Take your bag of salt, cut it open carefully (unless you enjoy tiny salt avalanches on your floor), and pour it into the brine tank. Fill it until the salt level is about halfway to three-quarters full. Don’t overfill—leave a few inches of empty space at the top so the lid fits without a struggle.
How to Install a Water Softener DIY (Step-by-Step Guide)
Here’s the trick most people miss: don’t mix different salt types in the same tank. If you used pellets last time, stick with pellets. Mixing solar, rock, and pellet salt can create sludge that gunks up your system. And no one wants to explain that to a repair guy.
What about the water in the tank? Should you drain it?
Short answer: nope. You’ll always see a little water at the bottom of the brine tank—that’s normal. It’s there to dissolve the salt and make brine. If the water looks dirty or smells funky, maybe clean the tank once a year. But for routine refills, just pour dry salt on top of the existing water and walk away.
Also, let’s talk timing. Always add salt when the tank is low, not overflowing with old salt blocks. A good rule of thumb: if you see hard water spots on your dishes or feel soap scum on your skin, it’s already too late—your salt is probably gone.
