Our tap water is 900 ppm, we use a large 4 stage under sink RO, to get the water down to around 350-400 ppm, then we filter that with Brita filters, which gets it down to around 300, then we put it into the zero, which gets it down to zero, for about 3 weeks max, sometimes only 2 weeks. I just bought a Berkey and installed it today, it certainly doesn't lower the ppm.
Odd that the RO is only providing ~40% rejection rate of TDS. This indicates there could be an issue with the unit. When was the last time it was serviced and the membrane changed? What is the water hardness? Is it being treated with a water softener? If not, I'd hazard a guess the scale has built up in the RO unit making it inefficient, and will eventually cause failure. A properly functioning RO should provide 90%+ rejection of TDS. You shouldn't need additional treatment / filtration after a point of use RO.
I use reverse osmosis water first, then filter that water through Zero Water. My tap water shows 306 PPM, reverse osmosis shows 6 PPM and after reverse osmosis passes through Zero Water pitcher, it shows 0 PPM. This allows us to not change the Zero Water filter for 7-8 months, sometimes even one year. We have a 5-stage APEC Reverse Osmosis system that we purchased at Home Depot and installed ourselves.
@waterfilterguru unfortunately, RO alone is not removing arsenic and we have high arsenic in our area that's impacting our health and has showed up in our blood and urine lab work. 😞
Hi! I just purchased my 12 C Zero W pitcher and live in an area with over 400 reading out of our faucet. I had no idea how bad our water was, this water taste almost sweet, it is SO good. However, big negative is how quickly the filtered water turns to that sour, lemony taste. I hate spending the money on replacing the filters, maybe every two weeks, and that’s just two of us in the household. I am going to try to double filter now as an experiment to see if a filter will last longer. Also, I do not have extra space in my refrigerator to store the pitcher, so I keep it out on the counter.
Nice video, I figured this trick out last year and it really does work. I buy Off-brand Brita standard filters (amazon) which are dirt cheap. Then I just pour that filtered water into a ZeroWater filter and presto. *Remember to take mineral supplements*
Thanks! I reuse my 5 gallon containers several times before trading them off for cleaned, sealed ones. At the grocery store, I refill the 5 gallon containers; run that water through a Britta filter; then run that water through a “clearly filtered” filter. If there’s any thing left after that, I guess I’ll be drinking it! Thanks so much for your wonderful channel! ❤
Thanks for sharing! Typically the water for those jugs is filtered with a reverse osmosis system, which is much more thorough than gravity fed pitchers like Brita and Clearly Filtered. It might honestly be overkill and the pitchers might not be doing anything at all.
@@waterfilterguruThis won’t work with the zero because brita does not remove TDS much at all. Pre filter will work with other systems that don’t remove much TDS like say epic etc
@@chefgav1 Doesn't matter if Brita doesn't reduce TDS - that's not the point. The Brita filter will reduce some of the uncharged contaminants that do not contribute to a TDS reading, such as some organic chemicals, VOCs, pharmaceuticals and PFAs just to name a few. TDS is not the be all end all water quality parameter. In fact, a TDS reading alone cannot tell you if water is actually healthy or not. You might find this video informative ua-cam.com/video/yHvdYWXiVzI/v-deo.html
I change my zero filter when it goes from 000 to 001 because, oddly enough, I notice a slightly foul taste. I have hard water in the Midwest and this results in a new zero filter every 18 days without prefiltering. It’s expensive, but the ease of thorough cleaning and filter changes compared to my old Berkey system makes it worth it. I used to DREAD cleaning my Berkey thoroughly. I generally like the idea of reusing spent zero filters, but would be concerned that once the spent filter goes “fishy” the newer filter might not handle that well? Was this particular problem tested for this video? I’ve read that once the fishy smell kicks in, no amount of washing will help. Is this true?
Hey thanks for your comment. The "fishy" smell indicates the ion exchange resin in the ZW filter has been depleted. While not tested in this video specifically, we can assume that once that starts to happen it wouldn't be too effective as a prefilter. You might want to consider the first suggestion of prefiltering with a cheaper pitcher like Brita or PUR
Filters encourage bacteria. It’s one of the functions in aquarium filters that are very similar to picture filters. Do you keep the filter in the fridge or on the counter ?
I bought a one gallon water distiller in 2021, and run it through my ZW afterward because it improves the taste. The upfront cost of a water distiller is high, but I can make a single ZW filter last months. I’ve only used about 6 or 7 filters since getting the distiller in Jan 2021.
That makes sense, as the the distiller is already greatly reducing or completely removing the vast majority of contaminants before the water touches the ZW filter
@@waterfilterguru Exactly. I was going through ZW filters every 12-14 days before having my current set up. People ask why I even use them with distilled water, and it’s because the distilled water leaves a strange aftertaste that the ZW filters remove.
@@gelguitarist Did you try remineralizing the distilled water? Lot's of folks describe a 'flat' taste, which is attributed to the lack of minerals in the water
@@waterfilterguru Sure did. We bought a bottle of trace minerals, but didn’t like the taste adding it to plain water. Besides, imo it’s better to get minerals from food sources rich in K+, Mg+, etc.
Pre-filtering with the Berkey is probably your best bet, since the carbon filters will do a good job addressing the organic contaminants that the ZW filters might not do so well with
Can you help? Ordered Zerowater pitcher. It apparently releases microplastics so what if I then put the water in a stainless steel lifestraw filtered bottle? Great idea or won't make any difference?
@waterfilterguru yes FILTERS OUT CONTAMINANTS: the Membrane microfilter protects against Bacteria (including E.coli + Salmonella), Parasites, Microplastics, sand, dirt, and cloudiness. But maybe there is a better stainless steel water bottle to use after filtrering with zerowater?
I'm currently developing a far simpler method of recharging the Zero water filter (without disassembly or replacement of anything) based on similar techniques of how a classical water softener recharges itself, with an additional PH extreme induction. So far, I have recovered a significantly better filtration TDS production after my endeavors. I will post my final results after strenuous re-evaluation and confirmed results. But by my initial results, I’ve taken a ‘Zero water’ filter from >200 TDS reduced to
@@waterfilterguru Thanks, and a Follow up: The rehabilitated filter didn't regain the performance of a new filter. But was brought to a significantly improved level to be seriously considered prefiltration stage. I am continuing to process it to attempt to gain better results. Stay tuned. Also, I am researching of the correct re-introduction of beneficial and required dissolved minerals to attain healthy balanced, and pleasant-tasting drinking water. If you have any suggestions I'd appreciate any input. Thanks. And Cheers!
