# water softener salt



## JTVLandscaping

My local farm store works deals with contractors where you buy a pallet of salt, and they store it. You essentially buy the pallet, come to the store and tell them how much your taking. They don't actually set the pallet aside for you, which I kinda was hoping. Now, they're gearing up for spring and ran out of rock salt. We have snow coming, I still had 30 bags left. I was pretty happy because it seemed like I hit it right, not running out but not having to much left. They gave me water softener salt insted. I've never used it. Does it work as good as the halite??? I was in a jam so I took it thinking salt is salt but should I be worried about this?


----------



## snocrete

JTVLandscaping;1261119 said:


> My local farm store works deals with contractors where you buy a pallet of salt, and they store it. You essentially buy the pallet, come to the store and tell them how much your taking. They don't actually set the pallet aside for you, which I kinda was hoping. Now, they're gearing up for spring and ran out of rock salt. We have snow coming, I still had 30 bags left. I was pretty happy because it seemed like I hit it right, not running out but not having to much left. They gave me water softener salt insted. I've never used it. Does it work as good as the halite??? I was in a jam so I took it thinking salt is salt but should I be worried about this?


We've used it before, in a pinch, and it works fine.


----------



## crazyskier537

You'll be fine. There's lots of different meshes of this stuff, so be sure you didn't buy the one's that are the size of marbles. (Been there, done that) The only main difference is that the water softener salt is much more pure.


----------



## hydro_37

thats what we have used to mix with sand and it works great


----------



## Rc2505

I bought 2 skinds of softner salt this year, and had no problems with it at all. Works just like road rock salt.


----------



## Wayne Volz

*sodium is sodium*

same as all above. It works fine.


----------



## MatthewG

I got 2 pallets also, the larger marble size salt when slung bounces and flies farther, just something to consider


----------



## fordzilla1155

The post office in my town went with the low bid and this clown uses his truck to clear the walkways onto the street. Add to that, the other day with a light dusting, he used the gems on the steps and walks. The walks look nice with the rust stains from the cutting edge, and I am sure the salt will do wonders in the chips of the joints that could not withstand the force of the plow. I guess you get what you pay for..


----------



## JTVLandscaping

fordzilla1155;1264047 said:


> The post office in my town went with the low bid and this clown uses his truck to clear the walkways onto the street. Add to that, the other day with a light dusting, he used the gems on the steps and walks. The walks look nice with the rust stains from the cutting edge, and I am sure the salt will do wonders in the chips of the joints that could not withstand the force of the plow. I guess you get what you pay for..


I plowed a sidewalk once this year, but it was 3-4' of drifts, and I choked up on the blade so no damage to the concrete. It was at that point I realized this wasn't your average snowstorm


----------



## qualitycut

Thats what I use on my walks 80# bag for 6.50 its pretty small pieces.


----------



## loudcav

Ive used the rock salt in the past when the store ran out of the good stuff and it was between rock salt labled for ice and rock salt labled for water softeners worked just fine then when winter was over I dumped the left over bags in the softener so it was a win win


----------



## Westhardt Corp.

In short, softener salt is solar, "rock" salt (halite) is mined. Both work fine, solar tends to brine up quicker, which can be a blessing and a curse.


----------



## JohnnyU

I actually really like the "solar" salt. It works well and is quite uniform in "pellet" size.


----------



## fordzilla1155

When the snow melts and does not dissolve the gems, it is like walking on rocks.


----------



## JohnnyU

fordzilla1155;1264811 said:


> When the snow melts and does not dissolve the gems, it is like walking on rocks.


There is a difference between "solar" softener salt and "compacted pellet" softener salt...


----------



## shott8283

its there loss. softner salt compared to halite, pretty big price difference.


----------



## Westhardt Corp.

JohnnyU;1264953 said:


> There is a difference between "solar" softener salt and "compacted pellet" softener salt...


Yeah--compacted pellets are "time release". As in "it will be there to fight snow next winter, too".

:laughing:


----------



## Kubota 8540

So it melts the snow SOFTLY?


----------



## snownice

we keep 5 pallets for back up. Seems to work fine in a pinch


----------



## 04hd

I just bought a pallet of solar salt from farm and fleet today $4 a bag. the thing i like about solar salt is it seem to "stick around" longer. If your melting alot of ice/hard pack the pellets dont dissolve as fast.


----------



## Midatlanticpowe

*Solar Salt*

We have been using Solar Salt for years. It works just as well as Rock Salt.
If you have some sit for the next season sometimes it will clump. The worse part is my water softener uses pellets so I cant use the rest of the pallets in my water softener.:realmad:


----------



## V_Scapes

I was actually looking at the mortons solar salt that Sears had today, i liked the size of the rocks but was wondering if anyone had any issues running it through a tailgate spreader?


----------



## Antlerart06

V_Scapes;1720519 said:


> I was actually looking at the mortons solar salt that Sears had today, i liked the size of the rocks but was wondering if anyone had any issues running it through a tailgate spreader?


I know a guy tried it with a tail gate and had problems with it


----------



## CityGuy

V_Scapes;1720519 said:


> I was actually looking at the mortons solar salt that Sears had today, i liked the size of the rocks but was wondering if anyone had any issues running it through a tailgate spreader?


Yes and as long as it's dry and stays dry no problems. Keep an eye out for larger chunks.


----------



## V_Scapes

Ok thanks.


----------



## exclusive

Vscapes I used to run it threw a salt dog tailgate no problem at all I really liked it


----------

