Loading...
Loading...
Product Detail
Florida's hard water — eliminated. Our flagship residential softener with the industry-leading Fleck 5600SXT demand control valve and high-capacity 8% crosslink resin delivers guaranteed 0 gpg hardness.
Ion Exchange Softening
Southwest Florida's water is drawn from the Floridan Aquifer — one of the most productive aquifer systems in the world, and one that passes through extensive limestone formations. The result is water averaging 12–15 grains per gallon (gpg) of hardness — well into the "very hard" classification. Municipal treatment does not remove hardness; it is delivered to your home at full concentration.
The WS1 softener uses ion exchange resin — the same proven technology used in water softening for over 70 years — to reduce hardness to a guaranteed 0 gpg. Every calcium and magnesium ion is captured on the resin bed as water flows through, replaced by sodium ions. The Fleck 5600SXT demand-initiated control valve tracks every gallon and regenerates only when the resin is actually exhausted — not on a wasteful fixed timer.
The result is completely soft water from every tap, shower, appliance, and water heater in your home — with measurable impacts on skin health, appliance efficiency, soap consumption, and plumbing longevity.
Before vs. After
White crusty scale on faucets and showerheads
Scale formation stops — existing scale slowly dissolves
Dry, itchy skin and brittle, dull hair
Noticeably softer skin — most customers notice within days
Soap scum on shower doors and tub surrounds
Soap rinses cleanly — scum stops accumulating
Spotted, film-covered dishes from dishwasher
Spot-free glasses and dishes — no rinse aid needed
Stiff, scratchy laundry even with detergent
Softer laundry with 40–50% less detergent needed
Water heater efficiency down 25–40% from scale
Protected water heater — energy savings immediate
Compare with Salt-Free Alternative
Prefer no salt, no electricity, and no wastewater? Our Naturwise TAC system prevents scale without removing minerals from the water. Different technology — both effective.
View Naturwise Salt-Free SystemTechnical Data
The Science
Incoming water — averaging 12–15 grains per gallon (gpg) of hardness in Sarasota County — flows into the mineral tank filled with high-capacity ion exchange resin beads. The resin beads are pre-charged with sodium ions from the previous regeneration cycle.
As hard water contacts the resin beads, calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions in the water are electrostatically attracted to the resin surface, where they displace and release the sodium ions that were sitting on the resin. The result: hardness minerals are captured on the resin, sodium ions are released into the water. This happens continuously as water flows through the bed.
Water exiting the resin tank reads 0 gpg hardness — completely softened. This water flows throughout your home to every fixture, appliance, water heater, washing machine, and dishwasher. No more scale formation. No more soap scum. No more staining.
The Fleck 5600SXT demand controller counts every gallon that flows through the system. When the resin approaches capacity (based on your water hardness and household usage programmed into the controller), it calculates the exact point at which regeneration is needed — not on a fixed timer, but on actual demand.
At 2am (or your programmed time), the control valve draws a precisely measured brine solution from the brine tank through the resin bed. The high-concentration sodium solution displaces the captured calcium and magnesium ions from the resin, flushing them to drain. The resin is rinsed and the system refills the brine tank for the next cycle. Total cycle time: approximately 90 minutes. Your water supply is maintained through bypass during this cycle.
What to Expect
Installation typically takes 2–3 hours. Everything below is included in our quoted price.
On-Site Water Test
Hardness, iron, pH, and TDS measured before sizing — every time.
Properly Sized Resin Tank
Tank sized to your actual hardness and household water demand — not guessed.
Bypass Valves Included
Three-position bypass allows isolation for service without cutting water.
Fleck SXT Programmed
Controller set with your hardness and usage parameters before we leave.
Initial Salt Load Included
First brine tank fill with premium pellet salt is included at installation.
Before/After Testing
We confirm 0 gpg output with your water test results before leaving.
Customer Feedback
“After years of battling hard water — white crust on every faucet, dry skin, spotty dishes — we finally got the WS1 system installed. The difference was immediate and remarkable. Our skin stopped being dry within a week. The dishes come out spotless. We use half the detergent. And our showerheads are already clearing up after months of scale buildup.”
Jennifer & Mark R.
Lakewood Ranch
“The technician was incredibly knowledgeable. He tested our water on-site, showed me the hardness reading, explained exactly how the system works, and sized the resin tank correctly for our household. No upsell pressure. The installation was done in about 2 hours. Water has been perfectly soft for 3 months.”
Tom B.
Sarasota
“Our water heater company told us scale buildup from hard water was cutting the efficiency of our unit. After the WS1 installation, our energy bills dropped noticeably in the first two months. The system pays for itself.”
Michael & Amanda T.
Venice
“What I appreciated most was that they never charged us a service call fee when we had a question about the salt level 6 months after installation. They came out, checked the system, answered all my questions, and charged us nothing. That kind of service keeps customers for life.”
Carla S.
North Port
Common Questions
Salt consumption depends on your water hardness and household water usage. For Sarasota County's average hardness of 12–15 gpg, a typical 2-3 person household uses approximately 40–60 lbs of salt per month with a demand-initiated system like the Fleck 5600SXT. The demand-initiated design means the system only regenerates when needed — not on a fixed schedule — which significantly reduces salt waste compared to timer-based softeners. We also offer salt delivery service if you prefer not to handle the bags yourself.
No — properly softened water should not taste salty. The ion exchange process does add a very small amount of sodium to the water (proportional to the hardness removed — approximately 8 mg/L sodium per 1 gpg of hardness removed). At Sarasota's 12–15 gpg, that is approximately 100–120 mg/L of sodium added. This is well below the FDA threshold for a "low sodium" designation and is not perceptible as a salty taste. If your water tastes salty after softening, it typically indicates the brine rinse cycle is not completing properly — a service issue, not a normal operation issue.
We calculate the system size (grain capacity) based on two factors: your water hardness (measured during our free on-site water test) and your household daily water usage. The formula is: daily water usage (gallons) × hardness (gpg) = daily grain demand. We size the resin tank to provide 7–10 days between regeneration cycles. Undersized systems regenerate too frequently (wasting salt); oversized systems allow resin to go stale between cycles. Getting this right is why on-site testing matters.
The main environmental considerations for ion exchange softeners are: (1) brine discharge — the regeneration process produces a sodium-rich wastewater that goes to the drain. This is regulated in some municipalities. In Florida, it is generally permissible to discharge to the sanitary sewer. (2) Salt consumption — approximately 40–80 lbs/month. If environmental impact is a primary concern, we recommend the Naturwise Salt-Free Water Conditioner, which uses zero salt, zero electricity, and produces zero wastewater — while still preventing scale formation.
The WS1 requires minimal maintenance: (1) Check the brine tank salt level every 4–6 weeks and add salt as needed — we offer salt delivery if preferred. (2) Occasionally check the brine tank for salt bridges (crusty formations that prevent salt from dissolving properly). (3) Annual resin cleanings with iron-out or resin cleaner can extend resin life if your water has iron content. Beyond that, the Fleck 5600SXT controller is highly reliable and rarely needs attention. We offer free service visit check-ins — no charge to come out if you have questions or concerns.
Related Products
Prefer no salt and no maintenance? The Naturwise TAC conditioner prevents scale without ion exchange.
View ProductPair with a CAC carbon filter upstream to remove chloramine before it reaches the softener resin.
View ProductAdd under-sink RO for the purest drinking water — softened water pairs perfectly with RO.
View ProductEvery WS1 installation starts with an on-site hardness measurement. We size the resin tank precisely — so you never under-soften or waste salt.