@@waterfilterguru Success!!! I think I've broken the code! First, prepare a plain salt-saturated white vinegar solution and contrive a way to reverse flow it through the spent filter. I have taken my filter way past >100 TDS to truly put the process to the test. Then follow up with a moderate to high plain salt solution using prefiltered water. Dunk the filter completely submerged in that solution overnight. Again revers flow a fresh batch of the same formula plain salt /filtered water solution. Then, install the filter in a pitcher or like device and run a gallon or more of filtered water until you measure a substantially lower TDS. I got mine down to 000 after 3 rinses. The reconditioned filter runs as fast as a new one for my research. I have no guarantees of your results, But this seems to work well for me. I will now follow up on the longevity of the final filter's performance. I have 2 more used filters that I've already done the reverse vinegar/salt flow through and have them 'pickling' in a plain salt /filtered water solution brine in the refrigerator to retard any biological growth. Stay tuned!
@@anaillanr3854 Yes. I will. I want to Baseline the process. The subsequent development results actually resulted with the provided TDS meter to give a reading! But I want to make a thorough sanity check of the additional prefiltration performance to merit the effort. Thanks for asking.
Do you have any advice on adding the beneficial minerals back to the water? Like do I have to buy a certain product or should I take supplements? Also can you link to all the other zero water videos by placing them in the video description? Thanks for this idea!
You can remineralize with the same methods you would use for RO or distilled water, check out this article waterfilterguru.com/how-to-remineralize-reverse-osmosis-water/ Here is the link to our ZeroWater Lab Test: ua-cam.com/video/Ud45hxCFQyM/v-deo.html - I've added it to the description as well! Thanks for the suggestion
The best hack for Walter filters in general is change them a little before the manufacture recommends. If you worked at the water plant or knew someone who did, you wouldn’t even consider playing with that stuff.
Maybe you can help with this problem since you mentioned a fishy smell. After 1 mo using an off brand zero water filter, the water started to smell off or like it was contaminated with bacteria. The filter is working because I've been using it in my humidifiers and getting no buildup of dust whatsoever or visually cloudy air, which is what I use the water for instead of expensive distilled. So the water is still clear but smells gross. I ran about a qt of heavily bleached water through it with no change to the smell so I don't really think it was bacteria, but not sure. I had to change the filter that otherwise seems to be working fine. (For drinking water I use PUR pitcher filters that last for several months.) Filters are Filterlogic NSF/ANSI 42,53&372 Certified (Zerowater) Replacement Water Filters. Any ideas? Thanks
The fishy smell is typically associated with the breakdown of the ion exchange resin when its reached capacity - not bacterial contamination. This is a common complaint with ZeroWater filters. If the replacements you are using also use ion exchange resin, this makes sense.
I just ordered a Clearly Filtered pitcher and a WaterDrop pitcher to prefilter with because it’s so fast, has a longer lasting filter and filters are much less expensive. Hoping I can get 3 months instead of 2 months out of my Clearly Filtered pitcher filters on well water this way. I’ll have to find another hack to prevent bacteria, algae, mold, etc…, like a UV light or something.
@@waterfilterguru I actually bought an Epic Nano dispenser for my daughter’s well water. There’s no microorganism in her test results, but I’d rather not risk it. The well water will be pre-filtered down to 10 microns by a CuZn UC-200 under sink filter. I was thinking of putting a 50 micron sediment pre-filter ahead of the CuZn, but I never see visible particles in the unfiltered well water, so I’ll hold off on doing that unless the 5 year CuZn filter ends up only lasting 1 year, for example. $150 for an extra good pre-filter isn’t overly expensive if it lasts a few years. We’ll see. The Epic Nano dispenser arrives next week. The Clearly Filtered pitcher showed up this week and I’m keeping for the city water at my home. Liking it a lot so far. I primed the filter 4 times instead of 3 and it’s filtering in a little over 20 minutes. My water is also pre-filtered by the CuZn UC-200, so I expect these filters to last longer than they normally would. Again, we’ll see. I received the Waterdrop Chubby and liked how fast it filtered and the water taste, but it’s not good at filtering out nitrates, which my city water has. Lastly, I also still have the Epic Pure Pitcher on the way. If I like it as much as the Clearly Filtered, I’ll send the Clearly Filtered back and keep the Epic Pure because it filters out what I need filtered and has lower on cost upfront and ongoing.
It depends. There is no 'one size fits all' solution. It all depends on what contaminants are in the source water being filtered. What is the application? What type of water are you trying to filter? Have you had it tested? Do you know what contaminants you are dealing with? What type of system (POU vs POE) are you looking for?
We got our lab test results back from TapScore and we have no health risks in our water. It is simply just taste as it has high sodium content at 247 ppm (from our water softener, which is absolutely needed for us) and sulfate at 239 ppm, which are the major contributors to our TDS at 600 ppm. Which “prefilter” should we use that targets these the best? P.S. I know RO is the correct answer, but my husband is against it because of the water waste. He is concerned it will burn out our well pump and be bad for our septic. I totally disagree with him. A single PoU RO that’s only used for drinking water is going to have negligible impacts, if any. But it’s like talking to a brick wall, so I’m looking for alternatives.
Reverse osmosis or distillation are really your only point of use options for sodium. You could switch to regenerate your softener with potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. It's more expensive, but it'll add potassium rather than sodium. You could use an anion exchange system installed downstream (after) the softener for the sulfate. Just like a cation exchange system (water softener) these need to be regenerated, which is typically done with sodium.
If ZeroWater is the source of microplastics this method would not address them, as it's intended to prefilter for the ZW filter to extend its lifespan. If that's a concern, you may want to consider additional treatment after the ZW filter to remove any microplastics imparted to the water
I did my own little experiment because I was seeing white whispy little strands things floating in my Zero water picture filtering after a couple months. I think it's biofilm. I poured Hydrogen Peroxide through it and the filter was getting warm (definitely a chemical reaction hopefully killing the biofilm inside the filter). I had to use an empty soap dish bottle to help suck it through the bottom pinhole of the filter because it wasn't flowing freely. Did it multiple times. IDK if I'm brave enough to reuse it after filtering water through it again LoL Otherwise I'll just pop the top off the filter, pour out the old contents, wash and refill it with KDF85 and some activated charcoal to save some money.
