Water Conditioning Opinion?

It depends on what you call a Conditioner.  That word in my opinion means a tank with some softening media, some carbon, some PH increaser and who knows what else.  They try to do several things with one unit.  Now you have roughly 1/4 the capacity you should have had.  A water softener does just that, softens water by removing calcium and magnesium.  Many salesmen say softeners do a great job of removing iron.  I disagree.

The first thing to do is get your water tested for the most common things such as hardness, iron, manganese and get the PH.  Sulphur is another thing you could have with well water along with the iron and manganese.  The things you might find in City water are hardness, chlorine, ammonia and fluoride.  Carbon can take care of the chlorine, but it takes a more expensive media to get the other three.

I have well water with very little iron, about 15 grains of hardness and some sulphur.  I remove the sulphur with an air pump and a galvanized tank.  The hardness is removed with a softener.  I wouldn't be without the softener, I'm spoiled.  I don't need the sulphur smell either.  The little bit of iron I have is removed by the carbon filter and oxidized with the air.

Why  would you need a "HOT" water heater?

Hey, hope you get the subscription to this.  Whee have you been???