@@jon7707 It would be amazing if there was one affordable tool to analyze water at home the way it's done in a lab! I just don't think that kind of technology is anywhere near ready.
So, I'm hoping you will consider doing a video or few regarding filtering well water. Our well was drilled several years ago on the undeveloped lot, and that's all it is at this point. There's no pump or anything yet. Our neighbors on the next ridge over expressed their disappointment with water quality, but the only filtering they are doing is with a standard salt-based water softener. They are using countertop filtration devices for drinking water the last time I was there. Obviously, we don't have to concern ourselves with chemical additives, but we will be testing for naturally occurring elements. Our water source is the Roubidoux (pronounced ruby-doo) Aquifer and our location is in Northwest Arkansas.
Hey thanks for the comment - so the first thing you will want to do is have a sample of the well water tested by a certified lab. Because there is no water provider doing any treatment, it's the well owner's responsibility to test and treat as necessary. You might find these resources helpful: waterfilterguru.com/how-to-test-well-water/ waterfilterguru.com/well-water-treatment/
Good explanation! 👍😉 indeed if it would be Pure H2O and there would be micro plastic's in the water for instance, the meter would still say 0! 🤷🏻♂️ Because plastic does not conduct electricity!
A TDS meter measures the conductivity of a solution. Dissolved ionized solids, like minerals and salts, increase water’s conductivity. Therefore, a higher conductivity reading indicates a higher TDS level. You might find this article helpful: waterfilterguru.com/what-is-a-tds-meter/
Hi, I am measuring tds value in water over time. In this experiment, I am took water from Tap water in a bucket, and measured TDS in the morning, afternoon and evening times. what I saw is that TDS is increasing over time but I don't understand why. Is it because of bacteria growth or some other reason is there?. and also dissolve oxygen decreases over time. does TDS depend on the number of cations or anions? what happen when anions are more than cation. Please reply If you have answer Thanks
Hey thanks for the great question! Possible reasons for this increase could include: Evaporation, which concentrates dissolved solids as water volume decreases. Contaminant accumulation from the environment or the container itself. Microbial growth (bacteria, algae) and their metabolic byproducts. Chemical reactions with the container or nearby materials. Dissolving of solids from the surrounding environment (like dust or particles in the air).
With ZeroWater, I start a 0 and build my drinking water. 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp magnesium carbonate, 1/2 tst baking soda. I assume my city water is fairly clean and that ZW is taking out bacteria, which are probably larger than the mineral solids in the water. I'm in San Francisco so my water comes from rain and snow in the Sierras.
I'm so glad you posted this video I have a TDS Meter but didn't actually know what they were specifically. I did find after filtering my Zero water filter had 0 solids, and my Berkey had 11. I personally love the Zero water filter even tho I own a Berkey as well. Could you guy's run a test on the Zero water filter? Love the channel new subscriber from Massachusetts.
I'm happy it helped with your understanding! Unfortunately some companies *erherm... ZeroWater* use this exact lack of understanding by the general public to market their products. For example, if water is high in healthy minerals (calcium & magnesium being a couple), the TDS reading will be high. We do have ZeroWater in the lineup to be tested very soon! Stay tuned for that video
Can’t wait for this test. How do you test it? TDS is one thing but what about all the other stuff in water? Are there other better things you can get to test water?
We use Tap Score by Simplelab for all our testing! Check out our overview of it here: ua-cam.com/video/HC7Dw52ROr4/v-deo.html Clearly Filtered is our top recommended water filter pitcher! Here is our full review ua-cam.com/video/Fub3Z_P77eE/v-deo.html
Is there any filter that removes arsenic from the water? It seems that theres some arsenic in the water here in one part of Serbia. Also - does a really high TDS indicate unsafe water even if it’s really rich with minerals or should I say - would that mean that the amount of minerals is too high anyways (or other particles) and that it’s unsafe for drinking?
A high TDS reading alone is not enough to tell you if water is unsafe or not. For example, that TDS reading could be primarily made up of calcium and magnesium, which are both essential to human health. This is why we always recommend a full lab water analysis to get the best idea of the water situation. As for arsenic reduction, reverse osmosis is typically the recommended treatment method. Depending on the application, it can also be reduced with activated alumina media, distillation, and anion exchange systems.
EC stands for electrical conductivity, which is what the meter measures in the water. The meter calculates an estimate of TDS by multiplying the EC reading with a conversion factor. A TDS reading of 419 PPM is high, but still within the EPA secondary standard of 500 PPM. This means there are elevated levels of dissolved substances in the water. A lab can test a sample to identify the exact types and concentrations of those substances.
