Water softener brine tanks take in water to make brine for regenerating the water softener... but how much water should be in there? Should you be adding or removing some of the water? Is the amount of water in the brine tank critical in any way? Maybe yours never has any water in there!

Today I'm going to clarify how much water should be in your brine tank and why.

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD BE IN MY BRINE TANK?

Before we begin answering this FAQ, it's beneficial that you understand how a watersoftener works. In case you don’t, check out my YouTube video right here.

Once you know how a water softener works, read on to learn how much water should be in your family's water softener brine tank.

Within a water softener, salt and water are used to make brine. The brine is used to recharge or regenerate the media beads. The more water that is in the brine tank, the more salt it absorbs during each regeneration. So the salt dosage required for regeneration determines the water level in the brine tank.

When considering your own water softener, keep in mind these 3 points.

1. Pre-fill water softeners,like the kind sold at Big Box Stores, have almost no water in the cabinet when in service. So it’s normal to not see any water in there until the regeneration cycle begins. 
   This video explains the difference between pre and post-fill softeners.
2. 
   Water Softener efficiency also comes into play. High Efficiency water softeners, like AquaMaster and WaterBoss water softeners, use very little salt per regeneration. This means you will find very little water in the brine tank (maybe 2-3") which is why the cabinet is so small.
3. Water Softener settings for the quantity of salt used per regeneration ultimately determines the water level. Hardness and capacity settings make sure your water is soft without wasting salt and water during the regeneration. To determine where your settings should be, have your raw water tested for hardness, iron and manganese and put those settings into your water softener. From there, your water softener will determine how much salt you need and then add the appropriate amount of water. 
   For example, one gallon of water absorbs 3 lbs of salt. So if your water softener uses 9 lbs per regeneration the valve will pour 3 gallons of water in with the salt to make brine containing 9 lbs of salt.

Now, if you suddenly have significantly more water in your brine tank than normal or your water softener is malfunctioning, then you would likely benefit from checking out my Water Softener Troubleshooting video here.

I hope this vlog helps clarify whether your water softener has the right amount of water in your brine tank. If you still have questions, however, feel free to post your comments below or send us a message via our website here. We're always happy to help!