@waterfilterguru Over the counter 3% that you can buy anywhere. Just did it out of curiosity. I popped the top off the filter because it wasn't filtering like regular water. After a few times, more biofilm came loose and the inside material smelled fishy. Gross. Definitely not reusing it, just refill with new filtering material. I like Zero Water but the filters are expensive. Maybe I'll experiment with a UV light to kill any biofilm buildup? Idk Great channel you have. Keep up the good work.
No. ZeroWater uses a process called ion exchange, which is different from reverse osmosis. I don't have videos yet, but check out these articles for a more in-depth explanation of each treatment process: waterfilterguru.com/what-is-ion-exchange/ waterfilterguru.com/reverse-osmosis-systems/
My zero filter has lasted for months now,but that button on the push button pour popped off and wouldn't stay on without glue.the pitcher had only been used for a few months and that button not used even once.
I am only thinking of buying this for my pets as it came highly recommended as one of the best taking out impurities, but worried from what I am reading that the filters won’t last to long. It seems my zip code in Florida shows It will need to be changed more frequently. Do you know what the average is for filters per year by any chance? Deciding what works best for me. Zero water or buying the gallons of water from the supermarket 🤪
Filter lifespan is completely dependent on the quality of the water being filtered. The more contaminated, the shorter the lifespan, and vis versa. ZeroWater is by far the most expensive to maintain in terms of filter replacement cost, of all the water filters we've tested. I'd recommend considering a countertop RO system instead, like the Aquatru geni.us/chlQv5o
After a month of owning the Zerowater, we were completely disappointed!! After less than 2 weeks the filter needed to be changed out… thinking this was due to the fact that it was the first filter and perhaps had a half life because it came with the unit, we replaced it and same thing, after 2 weeks the water tasted sour! In summary, we went through 3 filters in a month!! Crazy and not sustainable not to mention that the amount of filters we toss out equals the amount in bottled water plastic and cannot be recycled!!
Also forgot to mention that we passed our tap with a TDS of 587 through a Brita filter to fill our Zero. Brita tested with a TDS of 270. And still our Zerowater lasted a little less than 2 weeks!!
@@hirokocoughiln6407 Thanks for the additional insight. Check out this filter lifespan chart for ZeroWater cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0311/5499/5336/files/tds-chart.jpg At 587 PPM you could expect your ZeroWater to filter less than 8 gallons. I'd expect 5 or less. So since you are able to bring that down to 270 by pre-filtering, the fact that it's lasting just under 2 weeks makes sense. You're probably getting ~15-18 gallons out of it
Does the TDS level effect its ability to remove water born diseases? My filter has been working for a couple of years, my water is from a deep well and soft fortunately. Why don't they rate their filter for the ability of removing aluminum? Any filter work well for removing aluminum, it falls out of the sky daily. 😢 Thanks 🙏
No, microorganisms are suspended solids, not dissolved solids and therefore do not make up part of a TDS reading. When was the last time the well water was tested? Has it historically had microbiological contamination issues?
@@waterfilterguru Thanks for your answer, you confirmed what I was thinking that as a biological filter the filter works until it’s no longer flows. I haven’t had a water test done since 2003. Thank you!
@@melissasmess2773 I'd highly recommend getting an updated water test done. Water quality in groundwater can change, even within a relatively short timeframe. This will give you peace of mind that you have adequate treatment, or help you determine if you need to consider something else
This would be redundant and expensive. RO is one of the best treatment methods for drinking water, and the water should already be sufficiently purified.
@@waterfilterguru But the water is stored in plastic bottles so not as pure because of that? Could be laying around in the heat, cold for months? leaching.... the water is cheaper than the filters for the work around solution.
@@waterfilterguru i like the fact that you actually reply to all comments, very few do that THANK YOU! i am currently using the ZERO water filter and i do feel the difference in my health, is there any thing similar with a cheaper filter and keeps the minerals.
Good tips! Thanks for sharing! I have a product recommendation for a future video... Have you ever heard of Filterbaby? It's a bathroom sink water filter made for the skin (removes microplastics, chlorine and heavy metals)! I think it's a great idea because why have filtered water only for showers and kitchen sinks?! I am looking into getting one for my bathroom sink. I don't really hear many people talking about it and would be a good product to run a lab test for transparency! :)
MICROPLASTICS have been found in human BREAST MILK, human tissue, notably, HUMAN TESTICLES. If you have a filter that really removes it, good on you. An enormous amount of bottled water contains microplastics. It's been found in FISH, and no wonder, it's plentiful in the oceans, lakes, and rivers.
@@waterfilterguru I'm not using a cleaner. I use asid to clean, salt to separate. Naoh to charge the low mass resin and hcl to charge the other part. 10% solitions. There are proberbly better methods. I clean in tap water. I do not waist clean water cleaning. My recharged filters go 0 ppm right away. The duration is shorter as for now. The process takes time to refine. People are so happy about their alkaline high ppm tap water, but no concern of substance. Ad hcl to used resin and se what happens. It's bubbling for several minute's. Yes.. humans are filters if not drinking clean/0ppm/rain water as birds and other animals. We need organic bound minerals from food's. Not dirty water from way down. When you find out ppm and ph of rain water.... one really realize how stupid we are, believing earth water as anything good. It's pollution of the body. The bottled water in stores here are 85ppm and above. Rain 0, a puddle about 50, running water about 120, a lake about the same. Deep earth water here about 200 plus the dirt from plumbing. 215-250. Thats a great amount of solids for the liver and testis to proces every day.
The only problem with using a zero water filter past the .006 is that the water is very acidic by then. Check the water with a pH meter when its getting close to the .006 and you will see.
@@chefgav1 Doesn't matter if Brita doesn't reduce TDS - that's not the point. The Brita filter will reduce some of the uncharged contaminants that do not contribute to a TDS reading, such as some organic chemicals, VOCs, pharmaceuticals and PFAs just to name a few. TDS is not the be all end all water quality parameter. In fact, a TDS reading alone cannot tell you if water is actually healthy or not. You might find this video informative ua-cam.com/video/yHvdYWXiVzI/v-deo.html
It would be great if you could review the Crystal Quest water pitcher filter. They claim 4 stages of filtration and 2,000 gallons of quality water. They make claims that would be great to see put to the test.