It depends on the specific situation. There is no 'one size fits all' solution for every application! This is why testing before puchasing any water treatment equipment is so vital
Lab testing is by far the best option, as it will provide data on specific concentrations of contaminants detected, and also look for a wide range of contaminants and other analytes (hundreds) There are cheap, at home DIY test strips, but the drawback is they don't provide any info on the specific concentration of contaminants detected, and only test for a handful of the most common contaminants (typically 10-15)
Sorry, it looks like part of your comment got cut off. When you refer to 'highly alkaline score' I think you mean pH reading. TDS and pH are two different water quality parameters, however they are related in that TDS can affect pH
May I ask for your input regarding distilled water, please . How much is being removed with this method. Should I buy good quality salt ( celtic salt, for example) and coconut electrolytes to add into my drinking water? Also I understand that TDS meter isn't necessary, would you suggest good water testing home kit? I live in UK.
Distillation removes nearly 100% of everything (assuming there is a post-carbon filter). All dissolved minerals will be removed from the distilled water. Check out this article to learn all about how to remineralize distilled water: waterfilterguru.com/how-to-remineralize-distilled-water/ For testing, I'd recommend you find a local certified lab there in the UK. Lab testing is the only way to determine exactly what contaminants and concentrations are present. Other at home test methods (strips, kits, etc.) can give an indication as to whether or not a handful of contaminants are present, but they won't give you details on exact concentrations.
@@turokforever007 But that 550 ppm TDS reading could primarily be made up of dissolved calcium and magnesium, both healthy minerals. No way to tell if it's unhealthy unless you lab test it
I have watched a lot of tds test videos and I find your video to be the best so far. I have a question that I'll be very happy if you can answer:). I wanted to store drinkable water for a long period of time ( in a proper container and proper locatin) let's say that I want to drink that water after 6 months, can a tds tester help me know if the water is still good to drink?
@@waterfilterguru. Piece of cake. Micro-“beings” are just that..micro, which are done by boiling 🤷! If a filter can produce a TDS of 10, then I can guarantee you that no micro “guy” will survive (pass through that filter). I’ve tested a bunch using bacterial test kits and always zero bacterium. So, yes, TDS is really good.
I use the tester when I make colloidal silver water,WHICH if added WILL keep water fresh for a long time. I keep ice chests full in case of frozen pipes power outage etc. At 3 months old still good and if I'd closed it up properly and frogs hadn't defiled it ,who knows.
A high TDS reading indicates a high level of dissolved solids - whether those are healthy minerals or dangerous metals you won't know unless you conduct more extensive laboratory testing. A TDS reading can give you an indication of the water quality, but not all substances that make up TDS are harmful. Does this help?
@@waterfilterguru thanks, yes. I guess it can be useful in some situations where you expect the water to have few solids. I'd imagine a high reading from tap water in a city would most likely be bad.
Testing the total dissolved solids (TDS) in water can give you an idea if water is fit for consumption, requires filtration, or is highly contaminated and requires additional lab testing.
TSS or TDS? or both? But yeah, too many people simply don't understand that a TDS reading alone doesn't really provide much info, and certainly doesn't determine if the water is healthy or not
A total dissolved solid could include healthy minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, etc.. and/or toxic ones. TDS meters do not pick up on anything measured in parts per BILLION, only those that show in parts per million. So......basically they are a poor tool to tell me much of anything regarding the quality of the water I am drinking.
This is why a TDS reading alone should not be used to determine if water is safe or not. This is a common misconception, which led us to make this video. Lab testing with a certified lab is the only way to get the complete, full picture of the situation!
Cheap for a reason. You really should have your water test by a lab if you have high tds. I have a private well and still have the water lab tested every two years. @@Onlyinbean
The government certified that TDS below 50 is safe. Take your vitamins, far better than drinking public water. Trust me. Remember, our water doesn’t come from natural resources.
What constitutes bad or unsafe water means “solute.” So, yes TDS meters are the best indicator approved by the government. I prefer zero water and take my vitamins. City water is yuck 🤮!
Because a TDS meter works by measuring the electrical conductivity of a solution. They use two electrodes that are placed in the water being tested. When voltage is applied across these electrodes, the ions in the solution conduct electricity, and the meter measures the conductivity. Based on the conductivity reading, the TDS meter estimates the concentration of dissolved solids in the water. Bacteria themselves are not conductive and so are not detected with this method.
