Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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Aquios, LLC is one of the few sellers in the market that offers a combination of a salt-free water softener and carbon filter system for home use.
We couldn’t find out much about the company itself other than the fact that it’s based in Texas.
Anyway, for this series we are going to review:
Model | Details | |
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Best for Small to Large Homes: Aquios AQFS220 Salt-Free Water Softener and Filter System |
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Price: $ Type: Polyphosphate Water Conditioning + Carbon Block Filtration Water For: Up to 5-6 People (12-15 gpm) Capacity: 40,000 Gallons Read Review: Click |
Best for Very Large Homes: Aquios AQFS234 Jumbo Salt-Free Water Softener and Filter System |
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Price: $ Type: Polyphosphate Water Conditioning + Carbon Block Filtration Water For: 6+ People (15-18 gpm) Capacity: 60,000 Gallons Read Review: Click |
Review Order
The Aquios AQFS220, AQFS220L and AQFS220C salt-free conditioners and whole house filters are suited for well and city water with a maximum hardness of 22 (some sources say 30) grains per gallon.
The flow rate of 12 to 15 gpm is sufficient even for larger families with up to 5, maybe 6 people, and a water pH between 8 and 10 is ideal. At this range the FDA approved additive called Siliphos that the conditioners work with is most effective.
Siliphos has an anti-scaling effect which keeps hardness minerals suspended in water and even dissolves existing scale deposits over time.
Furthermore, Aquios conditioners are cartridge-based systems. The Aquios AQFS220 cartridge, for example, is rated at 40,000 gallons or 3 to 6 months of use.
Apart from conditioning, the Aquios AQFS220 also filters the water removing impurities down to a size of 5 micron. The technology: Solid carbon block filtration which eliminates sediment, dirt, chlorine and some other contaminants with the goal to improve water aesthetics meaning taste, looks and smell.
This is also what differentiates the AQFS220 and the AQFS220L. The latter uses a finer 1-micron filter that naturally removes more contaminants than the 5-micron version, such as potentially harmful VOCs, chloroform and up to 99% of chloramines.
The AQFS220C on the other hand uses the standard 5-micron filter with the only difference being the clear housing that allows you to check the current state of the cartridge at a glance.
Please note: The AQFS220L should be installed in combination with a pre-filter system. Otherwise, you are likely to see a significant drop in water pressure and flow rate in a short amount of time.
Aquios AQFS220 |
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Price: | $ |
Type: | Polyphosphate Water Conditioning + Carbon Filtration |
Ideal For: | Up to 5-6 People (12-15 gpm) |
Capacity: | 40,000 Gallons |
Water Source: | Up to 22 (30) gpg Hardness, pH: 8-10 Ideally |
NSF: | 42 |
Our Rating
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Aquios AQFS220 series is best for people living in regular-sized homes with a water pH of 8 to 10 who want a combination of salt-free water softener and chemicals filter.
→ Read Our Full Aquios AQFS220 Review Here
The Aquios AQFS234 Jumbo and the AQFS234L Jumbo are almost identical systems with the only difference being that, like above, the latter uses a finer filter cartridge that removes water contaminants down to a size of 1 micron rather than 5.
This includes rust, chloroform and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), whereas the standard filter version only eliminates most of the chlorine and sediment.
By the way, the standard AQFS234 cartridge is rated at 60,000 gallons or 3 to 6 months of use. The AQFS234L is rated at 150,000 gallons with a maximum filter life of 9 months – but only if you install a pre-filter to prevent premature clogging.
According to Aquios, both systems provide a flow rate of 15 to 18 gpm, so enough for big families living in large homes.
The maximum hardness level that the systems can handle is 30 gpg. As mentioned before, a water pH-range of 8 to 10 is ideal for the anti-scaling additive to prevent calcium and magnesium to stick to surfaces and also dissolve existing deposits over time.
Pros
Cons
Best for
The AQFS234 Jumbo and AQFS234L Jumbo are best for people living in very large homes with a water pH of 8 to 10 looking for a combination of salt-free water softener and filter system.
→ Read Our Full Aquios AQFS234 Jumbo Review Here
What are some of the reasons to opt for an Aquios salt-free conditioner & filter instead of going with the competition?
If you have any questions about the Aquios AQFS220, AQFS220L & AQFS220C or Aquios AQFS234 Jumbo & AQFS234L Jumbo, or any other Aquios system really, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
And remember to revisit this page from time to time, as we are going to add new reviews of Aquios water softeners occasionally.
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