Woah didn't know about this brand. Thanks for the comment. filters for the pitcher are at a good price. This new brand can finally dethrone brita and zero water.
@@juliuscaesar8801 I have the filter on the faucet for cooking anyway, so nothing extra. I had a Amway filter on, but it's old now. They are very good pressed carbon filters. I just posted my own video about zero filter
I've had my ZeroWater pitcher since Feb 2024. I had not been testing the water until it started tasting differently, it's May 2024 currently, so around the 3+ month mark. The filtered water now has the same reading as water from the tap, so I don't think your idea of using the old Zero filter as a pre-filter would do anything at all. I'm shocked that it is completely spent in this short period of time. I will be testing more often.
Yep, ZeroWater have one of the lowest capacity and highest filter replacement costs of all the pitchers I've tested. I'd still reccomend trying the pre-filtering trick to see if it will extend the lifespan at all. Let me know how it goes
How about a hack to address Zero's tendency to ADD microplastics to the filtered water? I read about this from subscribing to Consumer Lab's research. I cancelled that when they gave a filter a 'PASS' when it left over 80% of Arsenic in the filtered water.
I did not. It's completely dependent on the quality of the water filtered. Higher concentrations of contaminants (including healthy minerals) = shorter ZeroWater filter life
@@waterfilterguru Actually, I just listened to video again. You DID say Zero Water filters only last a couple of weeks. ITS THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE in the video. Give it a listen. I’m only harping on this because I’ve been doing research on the best pitcher filter since I’m about to invest in one. So your response/correction (to my reply at least) is important to me. I mean if it only last TWO WEEKS, heck, no one could afford that. Especially since they claim a SIX MONTH filter life.
@@GloWe724 Just to clarify, responded "I did not" referring do your question if I misspoke 😉 Again, filter life depends on the quality of the water being filtered, see that chart at 0:39 In one water situation the filter may only last 2 weeks (indicating higher concentrations of contaminants), whereas in another it may last months (lower concentrations of contaminants)
Or even better switch to an RO system. It will be significantly cheaper in the long term, especially if your water has high TDS and your ZeroWater filters only last a couple of weeks
That indicates the ion exchange resin in the filter has been exhausted and needs to be replaced. ZeroWater recommends replacing the filter once the TDS meter reads 006, so it sounds like it's right on point
Use the whole kitchen to filter the ... poo ...lol by the time you finish, you'll change 15 lesser filters and two main ones, therefore losing the whole point all together.....
I live in a large condo building where we have an industrial Culligan water filtration system. After cold water filtration out of the tap TDS ranges between 0.26-1.15. After filtering through ZeroWater, it reads 0.00. My filters lifespan averages 190 gallons and taste great. My friend who lives in the area doesn't have an in-building filtration system, but it is still the excellent Manhattan water. He gets about 50 gallons per ZeroWater filter.
Our tap water is 900 ppm, we use a large 4 stage under sink RO, to get the water down to around 350-400 ppm, then we filter that with Brita filters, which gets it down to around 300, then we put it into the zero, which gets it down to zero, for about 3 weeks max, sometimes only 2 weeks. I just bought a Berkey and installed it today, it certainly doesn't lower the ppm.
Odd that the RO is only providing ~40% rejection rate of TDS. This indicates there could be an issue with the unit. When was the last time it was serviced and the membrane changed? What is the water hardness? Is it being treated with a water softener? If not, I'd hazard a guess the scale has built up in the RO unit making it inefficient, and will eventually cause failure. A properly functioning RO should provide 90%+ rejection of TDS.
You shouldn't need additional treatment / filtration after a point of use RO.
I use reverse osmosis water first, then filter that water through Zero Water. My tap water shows 306 PPM, reverse osmosis shows 6 PPM and after reverse osmosis passes through Zero Water pitcher, it shows 0 PPM. This allows us to not change the Zero Water filter for 7-8 months, sometimes even one year. We have a 5-stage APEC Reverse Osmosis system that we purchased at Home Depot and installed ourselves.
I really mean no offense, but this sounds redundant. Sounds like that RO is providing sufficient filtration alone!
@waterfilterguru unfortunately, RO alone is not removing arsenic and we have high arsenic in our area that's impacting our health and has showed up in our blood and urine lab work. 😞
@@webdeveloper2025 Ah, that makes sense! Thanks for helping me to understand the full picture
We had a PUR faucet filter before buying the Zero pitcher and we do the same thing as you noted, last us this way about 3 months.
Right on! 🤙
Hi! I just purchased my 12 C Zero W pitcher and live in an area with over 400 reading out of our faucet. I had no idea how bad our water was, this water taste almost sweet, it is SO good. However, big negative is how quickly the filtered water turns to that sour, lemony taste. I hate spending the money on replacing the filters, maybe every two weeks, and that’s just two of us in the household. I am going to try to double filter now as an experiment to see if a filter will last longer. Also, I do not have extra space in my refrigerator to store the pitcher, so I keep it out on the counter.
You may want to consider a reverse osmosis system instead, which will help save on the cost of replacement filters significantly
Nice video, I figured this trick out last year and it really does work. I buy Off-brand Brita standard filters (amazon) which are dirt cheap. Then I just pour that filtered water into a ZeroWater filter and presto. *Remember to take mineral supplements*
Right on, thanks for sharing. Glad you already knew about it and it's been working for you 🤙
Thanks! I reuse my 5 gallon containers several times before trading them off for cleaned, sealed ones. At the grocery store, I refill the 5 gallon containers; run that water through a Britta filter; then run that water through a “clearly filtered” filter. If there’s any thing left after that, I guess I’ll be drinking it! Thanks so much for your wonderful channel! ❤
Thanks for sharing! Typically the water for those jugs is filtered with a reverse osmosis system, which is much more thorough than gravity fed pitchers like Brita and Clearly Filtered. It might honestly be overkill and the pitchers might not be doing anything at all.
@@waterfilterguruThis won’t work with the zero because brita does not remove TDS much at all. Pre filter will work with other systems that don’t remove much TDS like say epic etc
@@chefgav1 Doesn't matter if Brita doesn't reduce TDS - that's not the point. The Brita filter will reduce some of the uncharged contaminants that do not contribute to a TDS reading, such as some organic chemicals, VOCs, pharmaceuticals and PFAs just to name a few.