I think that's why it can't measure if there is poison or not. Or may be it is calibrated Zero in distilled water. Also there are poisons that are very lethal in small quantities (i. e. 1 to 300) which falls inside the safe drinking water range upto 300, prescribed by WHO
Correct, a TDS meter can give an indication to the quality of water, but it does not provide specific details about the contaminants present and whether or not water is health.
Great info. Lab testing is the only way to truly know what's in there.
Absolutely!
@@jon7707 It would be amazing if there was one affordable tool to analyze water at home the way it's done in a lab! I just don't think that kind of technology is anywhere near ready.
So, I'm hoping you will consider doing a video or few regarding filtering well water. Our well was drilled several years ago on the undeveloped lot, and that's all it is at this point. There's no pump or anything yet. Our neighbors on the next ridge over expressed their disappointment with water quality, but the only filtering they are doing is with a standard salt-based water softener. They are using countertop filtration devices for drinking water the last time I was there.
Obviously, we don't have to concern ourselves with chemical additives, but we will be testing for naturally occurring elements. Our water source is the Roubidoux (pronounced ruby-doo) Aquifer and our location is in Northwest Arkansas.
Hey thanks for the comment - so the first thing you will want to do is have a sample of the well water tested by a certified lab. Because there is no water provider doing any treatment, it's the well owner's responsibility to test and treat as necessary. You might find these resources helpful:
waterfilterguru.com/how-to-test-well-water/
waterfilterguru.com/well-water-treatment/
If you have farm land near by. You really need a lab test every couple of years. Google farm land fertilizer and well water.
Good explanation! 👍😉
indeed if it would be Pure H2O and there would be micro plastic's in the water for instance, the meter would still say 0! 🤷🏻♂️
Because plastic does not conduct electricity!
Yep!
I was wondering if you might answer a question. Down to what size nano particle do these simple stick style TDS meters measure?
A TDS meter measures the conductivity of a solution. Dissolved ionized solids, like minerals and salts, increase water’s conductivity. Therefore, a higher conductivity reading indicates a higher TDS level.
You might find this article helpful: waterfilterguru.com/what-is-a-tds-meter/
Hi, I am measuring tds value in water over time. In this experiment, I am took water from Tap water in a bucket, and measured TDS in the morning, afternoon and evening times. what I saw is that TDS is increasing over time but I don't understand why. Is it because of bacteria growth or some other reason is there?. and also dissolve oxygen decreases over time. does TDS depend on the number of cations or anions? what happen when anions are more than cation. Please reply If you have answer
Thanks
Hey thanks for the great question! Possible reasons for this increase could include: Evaporation, which concentrates dissolved solids as water volume decreases. Contaminant accumulation from the environment or the container itself. Microbial growth (bacteria, algae) and their metabolic byproducts. Chemical reactions with the container or nearby materials. Dissolving of solids from the surrounding environment (like dust or particles in the air).
what is the tools to check bactery level in water
Bacteria? Lab test is your best bet
With ZeroWater, I start a 0 and build my drinking water. 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp magnesium carbonate, 1/2 tst baking soda. I assume my city water is fairly clean and that ZW is taking out bacteria, which are probably larger than the mineral solids in the water. I'm in San Francisco so my water comes from rain and snow in the Sierras.
Keep in mind that a TDS meter is only capable of measuring dissolved solids, which means that other types of contaminants won't be detected!
Please test the everydrop 1 fridge filter cartridge. They are becoming pretty costly. Need to know if they are worth it or if I'm wasting my money.
Great suggestion, I'll see how we can get one of these tested. Thanks for your comment!
I'm so glad you posted this video I have a TDS Meter but didn't actually know what they were specifically.
I did find after filtering my Zero water filter had 0 solids, and my Berkey had 11.
I personally love the Zero water filter even tho I own a Berkey as well. Could you guy's run a test on the Zero water filter?
Love the channel new subscriber from Massachusetts.
I'm happy it helped with your understanding! Unfortunately some companies *erherm... ZeroWater* use this exact lack of understanding by the general public to market their products.
For example, if water is high in healthy minerals (calcium & magnesium being a couple), the TDS reading will be high.
We do have ZeroWater in the lineup to be tested very soon! Stay tuned for that video
@@waterfilterguru Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to reply. 😊
@@AnneMarieBibby1966 Happy to help!
Can’t wait for this test. How do you test it? TDS is one thing but what about all the other stuff in water? Are there other better things you can get to test water?
