Why this matters: Budget and big-box softeners are typically built on unbranded valves with no independent certification. NSF/ANSI 44 covers softener performance, 61 covers drinking-water health effects, 372 covers lead content. Assembled in the USA; supplied by Waterworld USA of Missouri City, TX.
System Configurations · What Goes on the Wall
Standard Water Softener
Sediment Pre-Filter · Softener · Reverse Osmosis
HydroSpring softener on a Clack WS1 metered valve
Big Blue 20" sediment pre-filter ahead of the resin bed
CrystalFlow TAC conditioner, no salt and no brine tank
Carbtrex CAT catalytic carbon tank is required, not optional
Chlorine and chloramine destroy TAC crystal media
3-Stage Whole-House Filter
Three Big Blue 20" Housings · Cartridge Media Configurable
Same hardware in every build; media selection varies
Does not soften; no ion exchange and no salt
Cartridge media chosen from the home's water test
HydroSpring Water Softeners · Model Sizing
Model
Grain Capacity
Resin Volume
Media Tank
Brine Tank
Bypass
Service Flow
Typical Household
HydroSpring-M
32,000 grains
1.0 cu ft
9" × 48"
15" × 35"
1"
27 GPM
1-3 people
HydroSpring-L
48,000 grains
1.5 cu ft
10" × 54"
15" × 35"
1"
27 GPM
3-5 people · most common
HydroSpring-XL
64,000 grains
2.0 cu ft
12" × 52"
15" × 35"
1.25"
27 GPM
5+ people or very hard water
HydroSpring-C
32,000 grains
1.0 cu ft
10" × 35"
All-in-one cabinet
1"
27 GPM
Tight spaces · single cabinet
All models: 30 GPM valve flow · under 15 PSI pressure drop at rated flow · double backwash · digital metered control head. Sizing depends on household size and measured hardness; Houston MUD-district water typically runs 10-17 GPG.
Carbtrex Carbon Tanks · The Chloramine Answer
Model
Flow
Media
Capacity
0844-ACT
9.0 GPM
0.8 ft³
60,000 gal
0948-ACT
11.0 GPM
1.0 ft³
112,000 gal
1054-ACT
12.0 GPM
1.5 ft³
250,000 gal
1252-ACT
13.0 GPM
2.0 ft³
357,000 gal
0844-CAT
9.0 GPM
0.8 ft³
35,000 gal
0948-CAT
11.0 GPM
1.0 ft³
65,000 gal
1054-CAT
12.0 GPM
1.5 ft³
119,700 gal
1252-CAT
13.0 GPM
2.0 ft³
208,000 gal
CAT (shaded) is catalytic carbon, which breaks down the chloramine Houston uses. It ships with both the Softener + Catalytic Carbon build and every salt-free conditioner. ACT is standard activated carbon, listed for reference and used only where the supply is plain chlorine. CAT capacity is lower per tank size because catalytic media works harder per pound. Range 15-115 PSI, 35-120°F.
CrystalFlow Salt-Free · Sized by Flow Rate
Model
Max Service Flow
Typical Application
CF-744
10 GPM
Condo · small home
CF-844
12 GPM
Small home · 1-2 baths
CF-948
16 GPM
Standard home · most common
CF-1054
20 GPM
Larger home · 3+ baths
CF-1252
30 GPM
Large home · high demand
CF-1465
50 GPM
Estate · light commercial
CF-1665
60 GPM
Commercial
Sized by flow rate, not grain capacity, because these do not remove hardness. TAC media converts hardness minerals into non-scaling crystals, so a hardness test still reads hard. Media conforms to NSF/ANSI 42 for material safety only, which is not a performance claim.
Catalytic carbon is not optional on salt-free builds: TAC conditioner media is a crystal-forming substrate that chlorine and chloramine degrade quickly. Every salt-free conditioner we install is paired with a Carbtrex CAT catalytic carbon tank ahead of it to protect media life. An activated carbon (ACT) tank is not a substitute; it does not break down chloramine.
