Water Softener Salt Guide Series: Types, Benefits & Best Choice for Your System

Water softeners are essential for households dealing with hard water and iron, which can damage plumbing, reduce the efficiency and lifespan of appliances, and leave residue on dishes, clothing, and plumbing fixtures. A key component in this system is water softener salt, which helps regenerate the softener's resin beads and keep the system running smoothly to provide worry free soft water.

Types of Water Softener Salt

Water softener salt comes in various forms, including pellets, crystals, blocks, and compacted flakes. Among these, Dura Cube and Hardi Cube salt—formed into small, compacted flakes—is popular due to its high efficiency in regeneration cycles and clean operation.

When shopping for water softener salt, consumers often encounter options like Morton, and Diamond Crystal Pellet Salt, Diamond Crystal Solar Salt, Dura-Cube, and Hardi-Cube. While they may appear similar, there are notable differences in quality, purity, and performance of your water treatment equipment.

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Morton and Diamond Crystal Pellet Salt

What it is: Pellet salt is often less expensive and available in bulk from various manufacturers. It serves the basic purpose of softening water by regenerating the softener's ion-exchange resin.

Pros:

• Lower cost

• Available in big-box stores, grocery stores, and hardware stores

• Available with iron removing additives

  

Cons:

• Contains more insoluble impurities (dirt, silt, minerals)

• Can lead to salt bridging (hard crusts) or mushing (sludge)

• Requires more frequent maintenance and semi-annual brine tank cleaning

Morton and Diamond Crystal Pellet water softener salt is available at box stores, grocery stores, and hardware stores. 

Morton Water Softener Salt - Where to buy near you

Diamond Crystal® Solar Salt

What is solar salt: Solar salt is produced by evaporating seawater or brine from saltwater lakes using solar energy, leaving behind crystalline sodium chloride.

Pros:

• Lower cost

• Available in big-box stores, grocery stores, and hardware stores

• Compatible with most water softeners

Cons:

• Contains more insoluble residues that accumulate in the brine tank, forming sludge that may clog screens, injectors, or float valves.

• Less soluble than sodium chloride, potentially leading to crusty deposits in the brine tank.

• Requires more frequent maintenance and semi-annual brine tank cleaning to remove buildup.

Diamond Crystal Solar salt salt is available at box stores, grocery stores, and hardware stores. 

Where to buy water softener salt near me

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Dura-Cube® Water Softener Salt

Manufacturer: Cargill

What sets it apart: Dura-Cube is a premium brand of water softener cube salt known for its high purity and durability. Dura Cube Water Softener Salt is only sold by Water Treatment Dealers.

Features:

• Typically 99.8% pure salt

• Compressed under high pressure to reduce mushing and bridging

• Available in regular, red-out (with rust remover), and potassium chloride options

• Less insoluble material, which means cleaner operation

  

Best for:

• Households looking for low-maintenance softener operation

• Areas with high iron content (when using Red-Out Dura-Cube)

• Protecting and extending the life of appliances

Dura-Cube water softener salt is only available at Water Treatment Dealers

Pros Pick Dura Cube Water Softener Salt

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Hardi-Cube® Water Softener Salt

Manufacturer:  Cargill (Diamond Crystal branding)

What sets it apart: Hardi-Cube salt is the same as Dura-Cube. It is branded under Diamond Crystal. 

Hardi-Cube name is sold by retailers and water treatment dealers. In terms of quality and target market but may offer slightly different compressions and additives depending on the brand.

Features:

• High-purity salt, 99.8% pure salt

• Formulated to reduce bridging and mushing

• Also available with additives like rust remover

Best for:

• Consumers wanting high performance and reliability

• Systems that benefit from rust-removing additives

• Consistent, long-term water softener operation

Hardi-Cube Water Softener salt is available from Water Treatment Dealers and Select Hardware Stores such as ACE Hardware

Where to buy Hardi-Cube water softener near me

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Summary: Key Differences

 Feature                     Pellet Salt        Solar Salt      Dura-Cube      Hardi-Cube

Purity	Lower (varies)	~99.6%          ~99.8%             ~99.8%
Additives Available	(rust remover)	No                 (Red-Out)         (Red-Out)
Bridging/Mushing	Most likely	Less likely     Less likely        Less likely
Price	Cheapest	Lower            Higher               Higher
Maintenance Needs	High	High               Low                  Low

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While generic pellet and solar salt may be sufficient for some, investing in premium options like Dura-Cube or Hardi-Cube can offer long-term benefits. These include better water softener performance, reduced maintenance, and protection of household appliances. For those in areas with high iron or mineral content, these higher-purity options can make a noticeable difference in system efficiency, less sysem maintence, consistency of water quality and longevity of the water softening system.

Choosing the right water softener salt isn't just about price—it's about optimizing your home's water system for reliability, water quality, and performance.

What water softener salt should I use Part #2 - Potassium Chloride

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I wish you, Good days and Good water!

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