Do you big or what models the Kinetico/Culligan are? Also, one must be sure there is no ferric iron in the source water. Birm filters will work for a while but the biggest problems is lower than recommended dissolved oxygen in the water and/or lower than needed backwashing flow rate.

Your TDS number don't chime. Make sure your water test results are accurate.

Andy Christensen

Most neighbors have 1-1.5 cuft softeners. But they also have pressurized tanks because their wells do not have sufficient recovery rates.

TDS should read 110 ppm

Water is clear when drawn. Orange sediment appears after about an hour or so.

Softeners can remove iron to a degree. The more iron and more volume used the more one needs to customize the system to remove it.

Also, iron cleansing salt or salt additives are recommended. It is better to regenerate more often than simply increasing salt dosages.

In many cases a separate iron filter may have to go ahead of the softener.