Why a TDS meter won't measure the effectiveness of your shower filter
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids — a measure of the total concentration of dissolved substances in water, typically expressed in parts per million (ppm). TDS meters work by measuring the electrical conductivity of water: dissolved mineral salts carry an electrical charge, and higher conductivity indicates more dissolved solids.
What TDS meters can and can't detect
TDS meters are useful for detecting dissolved minerals and salts — things like calcium, magnesium, sodium and other compounds that carry a positive or negative electrical charge.
However, the chemicals that aquabliss shower filters are specifically designed to reduce — chlorine, chloramine, organic compounds and similar disinfection byproducts — do not carry a meaningful electrical charge. They don't affect the conductivity of the water, so they don't show up in TDS readings.
Put simply: a TDS meter cannot detect chlorine or chloramine. Using one to test whether your shower filter is working will give you a reading that tells you nothing about filtration effectiveness. Customers often see a similar or even identical TDS reading before and after filtering and assume the filter isn't working — but the TDS reading is simply measuring the wrong thing.
How to accurately test your filter's effectiveness
To verify that your aquabliss shower filter is reducing chlorine as intended, use either:
- Chlorine test strips — inexpensive, widely available from hardware stores. Dip in the water before and after filtering and compare the colour change against the scale provided.
- A chlorine colorimeter — a more precise instrument that gives a numerical ppm reading. Available online and from water testing suppliers.
These tools measure what actually matters — chlorine and chloramine concentration — and will give you a clear, reliable indication of how much your filter is reducing.
Signs the filter is working, beyond testing
If you'd rather observe than test, the following changes are reliable indicators that your aquabliss shower filter is doing its job:
- The chlorine smell in your shower is reduced or absent
- Your skin feels less dry or itchy after showering
- Your hair feels softer and more manageable
- Your nails are less brittle
- Soap, shampoo and body wash lather more readily — chlorine inhibits lathering, and filtered water allows products to work more efficiently