Water FilterDEPOT
Equipment Specifications
Cartridge Media · Reverse Osmosis · Service Intervals
3-Stage Whole-House Filter · Housing & Cartridge Media
Housing Assembly · Identical on Every Build
Housing
Big Blue 20" × 4.5" · three in series
Port size
1" NPT inlet / outlet
Mounting
Powder-coated steel bracket, wall mounted
Service flow
Up to 15 GPM
Pressure range
20-90 PSI · 40-100°F
Shutoff
Ball valve + bypass at the inlet
Cartridge change
Every 1-2 years, all three stages
Housings meet NSF/ANSI 42 for material safety. The bracket carries all three sumps so the assembly can be serviced without disturbing the plumbing.
Cartridge Media Options · Choose Per Stage
Media
Targets
Notes
Sediment 20 µ
Sand, grit, scale flake
Coarse first pass
Sediment 10 µ
Silt, rust, fine particulate
Standard first stage
Sediment 5 µ
Fine silt, turbidity
Polishing stage
Carbon Block
Chlorine, VOCs, taste & odor
Coconut shell carbon
Descaler
Scale formation
Polyphosphate, inhibits only
KDF-85
Iron, hydrogen sulfide, heavy metals
Copper-zinc redox media
Stage order always runs coarsest to finest. Sediment must lead so downstream carbon and KDF cartridges are not blinded by particulate. Media selection is made from the home's water test at the time of quote.
Why Stage Order Matters
Stage 1 · Coarse
20 µ or 10 µ sediment · catches the bulk load
→
Stage 2 · Fine or Carbon
5 µ sediment or carbon block · chemical reduction
→
Stage 3 · Polish or Specialty
Carbon, descaler or KDF-85 · final treatment
Graded sediment (20 → 10 → 5 micron) is the right build for homes on well water, on aging galvanized mains, or anywhere visible particulate is the complaint. Each stage removes a size band, so the finest cartridge does the least work and lasts longest. Homes with a chlorine or chloramine complaint should give up a sediment stage for carbon instead; three sediment cartridges do nothing for taste or odor.
Reverse Osmosis · Tank-Based vs. Tankless
Specification
Proline-550EZ (Tank)
IntelliClear RO600 (Tankless)
Filtration stages
5-stage
7-stage
Rated production
100 GPD
600 GPD
Storage
3.2-gallon pressurized tank
None, produced on demand
Dispense rate
Tank-limited
0.42 GPM · 8 oz cup in ~8 seconds
Under-sink footprint
Unit + 11.5" × 16" tank
Single slim enclosure · ~60-70% less space
Drain ratio
Standard
1.5:1 · wastes 3-4× less water
Membrane care
Manual flush option
Automatic flush cycle · 0.0001 micron
Performance disclaimer: Published RO production and TDS-rejection figures are manufacturer values from a 24-hour lab test at 300 PPM TDS, 75°F, 80 PSI. These claims are not tested or certified by WQA, and no NSF/ANSI 58 performance certification is claimed. Component materials meet NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 for drinking-water safety and lead content. Real-world output varies with incoming pressure, temperature, and water quality.
Service Intervals & Media Life
Component
Service Action
Interval
Homeowner or Tech
Softener brine tank
Refill with pellet salt
Every 1-2 months
Homeowner
Softening resin
Replace resin bed
10-15 years
Technician
Carbon tank media (ACT / CAT)
Replace media
7-10 years
Technician
Salt-free TAC media
Replace media
5-7 years
Technician
Sediment pre-filter
Replace cartridge
Every 1-2 years
Either
3-stage cartridges
Replace all three
Every 1-2 years
Either
RO pre/post filters
Replace cartridges
Every 6-12 months
Either
RO membrane
Replace membrane
2-3 years
Technician
UV lamp (if installed)
Replace bulb
Annually
Technician
Intervals assume Houston-area city water at typical hardness and chloramine levels. Well water, high iron, or heavy sediment shortens cartridge and media life. Backwashing tanks (carbon, iron) self-clean on a timed cycle and require no cartridge service between media changes.
Warranty Coverage
Clack WS1 Valve 5 years
Media Tank 10 years
Equipment & Labor 1 year
Licensed Texas Plumber Install
Consumables such as salt, cartridges, RO filters and UV bulbs are excluded from warranty coverage. Warranty requires the system to be serviced at the intervals listed above.