TDS is not the be all end all water quality parameter. In fact, a TDS reading alone cannot tell you if water is actually healthy or not. You might find this video informative ua-cam.com/video/yHvdYWXiVzI/v-deo.html
if i have to filter my water before my filter, maybe i need a different filter to begin with
Hence why multistage water filter systems exist, however these aren't always an option for all folks and situations
I change my zero filter when it goes from 000 to 001 because, oddly enough, I notice a slightly foul taste. I have hard water in the Midwest and this results in a new zero filter every 18 days without prefiltering. It’s expensive, but the ease of thorough cleaning and filter changes compared to my old Berkey system makes it worth it. I used to DREAD cleaning my Berkey thoroughly. I generally like the idea of reusing spent zero filters, but would be concerned that once the spent filter goes “fishy” the newer filter might not handle that well? Was this particular problem tested for this video? I’ve read that once the fishy smell kicks in, no amount of washing will help. Is this true?
Hey thanks for your comment. The "fishy" smell indicates the ion exchange resin in the ZW filter has been depleted. While not tested in this video specifically, we can assume that once that starts to happen it wouldn't be too effective as a prefilter. You might want to consider the first suggestion of prefiltering with a cheaper pitcher like Brita or PUR
it does not work . the water ends up with a fishy aftertaste, no matter what, even prefiltering with a new Brita. 5 weeks is what it lasts .
What's the TDS of the unfiltered water?
Filters encourage bacteria. It’s one of the functions in aquarium filters that are very similar to picture filters. Do you keep the filter in the fridge or on the counter ?
@@DGander007 the water pitcher always stays in the fridge and the filter stays completely immersed in a full water pitcher
That's the problem
I bought a one gallon water distiller in 2021, and run it through my ZW afterward because it improves the taste. The upfront cost of a water distiller is high, but I can make a single ZW filter last months. I’ve only used about 6 or 7 filters since getting the distiller in Jan 2021.
That makes sense, as the the distiller is already greatly reducing or completely removing the vast majority of contaminants before the water touches the ZW filter
@@waterfilterguru Exactly. I was going through ZW filters every 12-14 days before having my current set up. People ask why I even use them with distilled water, and it’s because the distilled water leaves a strange aftertaste that the ZW filters remove.
@@gelguitarist Did you try remineralizing the distilled water? Lot's of folks describe a 'flat' taste, which is attributed to the lack of minerals in the water
@@waterfilterguru Sure did. We bought a bottle of trace minerals, but didn’t like the taste adding it to plain water. Besides, imo it’s better to get minerals from food sources rich in K+, Mg+, etc.
I've been exploring distillers. Can you point me the direction of any good research or where you got your 5 gallon set up?
I've been filtering the water through my Berkey first, but I really like the idea of using the old Zero Water filter in another container. Thanks.
Pre-filtering with the Berkey is probably your best bet, since the carbon filters will do a good job addressing the organic contaminants that the ZW filters might not do so well with
@@waterfilterguru Thank you very much!
@@waterfilterguruI also have 2 fluoride filters in the Berkey
@@passionateherbs8183 Have you seen our Berkey testing video and what we found out about the fluoride filters? ua-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/v-deo.html
@@waterfilterguru Thanks!
Using the two zero water filter method, bought another zero jug since it's almost a much as the filter lol
Let me know how it goes!
I add Redmond Real salt ( over 60 traced minerals) to my glass water every morning and night.
How much do you add?
Can you help? Ordered Zerowater pitcher. It apparently releases microplastics so what if I then put the water in a stainless steel lifestraw filtered bottle? Great idea or won't make any difference?
Do Lifestraw advertise the filter used in the bottle you are considering is capable of addressing microplastics?
@waterfilterguru yes FILTERS OUT CONTAMINANTS: the Membrane microfilter protects against Bacteria (including E.coli + Salmonella), Parasites, Microplastics, sand, dirt, and cloudiness. But maybe there is a better stainless steel water bottle to use after filtrering with zerowater?
Which is the best pre-filter for chloroform??
The PUR faucet mount filter is certified for chloroform reduction, filters water on demand, and is pretty cheap geni.us/EYcAuqo
The WaterDrop Chubby pitcher is a great prefilter for Chlorform. It’s fast and inexpensive too.
I'm currently developing a far simpler method of recharging the Zero water filter (without disassembly or replacement of anything) based on similar techniques of how a classical water softener recharges itself, with an additional PH extreme induction. So far, I have recovered a significantly better filtration TDS production after my endeavors. I will post my final results after strenuous re-evaluation and confirmed results. But by my initial results, I’ve taken a ‘Zero water’ filter from >200 TDS reduced to
Cool! Keep us posted
@@waterfilterguru Thanks, and a Follow up: The rehabilitated filter didn't regain the performance of a new filter. But was brought to a significantly improved level to be seriously considered prefiltration stage. I am continuing to process it to attempt to gain better results. Stay tuned. Also, I am researching of the correct re-introduction of beneficial and required dissolved minerals to attain healthy balanced, and pleasant-tasting drinking water. If you have any suggestions I'd appreciate any input. Thanks. And Cheers!
@@waterfilterguru Success!!! I think I've broken the code! First, prepare a plain salt-saturated white vinegar solution and contrive a way to reverse flow it through the spent filter. I have taken my filter way past >100 TDS to truly put the process to the test. Then follow up with a moderate to high plain salt solution using prefiltered water. Dunk the filter completely submerged in that solution overnight. Again revers flow a fresh batch of the same formula plain salt /filtered water solution. Then, install the filter in a pitcher or like device and run a gallon or more of filtered water until you measure a substantially lower TDS. I got mine down to 000 after 3 rinses. The reconditioned filter runs as fast as a new one for my research. I have no guarantees of your results, But this seems to work well for me. I will now follow up on the longevity of the final filter's performance. I have 2 more used filters that I've already done the reverse vinegar/salt flow through and have them 'pickling' in a plain salt /filtered water solution brine in the refrigerator to retard any biological growth. Stay tuned!
@gilligancharliebrown399
Much appreciated if you could make a video on how you reverse it. Thank you.
@@anaillanr3854 Yes. I will. I want to Baseline the process. The subsequent development results actually resulted with the provided TDS meter to give a reading! But I want to make a thorough sanity check of the additional prefiltration performance to merit the effort. Thanks for asking.
