u/djay2424

We've been caught in the battle of AIs while researching what number of days to settle on for Regen Override Days for our year old Aquatell  2.0 cu ft / 64K grain Clack WS1EE softener and could use the knowledgeable folks here to provide their input .

Some relevant info: We're currently a household of 2 planning on having future kids and the occasional guests that pass through and stay with us briefly on and off throughout the year. Our daily water usage is on the conservative side.. Approx 115-120 gallons per day.

We've had the softener set on metered/ Auto Regen with the default 14 Day Override and noticed that we were frequently adding salt as the system was regenerating every 14 days with anywhere from 750-850 gallons remaining as we never got close to the metered threshold.

This is when we decided to utilize the 2 AIs in order to help us decide if we should set the regen days to 21, 28 or even OFF:

1st AI insisting on keeping the 14 day override & its reasoning:

>The Sources and Science Behind the 14-Day Rule

>Industry guidelines, manufacturer manuals, and water treatment studies specify a maximum limit of 14 days between regeneration cycles due to two primary issues: [1, 2]

>Your water softener removes hardness, but it does not sanitize water. Municipal tap water contains trace, safe levels of bacteria. When water sits inside a large, dark, 2.0-cubic-foot tank full of organic resin beads for nearly three weeks, the chlorine or chloramines from your city water break down. The resin bed becomes a breeding ground for bacterial biofilm, leading to stale, stagnant water or foul odors coming from your taps. [1]

>2. Resin Packing and "Channeling"

>When water flows through a resin tank, it naturally takes the path of least resistance. Over time, it creates small tunnels through the beads, an effect called channeling. If the bed is not backwashed and agitated frequently, the remaining resin beads compress, pack together, and lose their ability to filter. [1]

>Industry data indicates that letting a residential system sit longer than 14 days severely degrades the lifespan of the resin. [1]

2nd AI's Counter Claim:

>The 14-day recommendation is a conservative best practice, not a universal engineering rule and shouldn't apply according to your usage. Clack controllers allow override settings well beyond 14 days, which suggests longer intervals are acceptable in appropriate applications. While chlorine residual decreases over time and biofilm or channeling can occur under certain conditions, those risks depend heavily on the water source, usage pattern, iron content, and overall system conditions—not simply the number of days between regenerations.

>In your case, the softener is on chlorinated municipal water, receives daily household use, regenerates in AUTO (metered) mode, and has shown no signs of odor, hardness breakthrough, channeling, or resin problems. Resin longevity is influenced much more by factors such as chlorine exposure, iron fouling, proper regeneration, and maintenance than by exceeding a 14-day interval alone. You should still follow Aquatell's guidance for your specific system, but I don't believe the available evidence supports the claim that a properly functioning residential softener is inherently or severely harmed simply because the day override is set beyond 14 days.

We are Located in Las Vegas, Nevada on Municipal City Water; Hardness is approx 18 grains per gallon; Iron levels approx <0.05ppm.

What is the best option/ setting for us to maximize regin longevity while maintaining salt efficiency?

Appreciate your help and apologies for all the AI jargon included within the quotes! We have contacted Aquatell but have yet to hear back and couldn't find anything in the manual that addresses this as well. TIA!

Roma tomatoes specifically have pretty much doubled in price everywhere since a little over a week ago... I wonder if the floodgates will open for everything else when it comes to price from this point on..

The gift that keeps on giving!