows your city’s figures, and can size a system for your home.