Do you have any advice on adding the beneficial minerals back to the water? Like do I have to buy a certain product or should I take supplements?
Also can you link to all the other zero water videos by placing them in the video description? Thanks for this idea!
You can remineralize with the same methods you would use for RO or distilled water, check out this article waterfilterguru.com/how-to-remineralize-reverse-osmosis-water/
Here is the link to our ZeroWater Lab Test: ua-cam.com/video/Ud45hxCFQyM/v-deo.html - I've added it to the description as well! Thanks for the suggestion
The best hack for Walter filters in general is change them a little before the manufacture recommends. If you worked at the water plant or knew someone who did, you wouldn’t even consider playing with that stuff.
Thanks for sharing your insight!
Thank you for the video. You did amazing at replying to all these comments. I'm sure that's very time consuming!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching and for your appreciation. I'm glad you found it helpful
@waterfilterguru very helpful. Thank you and have a very blessed day.
Maybe you can help with this problem since you mentioned a fishy smell. After 1 mo using an off brand zero water filter, the water started to smell off or like it was contaminated with bacteria. The filter is working because I've been using it in my humidifiers and getting no buildup of dust whatsoever or visually cloudy air, which is what I use the water for instead of expensive distilled. So the water is still clear but smells gross. I ran about a qt of heavily bleached water through it with no change to the smell so I don't really think it was bacteria, but not sure. I had to change the filter that otherwise seems to be working fine. (For drinking water I use PUR pitcher filters that last for several months.)
Filters are Filterlogic NSF/ANSI 42,53&372 Certified (Zerowater) Replacement Water Filters.
Any ideas? Thanks
The fishy smell is typically associated with the breakdown of the ion exchange resin when its reached capacity - not bacterial contamination. This is a common complaint with ZeroWater filters. If the replacements you are using also use ion exchange resin, this makes sense.
I just ordered a Clearly Filtered pitcher and a WaterDrop pitcher to prefilter with because it’s so fast, has a longer lasting filter and filters are much less expensive. Hoping I can get 3 months instead of 2 months out of my Clearly Filtered pitcher filters on well water this way. I’ll have to find another hack to prevent bacteria, algae, mold, etc…, like a UV light or something.
Does the well water undergo any treatment at the point of entry? As you mentioned, bacteria is more of a risk with well water
@@waterfilterguru I actually bought an Epic Nano dispenser for my daughter’s well water. There’s no microorganism in her test results, but I’d rather not risk it. The well water will be pre-filtered down to 10 microns by a CuZn UC-200 under sink filter. I was thinking of putting a 50 micron sediment pre-filter ahead of the CuZn, but I never see visible particles in the unfiltered well water, so I’ll hold off on doing that unless the 5 year CuZn filter ends up only lasting 1 year, for example. $150 for an extra good pre-filter isn’t overly expensive if it lasts a few years. We’ll see. The Epic Nano dispenser arrives next week.
The Clearly Filtered pitcher showed up this week and I’m keeping for the city water at my home. Liking it a lot so far. I primed the filter 4 times instead of 3 and it’s filtering in a little over 20 minutes. My water is also pre-filtered by the CuZn UC-200, so I expect these filters to last longer than they normally would. Again, we’ll see.
I received the Waterdrop Chubby and liked how fast it filtered and the water taste, but it’s not good at filtering out nitrates, which my city water has. Lastly, I also still have the Epic Pure Pitcher on the way. If I like it as much as the Clearly Filtered, I’ll send the Clearly Filtered back and keep the Epic Pure because it filters out what I need filtered and has lower on cost upfront and ongoing.
Hey I just found your channel. Do you have a definitive or “good enough” water filter you can recommend
It depends. There is no 'one size fits all' solution. It all depends on what contaminants are in the source water being filtered. What is the application? What type of water are you trying to filter? Have you had it tested? Do you know what contaminants you are dealing with? What type of system (POU vs POE) are you looking for?
We got our lab test results back from TapScore and we have no health risks in our water. It is simply just taste as it has high sodium content at 247 ppm (from our water softener, which is absolutely needed for us) and sulfate at 239 ppm, which are the major contributors to our TDS at 600 ppm. Which “prefilter” should we use that targets these the best?
P.S. I know RO is the correct answer, but my husband is against it because of the water waste. He is concerned it will burn out our well pump and be bad for our septic. I totally disagree with him. A single PoU RO that’s only used for drinking water is going to have negligible impacts, if any. But it’s like talking to a brick wall, so I’m looking for alternatives.
Reverse osmosis or distillation are really your only point of use options for sodium. You could switch to regenerate your softener with potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. It's more expensive, but it'll add potassium rather than sodium.
You could use an anion exchange system installed downstream (after) the softener for the sulfate. Just like a cation exchange system (water softener) these need to be regenerated, which is typically done with sodium.
Will this method remove micro plastics? I read that zero filters introduces micro plastics.
If ZeroWater is the source of microplastics this method would not address them, as it's intended to prefilter for the ZW filter to extend its lifespan. If that's a concern, you may want to consider additional treatment after the ZW filter to remove any microplastics imparted to the water
@waterfilterguru thank you for your reply. 🙏
I did my own little experiment because I was seeing white whispy little strands things floating in my Zero water picture filtering after a couple months. I think it's biofilm. I poured Hydrogen Peroxide through it and the filter was getting warm (definitely a chemical reaction hopefully killing the biofilm inside the filter). I had to use an empty soap dish bottle to help suck it through the bottom pinhole of the filter because it wasn't flowing freely. Did it multiple times. IDK if I'm brave enough to reuse it after filtering water through it again LoL
Otherwise I'll just pop the top off the filter, pour out the old contents, wash and refill it with KDF85 and some activated charcoal to save some money.
Sorry, I'll refill with KDF55 not 85
Very interesting, what % hydrogen peroxide did you use? The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is exothermic (the heat you noticed)
@waterfilterguru
Over the counter 3% that you can buy anywhere. Just did it out of curiosity. I popped the top off the filter because it wasn't filtering like regular water. After a few times, more biofilm came loose and the inside material smelled fishy. Gross. Definitely not reusing it, just refill with new filtering material. I like Zero Water but the filters are expensive. Maybe I'll experiment with a UV light to kill any biofilm buildup? Idk Great channel you have. Keep up the good work.
years ago i lived in Steamboat Springs, Co,,,,,,, tested the water supply and it came out of the tap at ZERO ppm....... Very rare!!!
