Water Softener option: Aquabion ?
Discussion
Currently looking at water softeners and came across this:
http://www.aquabion-uk.com/about-us/how-does-it-wo...
Has anyone used / installed this system? Was it any good?
http://www.aquabion-uk.com/about-us/how-does-it-wo...
Has anyone used / installed this system? Was it any good?
boxedin said:
Currently looking at water softeners and came across this:
http://www.aquabion-uk.com/about-us/how-does-it-wo...
Has anyone used / installed this system? Was it any good?
For one it is NOT a water softener!http://www.aquabion-uk.com/about-us/how-does-it-wo...
Has anyone used / installed this system? Was it any good?
Its just another expensive inline magnet water conditioner.
Look into a salt based softener you will never look back.
Ive always used Monarch midi - excellent and support larger diameter connections to avoid flow loss.
http://www.monarchwater.co.uk/products/ultimate-mi...
http://www.monarchwater.co.uk/products/ultimate-mi...
I'm starting to look seriously at a softener again after finding a lot of other things to spend my money on.
The Monarch system linked to above looks pretty good and well priced, why should I consider paying more for a non-electric system like Harveys or Kinetico? There is electricity where the softener would be plumbed in, but a Kinetico seems to be more than double the price before fitting, so, why?
The Monarch system linked to above looks pretty good and well priced, why should I consider paying more for a non-electric system like Harveys or Kinetico? There is electricity where the softener would be plumbed in, but a Kinetico seems to be more than double the price before fitting, so, why?
garyhun said:
Ive always used Monarch midi - excellent and support larger diameter connections to avoid flow loss.
http://www.monarchwater.co.uk/products/ultimate-mi...
I've got one too with the high flow hoses for my unvented system.http://www.monarchwater.co.uk/products/ultimate-mi...
Power supply is only 24v ac - so can be easily extended etc
Blue Oval84 said:
I'm starting to look seriously at a softener again after finding a lot of other things to spend my money on.
The Monarch system linked to above looks pretty good and well priced, why should I consider paying more for a non-electric system like Harveys or Kinetico? There is electricity where the softener would be plumbed in, but a Kinetico seems to be more than double the price before fitting, so, why?
Think of it this way, the Harveys cost more yes, BUT will probably out live the Monarch.The Monarch system linked to above looks pretty good and well priced, why should I consider paying more for a non-electric system like Harveys or Kinetico? There is electricity where the softener would be plumbed in, but a Kinetico seems to be more than double the price before fitting, so, why?
Harveys don't need yearly maintenance, have no electrical parts to go wrong.
At the end of the day its what you feel comfortable with, But you need to look at the long term running costs, NOT just the initial buying costs.
If you need any help let me know.
johnoz said:
Think of it this way, the Harveys cost more yes, BUT will probably out live the Monarch.
Harveys don't need yearly maintenance, have no electrical parts to go wrong.
At the end of the day its what you feel comfortable with, But you need to look at the long term running costs, NOT just the initial buying costs.
If you need any help let me know.
Thanks, appreciate the offer of help.Harveys don't need yearly maintenance, have no electrical parts to go wrong.
At the end of the day its what you feel comfortable with, But you need to look at the long term running costs, NOT just the initial buying costs.
If you need any help let me know.
What sort of maintenance is required by the electrical Monarch unit? The (limited) reading I did so far indicated that the electrical ones can actually be more reliable than mechanical!
Edited to correct my use of wrong brand name in my question!
Also, where in Sussex are you? I'm based in Brighton.
Edited by Blue Oval84 on Tuesday 2nd August 22:55
eliot said:
What annual maintenance does a Monarch require then?
SERVICE CAREThe manufacturer of your water softener includes 45+ years of manufacturing experience, to give you a water softener that is arguably the most reliable on the market today.
One of the aspects incorporated into the manufacture of your softener is ‘Prevention is better than cure’.
To these ends, Monarch strongly recommends a service every 2 years from date of installation, to ensure the continued excellent operating ef ciency you will come to expect.
We will of course inform you when this small service is due and arrange a convenient time for our engineer to call.
Therefore please ensure that your guarantee card is returned once installation is complete.
As we don't get involved with Monarch not 100% on what, but guessing salt bin, filters, turbines, etc.
johnoz said:
eliot said:
What annual maintenance does a Monarch require then?
SERVICE CAREMonarch strongly recommends a service every 2 years from date of installation
As we don't get involved with Monarch not 100% on what, but guessing salt bin, filters, turbines, etc.
eliot said:
Not an annual service though is it and likely to apply to any softener and easy to carry out yourself.
I sense a tone in this reply? No its not an annual service, Monarch recommend every 2 years.
We sell softeners that require no servicing!
We sell softeners that require servicing every year!
I've seen softeners that have never seen a service!
We go and see softeners that people think work, and are very surprised that they don't.
Yes you do yourself, if you can, great, many people can't.
Just trying to help.
Sorry for the slight thread hi-jack but can someone briefly list the benefits of water softening and how much roughly a system might cost. We often have white water come out of our tap for the first few seconds and have limescale type issues. My OH is convinced it's hard-water which is also causing some skin and hair issues as well as not being good for our dishes etc. Does the softening system also clean\filter the water of impurities? Any info much appreciated.
A softener will prevent limescale build up so effectively you will not get furred up pipes and your shower heads and taps will not get hard deposits on them.
Soap lathers up more so use less as well - might be a benefit to some
It does not purify the water. Your drinking tap (normally the kitchen) needs to stay hard so you either have that bypass the softener or, as I have done before, install a purifier at the tap which returns the soft water to hard but with all the impurities taken out.
Hope that helps.
The Monarch Midi which I normally use can be had for around £450 plus installation (budget around £100).
Soap lathers up more so use less as well - might be a benefit to some
It does not purify the water. Your drinking tap (normally the kitchen) needs to stay hard so you either have that bypass the softener or, as I have done before, install a purifier at the tap which returns the soft water to hard but with all the impurities taken out.
Hope that helps.
The Monarch Midi which I normally use can be had for around £450 plus installation (budget around £100).
Can I ask how you bypass the softened water? I understand you have to us an RO filter, however these they store water in a 5 gallon tank and you access from a three way tap, as such the pressure is very weak?
Additionally, is it really that bad to drink softened water...? Thames Water says our water is 250 ppm (so not that hard to begin with but leaves terrible limescale) and with a modern water softening unit (Monarch Midi HE) still should be comfortably under the 400 ppm requirement.
Any thoughts/insight greatly appreciated.
Additionally, is it really that bad to drink softened water...? Thames Water says our water is 250 ppm (so not that hard to begin with but leaves terrible limescale) and with a modern water softening unit (Monarch Midi HE) still should be comfortably under the 400 ppm requirement.
Any thoughts/insight greatly appreciated.
You have to fit a bypass in case the softener fails and possibly a prv as well.
You should not have your kitchen tap run off the softened side, nor any outside taps for garden watering and some boilers manufactuer warranties will be void if you use softened water in them.
One of my outside taps runs off softened water for streak free car washing, but I also have a hard water outside tap for garden watering.
You should not have your kitchen tap run off the softened side, nor any outside taps for garden watering and some boilers manufactuer warranties will be void if you use softened water in them.
One of my outside taps runs off softened water for streak free car washing, but I also have a hard water outside tap for garden watering.
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