What Are “Chloride Salts” and Why Do They Matter?

Chloride salts include far more than just table salt. They commonly show up in water and soils as:

• Sodium chloride

• Potassium chloride

• Calcium chloride

• Ammonium chloride

• Ferric chloride

• Zinc chloride

• Boron-containing chlorides

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These salts influence microbial activity, nutrient availability, water infiltration, and overall soil function. In high concentrations, they can disrupt beneficial microbes, hinder nitrate removal, slow organic matter breakdown, and ultimately damage vegetation.

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The Problem With Conventional Salt Management

Traditional agronomy often attempts to:

• Bind sodium with calcium or organic matter

• Flush salts with heavy irrigation

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These methods only work when soils already have good structure and infiltration—which is rarely the case in salt-affected fields.

Salt accumulation often creates a cycle of compaction, poor infiltration, nutrient lockup, and declining plant health.

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The WaterSOLV Solution: Detoxify, Don’t Just Dilute

Plants perform best when sodium and chloride are neutralized before entering the root system. WaterSOLV™ Curative and WaterSOLV™ BC work together to:

• Convert sodium and chloride into non-toxic forms

• Improve infiltration throughout the root zone

• Release bound nutrients from the soil

• Restore microbial balance

• Add oxygen and break down harmful biofilms

• Support healthier, more productive vegetation

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WaterSOLV™ treatments have successfully improved crop health in some of the most salt‑loaded waters in the country—even at levels exceeding 1,000 ppm.

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“The best-looking nut leaves I’ve ever seen—while sodium and chloride were both over 1,000 ppm.” – Grower, Bakersfield, CA

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How to Correct Salt-Affected Soils With WaterSOLV

1. Apply Adequate WaterSOLV™ Curative and/or BC

This ensures:

• Water reaches deep into the soil and root zone

• Sodium and chloride are treated before plants absorb them

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Initial conditions may require both over-treatment and increased irrigation to clear the impacted zone.

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2. Include WaterSOLV™ BC for Biological Balance

WaterSOLV™ BC provides:

• Additional oxygen

• Control of iron and sulfur bacteria

• Breakdown of toxic biofilm residues

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3. Increase Treatment if Sodium/Chloride Pressures Are High

For severe salt issues, increase WaterSOLV™ AG Concentrate applications by up to 0.5%.

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The key: ensure treatment reaches the entire root zone, including any confining or compacted layers.

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What to Expect: The Salt Numbers May Stay—The Salt Problems Won’t

Salt levels may not decrease immediately on a lab report, but WaterSOLV™ restores function so plants are no longer harmed by them.

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Because salts are highly soluble, once infiltration improves, they typically move below the root zone naturally. If they don’t, there may be a deeper confining layer requiring additional treatment.

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Understanding Salt Behavior in Soil

Highly Soluble, Fast-Moving Elements

• Oxygen

• Water

• Nitrogen
  These drive growth flushes after rain or irrigation.

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Next To Impact Plant Health

• Sodium

• Chloride

• Zinc

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Moderately Soluble Nutrients

• Phosphates

• Potassium

• Magnesium

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Copper

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Least Soluble, Slowest to Mobilize

• Calcium

• Iron

• Aluminum

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These behaviors determine how plants absorb nutrients and how salts accumulate—and why corrected infiltration is crucial.

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Optimizing Soil Health With WaterSOLV

Maintain Soluble Sodium Percentage Below 20%

This is accomplished by:

• Increasing available nutrition

• Releasing bound nutrients already in the soil

• Enhancing water’s ability to carry nutrients

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Evaluate Total Soil Composition

A full soil profile reveals:

• What nutrients are currently available

• How much can be mined from the soil

• When replenishment is needed

• How to maintain soil operability while improving performance

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The Result: Healthier Plants, Healthier Soil, Better Water Efficiency

WaterSOLV™ converts harmful salts into manageable, plant-compatible forms—restoring soil function, improving infiltration, and supporting stronger and more productive crops.

 

Ready to solve your salt challenges? Contact us for a custom water and soil analysis.