How do you get your water tested? Who do you send it to? Thank you for a great video. Have you heard of Clearly Filtered? If so what do you think?
We use Tap Score by Simplelab for all our testing! Check out our overview of it here: ua-cam.com/video/HC7Dw52ROr4/v-deo.html
Clearly Filtered is our top recommended water filter pitcher! Here is our full review ua-cam.com/video/Fub3Z_P77eE/v-deo.html
Thank you so much!
Thanks for your information 👍 maybe you could do a test on zero water it would be great thank you
Thanks for your suggestion! We will be testing a ZeroWater filter very soon!
ZeroWater lab test video is published! ua-cam.com/video/Ud45hxCFQyM/v-deo.html
True. But if you have a filter that can reduce TDS to like 10, at least, I can guarantee you that no bacteria will be spared or left unfiltered.
While membrane filters that reduce TDS will reduce bacteria, they shouldn't be used as to do so due to the risk of biofilm and membrane fouling.
Is there any filter that removes arsenic from the water? It seems that theres some arsenic in the water here in one part of Serbia. Also - does a really high TDS indicate unsafe water even if it’s really rich with minerals or should I say - would that mean that the amount of minerals is too high anyways (or other particles) and that it’s unsafe for drinking?
A high TDS reading alone is not enough to tell you if water is unsafe or not. For example, that TDS reading could be primarily made up of calcium and magnesium, which are both essential to human health. This is why we always recommend a full lab water analysis to get the best idea of the water situation.
As for arsenic reduction, reverse osmosis is typically the recommended treatment method. Depending on the application, it can also be reduced with activated alumina media, distillation, and anion exchange systems.
How does TDS reading compare to water hardness, what is the correlation?
The minerals that contribute to hardness also contribute to TDS (primarily calcium and magnesium).
Wanted to know, if the ones sold online like on amazon, can they be used or are inferior to the standard manual ones
Couldn't say as we've not tested every single one, but they all use basically the same technology
Hello my Tester indicate this 0419 ppm with green screen on TDS mode and 0802 us/cm red screen on EC mode I don’t understand if is good or not
EC stands for electrical conductivity, which is what the meter measures in the water. The meter calculates an estimate of TDS by multiplying the EC reading with a conversion factor.
A TDS reading of 419 PPM is high, but still within the EPA secondary standard of 500 PPM. This means there are elevated levels of dissolved substances in the water. A lab can test a sample to identify the exact types and concentrations of those substances.
Thanks for you answer.
How do you measure your water filter ? I just bought a water fliter distiller. How do I know my water is healthy to drink?
The best method to performance test a water filter would be with lab testing before/ after treatment
What kind of water filter do u recommend?
It depends on the specific situation. There is no 'one size fits all' solution for every application! This is why testing before puchasing any water treatment equipment is so vital
Is there any home option for testing those things TDS doesn't at home? Or is the only solution to have to send a sample to a lab?
Lab testing is by far the best option, as it will provide data on specific concentrations of contaminants detected, and also look for a wide range of contaminants and other analytes (hundreds)
There are cheap, at home DIY test strips, but the drawback is they don't provide any info on the specific concentration of contaminants detected, and only test for a handful of the most common contaminants (typically 10-15)
@@waterfilterguru Appreciate the response. Thank you 🙂
do if water is highly alkaline score might be even higher? but doesnt mean water is bad for you?
Sorry, it looks like part of your comment got cut off. When you refer to 'highly alkaline score' I think you mean pH reading. TDS and pH are two different water quality parameters, however they are related in that TDS can affect pH
May I ask for your input regarding distilled water, please . How much is being removed with this method. Should I buy good quality salt ( celtic salt, for example) and coconut electrolytes to add into my drinking water?
Also I understand that TDS meter isn't necessary, would you suggest good water testing home kit? I live in UK.
Distillation removes nearly 100% of everything (assuming there is a post-carbon filter). All dissolved minerals will be removed from the distilled water. Check out this article to learn all about how to remineralize distilled water: waterfilterguru.com/how-to-remineralize-distilled-water/
For testing, I'd recommend you find a local certified lab there in the UK. Lab testing is the only way to determine exactly what contaminants and concentrations are present. Other at home test methods (strips, kits, etc.) can give an indication as to whether or not a handful of contaminants are present, but they won't give you details on exact concentrations.
