Pelican Water Softener Alternatives
Hard water leaves its mark long before you notice it. Spots on the glassware, chalky buildup on the shower head, water heaters that give out earlier than they should. A traditional water softener is one way to deal with it. A Pelican salt-free system is another.
Pelican systems are water softener alternatives. They are designed to help reduce scale buildup throughout your plumbing without using salt, without a brine tank, and without sending regeneration water down the drain. We install, configure, and service Pelican systems for homes across Texas, and we size every setup around your home and your actual water conditions.
What Is a Pelican Water Softener Alternative?
A Pelican water softener alternative is a salt-free water treatment system built around NaturSoft media, also called TAC media. Instead of exchanging hardness minerals for sodium the way a traditional softener does, the media changes the form of those minerals so they are far less likely to stick to pipes, fixtures, and appliance surfaces.
The minerals stay in the water. What changes is how they behave. That is why these systems are described as water softener alternatives rather than softeners, and it is also why they appeal to homeowners who want scale control without adding salt to their water or hauling bags of it into the garage.
Most Pelican setups are not a single tank. They are built as multi-tank systems, with the combination chosen based on the size of the home and the specific concerns found in the water.
Salt-Free Systems vs. Traditional Water Softeners
Both approaches address hard water. They just do it differently, and the right choice depends on what you want out of the system.
Conventional
Traditional Water Softener
How it works
Ion exchange removes calcium and magnesium from the water
salt
Requires salt and regular refills
Hardness minerals
Removed from the water
Water feel
Noticeably slick or slippery feel that many people associate with soft water
Drain and wastewater
Regenerates on a cycle and discharges to a drain
Ongoing upkeep
Salt refills and periodic service
Salt-Free
Pelican Salt-Free Alternative
How it works
TAC media changes the form of hardness minerals so they are less likely to form scale
Salt
No salt, no brine tank
Hardness minerals
Remain in the water in a form that resists sticking to surfaces
Water feel
Water feels closer to untreated water
Drain and wastewater
No regeneration cycle, no discharge
Ongoing upkeep
Periodic media refill or replacement
NaturSoft Salt-Free Tank Options
The NaturSoft tank is the scale control side of the system. It is sized by how much TAC media it holds, which is matched to your household’s water demand.
tank
NS3
3L TAC media
Smaller homes and lower household water demand
tank
NS6
5L TAC media
Mid-size homes and moderate demand
tank
NS1354
7L TAC media
Larger homes and higher water demand
Picking between the NS3, NS6, and NS1354 is not just a square footage decision. Household size, fixture count, peak water use, and your water test results all factor in, which is why we confirm sizing before we quote a system.
Carbon Filtration Tanks: PC-600 and PC-1000
Most Pelican systems pair the NaturSoft tank with a carbon tank. The carbon side is what addresses taste, odor, and chlorine, and it is sized by the number of bathrooms in the home.
PC-600: Homes with 1 to 3 bathrooms
PC-1000: Homes with 4 to 6 bathrooms
Coconut Shell Carbon or Catalytic Carbon
We offer both media types and recommend one based on your water conditions and where you live.
- Coconut shell activated carbon. A strong all-around choice for reducing chlorine and improving taste and odor in city water.
- Catalytic carbon. A better match when chloramines are present in the municipal supply or when specific conditions in your area call for it.
Water chemistry varies from one Texas city to the next, and sometimes from one neighborhood to the next. We look at what is actually in your water before recommending a media type.
Sediment Prefilters and UV Light Options
Two components round out most configurations:
Sediment prefilter
Included with most systems. It captures sand, silt, rust, and other particulates before they reach the rest of the system, which protects the media and extends its working life.
UV light
Added to some configurations, most often where the home is on a private well. A UV system targets bacteria and other microorganisms in the water using ultraviolet light rather than chemicals.
Whether a UV light belongs in your system depends on your water source and your test results. It is not part of every setup.
How a Pelican System Comes Together
Pelican systems are sold as configurations, so a single model number usually describes a package of components. Here is one common example:
Complete System
PSE1800-P
Salt-Free Tank
NS3 Tank
Carbon Tank
PC-600
Pre-Filtration
Sediment Prefilter
Swap in a larger NaturSoft tank or step up to the PC-1000 and you have a system built for a bigger home. Add a UV light and you have a configuration suited to a well. There is no single setup that fits every house, which is exactly why we start with a water test.
Rebeds and Replacement Services
Filter media does not last forever. Carbon media and TAC media both have a working life, and once that life is up the system is no longer doing what it was installed to do.
We offer rebeds and replacements for all of this equipment, including NaturSoft tanks, PC-600 and PC-1000 carbon tanks, sediment prefilters, and UV components. A rebed replaces the media inside your existing tank, which is often the more economical option when the tank and valve are still in good shape. If you already own a Pelican system, whether we installed it or not, we can inspect it and let you know where it stands.
Which Pelican System Is Right for My Home?
A quick way to think about it:
Bathroom count
One to three bathrooms generally points to a PC-600. Four to six points to a PC-1000.
Home size
NS3 for smaller homes, NS6 for mid-size, NS1354 for larger homes and heavier use.
Your Water
A sediment prefilter comes standard on most builds. A UV light is added when the source calls for it.
Water Test
Hardness levels, chlorine or chloramines, sediment, and your water source all shape the final recommendation.
We will walk your home, review your water, and put together a configuration that fits. No guesswork, and no pushing a system larger than you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Pelican system a water softener?
No. Pelican salt-free systems are water softener alternatives. They do not remove hardness minerals from your water. They change the form of those minerals so they are less likely to build up as scale on your pipes, fixtures, and appliances.
Will my water feel slippery like it does with a softener?
No. That slick feel comes from ion exchange in a traditional softener. Because a salt-free system leaves the minerals in the water, the feel stays much closer to what you are used to.
Do these systems reduce contaminants?
The carbon tank targets chlorine and taste and odor issues, and catalytic carbon is used where chloramines are a factor. What a given system addresses depends on how it is configured and what your water test shows. No system targets everything, so we build around your specific results.
How often does the media need to be replaced?
It depends on your water conditions and household usage. Carbon and TAC media both have a service life, and we handle rebeds and replacements when that point arrives. We can give you a realistic timeline for your setup at the time of install.
Can you service a Pelican system I already have?
Yes. We service, rebed, and replace Pelican equipment whether or not we installed it originally.
What is a PSE1800-P?
It is a Pelican configuration made up of an NS3 salt-free tank, a PC-600 carbon tank, and a sediment prefilter. It is a common starting point for smaller homes with one to three bathrooms.
Ready to Find Out Which System Fits Your Home?
Every home and every water source is different. Schedule a water test and we will show you what is in your water, walk you through your options, and recommend a Pelican configuration built around your results.