Alkaline or “hard” water contains high levels of dissolved salts and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The dissolved salts react with soaps and detergents, preventing lathering and interferring with the cleaning process. The mineral deposits can also build up in pipes, reducing flow to taps and appliances. Softening cartridges makes use of the ion exchange principle. Aries General Softening cartridges contains ResinTech® CGS, a high capacity gel type sulfonated polystyrene cation resin. It is intended for use in water softening applications, where free chlorine is not present. Its unique ability to exchange positively charged ions also enable it to remove hardness minerals like dissolved iron, leaving the water soft and more satisfactory for household and commercial use.