Water softener
 

Has anyone tried a “Novu H2O” system??

Totally satisfied with the Nova system, no need to try the Novu, it sound expensive whereas the Nova is not expensive.

Novu is a filter, Nova is a filter. Both use standardized filter cartridges, they are not proprietary.

From a function perspective they are identical. One is well known in this market, one is not. This makes no difference in function. They are both rated to meet the international plumbing code. These are not complex devices.

If I wanted a filter I would buy the least expensive model from Amazon and place my filter replacements on an Amazon subscription and change them myself.

Here is one of the most expensive ones that I could find: Robot or human?
link works, Walmart ,$570.00, but there are dozens out there for less than 200.00

Do these "filters" capture calcium.
Our water is fine except for the spotting and crystalized stain spots.

filters don't filter minerals such as calcium.

water softeners do ;)

Calcium is good for bones ! (not the best for faucets) get CLR!

The complete Nova system includes a softener.

whats that run ya? from NOVA, what if you already have a nova 3 filter gig?

To add the Water Softener is $995 plus tax installed
Plus 2- bags of Potassium Chloride ( better for health and environmental reasons) or Sodium Chloride and a bypass.

Nova Filters
352.661.0997

Or

Nova Filters | The Villages Fl

On the other side, there are multiple salt based water softeners, and despite what others say I actually test the water and we get NO sodium from our system. We have a Sears (no idea if these are still available) water softener and Sears whole house filter, great water. I have seen combo units at HD and Lowe's. You will need a suitable way to drain the backflush from these units.

How do you test for sodium?

A water test kit from the pet store.

Do you have a link to purchase that test?

Here's the one I use...

Anti Scale 3 Stage Whole House System | Express Water

Excellent

Softeners work by replacing most of the calcium and magnesium ions in the raw water with either Sodium or Potassium ion from the salt used to regenerate the ion exchange resin. Are you using potassium chloride salt to regenerate your softener?

There are filters and there are water softeners, two different things. Nova does both if you want. We have just the filter as we do not like the feel of soft water. I am unfamiliar with Novu.

Actually there are three different things.
1. Filters such as the first part of the Nova system are designed to remove suspended particles in the first two stages(cartridges) and them remove dissolved chemicals such as chlorine in the third activated carbon filter.

2. Water softeners such as the second part of Nova have an ion exchange bed which removes hardness ions such as Calcium and Magnesium from the raw water and replace them with salt ions such as sodium and potassium. It depends which salt is used to regenerate the ion exchange resin bed.

3. There are water conditioners such NOVU who call themselves (saltless water softeners). This a misnomer since they do not remove harness ions, they condition them to make them less scaling. The treatment bed is something called a TAC Bed (Template Assisted Crystallization Bed) The hardness crystals reportedly go through your pipes and plumbing and do not form scale.

The claims on NOVU like systems vary with the reviewers. I have no direct experience to report.

I hope this clarifies what these systems and components do.