From the tap, that is unheard of - I suspect the TDS meter you were using needed to be calibrated
Ive been using my Zero filter for over a year and it still reads zero. Should I change it anyway? My well water reads 017.
Might be president, not all contaminants are included in the TDS reading
Make sure the little blue tester doesn’t say ‘hold’ on the display. If hold is on before you stick it in the water it’ll always say 000
Is ZeroWater the same process as Reverse Osmosis?
No. ZeroWater uses a process called ion exchange, which is different from reverse osmosis. I don't have videos yet, but check out these articles for a more in-depth explanation of each treatment process:
waterfilterguru.com/what-is-ion-exchange/
waterfilterguru.com/reverse-osmosis-systems/
My zero filter has lasted for months now,but that button on the push button pour popped off and wouldn't stay on without glue.the pitcher had only been used for a few months and that button not used even once.
Did you reach out to ZeroWater about this? www.zerowater.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions#warranty
@@waterfilterguru I have not thanks for the link
I am only thinking of buying this for my pets as it came highly recommended as one of the best taking out impurities, but worried from what I am reading that the filters won’t last to long. It seems my zip code in Florida shows It will need to be changed more frequently. Do you know what the average is for filters per year by any chance? Deciding what works best for me. Zero water or buying the gallons of water from the supermarket 🤪
Filter lifespan is completely dependent on the quality of the water being filtered. The more contaminated, the shorter the lifespan, and vis versa. ZeroWater is by far the most expensive to maintain in terms of filter replacement cost, of all the water filters we've tested. I'd recommend considering a countertop RO system instead, like the Aquatru geni.us/chlQv5o
After a month of owning the Zerowater, we were completely disappointed!! After less than 2 weeks the filter needed to be changed out… thinking this was due to the fact that it was the first filter and perhaps had a half life because it came with the unit, we replaced it and same thing, after 2 weeks the water tasted sour! In summary, we went through 3 filters in a month!! Crazy and not sustainable not to mention that the amount of filters we toss out equals the amount in bottled water plastic and cannot be recycled!!
Out of curiosity, what is the unfiltered tap water TDS reading?
Also forgot to mention that we passed our tap with a TDS of 587 through a Brita filter to fill our Zero. Brita tested with a TDS of 270. And still our Zerowater lasted a little less than 2 weeks!!
@@waterfilterguruthank you for responding! I just posted that info as you were replying!
@@hirokocoughiln6407 Thanks for the additional insight. Check out this filter lifespan chart for ZeroWater cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0311/5499/5336/files/tds-chart.jpg
At 587 PPM you could expect your ZeroWater to filter less than 8 gallons. I'd expect 5 or less.
So since you are able to bring that down to 270 by pre-filtering, the fact that it's lasting just under 2 weeks makes sense. You're probably getting ~15-18 gallons out of it
Have you tested the WINGSOL water filter faucet attachment?
I have not, never heard of it
Does the TDS level effect its ability to remove water born diseases? My filter has been working for a couple of years, my water is from a deep well and soft fortunately. Why don't they rate their filter for the ability of removing aluminum? Any filter work well for removing aluminum, it falls out of the sky daily. 😢 Thanks 🙏
No, microorganisms are suspended solids, not dissolved solids and therefore do not make up part of a TDS reading.
When was the last time the well water was tested? Has it historically had microbiological contamination issues?
@@waterfilterguru Thanks for your answer, you confirmed what I was thinking that as a biological filter the filter works until it’s no longer flows. I haven’t had a water test done since 2003. Thank you!
If your on well water use the epic nano
@@melissasmess2773 I'd highly recommend getting an updated water test done. Water quality in groundwater can change, even within a relatively short timeframe. This will give you peace of mind that you have adequate treatment, or help you determine if you need to consider something else
I buy a case of RO purified water from BJ's or Costco on the cheap then pore if into my ZW system? The result just pure H2O.
This would be redundant and expensive. RO is one of the best treatment methods for drinking water, and the water should already be sufficiently purified.
@@waterfilterguru But the water is stored in plastic bottles so not as pure because of that? Could be laying around in the heat, cold for months? leaching.... the water is cheaper than the filters for the work around solution.
My filter after a year is still showing 0tds... Pre filter water is 27tds. This thing lasts forever, I thought the sensor is broken
It's because the influent water has such low TDS - almost unheard of! Filter lifespan is directly correlated to TDS level
What’s the best water filter?
It depends. There is no one-size-fits-all water filter. What contaminants are in your water you need to address?
@@waterfilterguru i like the fact that you actually reply to all comments, very few do that THANK YOU! i am currently using the ZERO water filter and i do feel the difference in my health, is there any thing similar with a cheaper filter and keeps the minerals.
@@ordinarya4948 Happy to help! Have you considered reverse osmosis with remineralization?
Good tips! Thanks for sharing!
I have a product recommendation for a future video... Have you ever heard of Filterbaby? It's a bathroom sink water filter made for the skin (removes microplastics, chlorine and heavy metals)! I think it's a great idea because why have filtered water only for showers and kitchen sinks?! I am looking into getting one for my bathroom sink. I don't really hear many people talking about it and would be a good product to run a lab test for transparency! :)
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll add this Filterbaby to our list to look into!
MICROPLASTICS have been found in human BREAST MILK, human tissue, notably, HUMAN TESTICLES.
If you have a filter that really removes it, good on you. An enormous amount of bottled water contains microplastics. It's been found in FISH, and no wonder, it's plentiful in the oceans, lakes, and rivers.
Clean the resin your self add some fresh carbon on top of it. It takes time but is satisfying.
Out of curiosity, what resin cleaner are you using to do this?
@@waterfilterguru I'm not using a cleaner. I use asid to clean, salt to separate. Naoh to charge the low mass resin and hcl to charge the other part. 10% solitions.
There are proberbly better methods.
I clean in tap water. I do not waist clean water cleaning.
My recharged filters go 0 ppm right away. The duration is shorter as for now. The process takes time to refine.
People are so happy about their alkaline high ppm tap water, but no concern of substance. Ad hcl to used resin and se what happens.
It's bubbling for several minute's. Yes.. humans are filters if not drinking clean/0ppm/rain water as birds and other animals. We need organic bound minerals from food's.
Not dirty water from way down.
