For managing water I find good scotch works better than a filter.
Now if you want a real filter ...
I chose
to go with two Big Blue sediment filters as the first step.
Then a Fleck 7000 carbon filter which is likely overkill.
Next a Fleck 7000 water softener.
We bought our softener and carbon filter here.
There was an old Culligan system we gave away that had a leaking bypass valve and they didn't make parts for it any longer.
Those Fleck units are fantastic, supporting whole house flow rates (less pressure drop than many units). I use two, one is just a carbon filter for all water, the second is a softener. We're on a well in a downtown urban area. Only problem is lack of chlorination for the carbon. A few ways to solve that - backflush with chlorine (not bad), inject chlorine (I'm too cheap), toss a pool chlorine tab in the big blue once in a while (yipee, we have a winner!)
These things totally smoke most similar equipment for residential flow rates. Both units are really the same, one has the resin bed for softening, the other carbon for filtering. They only cost a bit more than a Sears job. I think my entire system was about $1,600 compared to $3,000 from Culligan for just a softener (with a smaller throat). After a lot of cussing and a few leaks it works fine.
We ain't a one-at-a-timin' here. We're MASS communicating! - Pappy O'Daniel