I appreciate your reply a lot . Thank you 🙏💜
You're welcome! Happy to help @@jkhuntress
But can a TDS Meter be useful for household drinking water in a developer country where it generally is said to be 'safe' to drink from the tap?
A TDS meter does not tell you if water is healthy or not
@@waterfilterguru Thanks. What can I use instead to find out whether or not our tap water is safe to drink (or has contaminants or not)?
Lab testing is the best way to determine specific types and concentrations of contaminants present
I started to feel ill after drinking water so got one of theses my tap water is well over 550 ppm and im in the mainland UK
@@turokforever007 But that 550 ppm TDS reading could primarily be made up of dissolved calcium and magnesium, both healthy minerals. No way to tell if it's unhealthy unless you lab test it
Please test woder water filters
Great suggestion! I'll add it to the list
I have watched a lot of tds test videos and I find your video to be the best so far.
I have a question that I'll be very happy if you can answer:). I wanted to store drinkable water for a long period of time ( in a proper container and proper locatin) let's say that I want to drink that water after 6 months, can a tds tester help me know if the water is still good to drink?
No. You would want to test for microbiological contaminants, which a TDS meter cannot do
@@waterfilterguru. Piece of cake. Micro-“beings” are just that..micro, which are done by boiling 🤷! If a filter can produce a TDS of 10, then I can guarantee you that no micro “guy” will survive (pass through that filter). I’ve tested a bunch using bacterial test kits and always zero bacterium. So, yes, TDS is really good.
I use the tester when I make colloidal silver water,WHICH if added WILL keep water fresh for a long time. I keep ice chests full in case of frozen pipes power outage etc. At 3 months old still good and if I'd closed it up properly and frogs hadn't defiled it ,who knows.
So does a high reading mean the water is rich in minerals? Or is low reading better?
A high TDS reading indicates a high level of dissolved solids - whether those are healthy minerals or dangerous metals you won't know unless you conduct more extensive laboratory testing.
A TDS reading can give you an indication of the water quality, but not all substances that make up TDS are harmful.
Does this help?
@@waterfilterguru thanks, yes. I guess it can be useful in some situations where you expect the water to have few solids.
I'd imagine a high reading from tap water in a city would most likely be bad.
@@rayrivera1830 it depends, it may or may not. The only way to know for certain is to lab test a sample
What is the benefit of testing TDS?
Testing the total dissolved solids (TDS) in water can give you an idea if water is fit for consumption, requires filtration, or is highly contaminated and requires additional lab testing.
I work in a lab that's test TSS every day. I would never rely on that meter.
TSS or TDS? or both? But yeah, too many people simply don't understand that a TDS reading alone doesn't really provide much info, and certainly doesn't determine if the water is healthy or not
@@waterfilterguru TSS
The country you live in should have a chart of what is safe.
A total dissolved solid could include healthy minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, etc.. and/or toxic ones. TDS meters do not pick up on anything measured in parts per BILLION, only those that show in parts per million. So......basically they are a poor tool to tell me much of anything regarding the quality of the water I am drinking.
This is why a TDS reading alone should not be used to determine if water is safe or not. This is a common misconception, which led us to make this video.
Lab testing with a certified lab is the only way to get the complete, full picture of the situation!
Still useful and cheap! Water quality tests that are legit are $300+!
Cheap for a reason. You really should have your water test by a lab if you have high tds. I have a private well and still have the water lab tested every two years. @@Onlyinbean
The government certified that TDS below 50 is safe. Take your vitamins, far better than drinking public water. Trust me. Remember, our water doesn’t come from natural resources.
What constitutes bad or unsafe water means “solute.” So, yes TDS meters are the best indicator approved by the government. I prefer zero water and take my vitamins. City water is yuck 🤮!
I dont understand why it wouldn't measure bacteria since that is a solid
??
Because a TDS meter works by measuring the electrical conductivity of a solution.
They use two electrodes that are placed in the water being tested. When voltage is applied across these electrodes, the ions in the solution conduct electricity, and the meter measures the conductivity. Based on the conductivity reading, the TDS meter estimates the concentration of dissolved solids in the water. Bacteria themselves are not conductive and so are not detected with this method.
@@waterfilterguruok thanks so much.
I think that's why it can't measure if there is poison or not. Or may be it is calibrated Zero in distilled water. Also there are poisons that are very lethal in small quantities (i. e. 1 to 300) which falls inside the safe drinking water range upto 300, prescribed by WHO
Correct, a TDS meter can give an indication to the quality of water, but it does not provide specific details about the contaminants present and whether or not water is health.