When you find out ppm and ph of rain water.... one really realize how stupid we are, believing earth water as anything good. It's pollution of the body.
The bottled water in stores here are 85ppm and above.
Rain 0, a puddle about 50, running water about 120, a lake about the same. Deep earth water here about 200 plus the dirt from plumbing.
215-250.
Thats a great amount of solids for the liver and testis to proces every day.
The only problem with using a zero water filter past the .006 is that the water is very acidic by then. Check the water with a pH meter when its getting close to the .006 and you will see.
Good callout
Other issue is pre filter with a brita barely lower any TDS at all.
@@chefgav1 Doesn't matter if Brita doesn't reduce TDS - that's not the point. The Brita filter will reduce some of the uncharged contaminants that do not contribute to a TDS reading, such as some organic chemicals, VOCs, pharmaceuticals and PFAs just to name a few.
TDS is not the be all end all water quality parameter. In fact, a TDS reading alone cannot tell you if water is actually healthy or not. You might find this video informative ua-cam.com/video/yHvdYWXiVzI/v-deo.html
Can you boil the water first and let it dry then pour it on brita and later to zerowater?
Filter the water for my filter...I like it. Gonna try this.
Let me know how it goes!
It would be great if you could review the Crystal Quest water pitcher filter. They claim 4 stages of filtration and 2,000 gallons of quality water. They make claims that would be great to see put to the test.
Thanks for the request! I'll get it on our list to look into
Woah didn't know about this brand. Thanks for the comment. filters for the pitcher are at a good price. This new brand can finally dethrone brita and zero water.
I love your videos, keep up the good work.
Thank you!
I’m suppose to do all that¿. Really¿
Zero water does me well then I throw out at bout .003-004 and replace with new..
@@juliuscaesar8801 I have the filter on the faucet for cooking anyway, so nothing extra. I had a Amway filter on, but it's old now. They are very good pressed carbon filters. I just posted my own video about zero filter
The fishy smell part worries me... that makes me think there's a bacteria colony growing in the filter itself.
The fishy smell is due to the ion exchange resin in the filter reaching capacity and/ or breaking down
I've had my ZeroWater pitcher since Feb 2024. I had not been testing the water until it started tasting differently, it's May 2024 currently, so around the 3+ month mark. The filtered water now has the same reading as water from the tap, so I don't think your idea of using the old Zero filter as a pre-filter would do anything at all. I'm shocked that it is completely spent in this short period of time. I will be testing more often.
Yep, ZeroWater have one of the lowest capacity and highest filter replacement costs of all the pitchers I've tested. I'd still reccomend trying the pre-filtering trick to see if it will extend the lifespan at all. Let me know how it goes
@@waterfilterguru so far, the new replacement filter is staying at 000 nearing the 2 month mark.
How about a hack to address Zero's tendency to ADD microplastics to the filtered water? I read about this from subscribing to Consumer Lab's research. I cancelled that when they gave a filter a 'PASS' when it left over 80% of Arsenic in the filtered water.
Reverse osmosis or distillation
@@waterfilterguru what about getting Epic Water to run it through after Zerowater?
@@Ben17624 The pre-filtering technique can work with any pitcher, I just suggested the cheaper ones
@@waterfilterguru oh. I was asking about filtering after ZeroWater to get rid of the microplastics referenced in the post this is a reply to
You said Zero Water filter lasts only a couple weeks?!! They advertise them to last 6 months? Did you misspeak?
I did not. It's completely dependent on the quality of the water filtered. Higher concentrations of contaminants (including healthy minerals) = shorter ZeroWater filter life
@@waterfilterguru Actually, I just listened to video again. You DID say Zero Water filters only last a couple of weeks. ITS THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE in the video. Give it a listen. I’m only harping on this because I’ve been doing research on the best pitcher filter since I’m about to invest in one. So your response/correction (to my reply at least) is important to me. I mean if it only last TWO WEEKS, heck, no one could afford that. Especially since they claim a SIX MONTH filter life.
@@GloWe724 Just to clarify, responded "I did not" referring do your question if I misspoke 😉 Again, filter life depends on the quality of the water being filtered, see that chart at 0:39 In one water situation the filter may only last 2 weeks (indicating higher concentrations of contaminants), whereas in another it may last months (lower concentrations of contaminants)
I use mine till they have like 006
How long does it take for them to reach 006 ppm?
So your solution to my filter problem was to buy another filter? What the hell?
Or even better switch to an RO system. It will be significantly cheaper in the long term, especially if your water has high TDS and your ZeroWater filters only last a couple of weeks
Great job !
That's a good Idea 😀❤️!
I have this pitcher 2 years..
Very helpful !
Many greetings from Greece !
Glad it was helpful!
Pre-filter my filtered water................ *rage*
Just trying to help folks out here, by no means do you have to take the advice 😁
Water emanates an odor after passing 006. About the .008 mark.
That indicates the ion exchange resin in the filter has been exhausted and needs to be replaced. ZeroWater recommends replacing the filter once the TDS meter reads 006, so it sounds like it's right on point
Use the whole kitchen to filter the ... poo ...lol by the time you finish, you'll change 15 lesser filters and two main ones, therefore losing the whole point all together.....
This comment is so confusing
I live in a large condo building where we have an industrial Culligan water filtration system. After cold water filtration out of the tap TDS ranges between 0.26-1.15.
After filtering through ZeroWater, it reads 0.00. My filters lifespan averages 190 gallons and taste great.
My friend who lives in the area doesn't have an in-building filtration system, but it is still the excellent Manhattan water. He gets about 50 gallons per ZeroWater filter.
Thanks for sharing! Do you remineralize?
@waterfilterguru I don't re-mineralize the water. I get minerals from many other sources.
I just replace it once a month.
Maybe if you use this trick you'll only have to replace it every 1.5 months, or every 2 😉 depending on what's in your water, of course
Fishy smell is nitrogen
Fishy smell is the ion exchange resin in the filter that's been exhausted, indicating it needs to be replaced
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼💙
🙏
zero water is junk... i've had a pitcher for a couple of months and just realized my water smells like dead fish. trash.
The fishy smell is caused by the ion exchange resin in the filter that's been exhausted. It means the filter is at capacity and needs to be replaced.
My water doesn't smell and I've used the two filter 5 gallon system for over 6 months at 0tds on meter
@@benjihartman.official What's the TDS of the raw, unfiltered water?