How long to flush new RO membrane? Simple steps to get it right!

Okay, so I just got a new RO membrane for my water filter system. I’ve heard conflicting things about how long you need to flush it before you can start drinking the water. So, I did some digging and decided to document my own experience to maybe help others out there.

Getting Started

First off, I made sure the whole system was installed correctly. That part was a bit of a pain, but nothing too crazy. Once everything was hooked up and looking good, I turned on the faucet to let the water start flowing through the new membrane.

The Initial Flush

I read somewhere online that you should let it run for at least 30 minutes, so that’s what I did. It said the water might look a little gray at first, which is normal because of loose stuff in the new filters, so I did see that but no need to be panic.

Opened the faucet: This was simple enough. Just turned it on like I normally would.
Let it run: I set a timer for 30 minutes and just let the water flow. The water did have a slight gray tint, just like the instructions mentioned.

Going the Extra Mile

But then I found some other advice saying you should run a few full tanks of water through the system before using it. This made sense to me, better safe than sorry, right? Depending on your water pressure, they said this could take like 8 to 12 hours.

Filled the tank: I let the system’s storage tank fill up completely. This took a couple of hours in my case.
Emptied the tank: Once it was full, I opened the faucet again and let all that water drain out.
Repeated: I did this a total of four times. It took most of the day, but I wanted to be thorough.

Diverting the Flush Water

One thing I saw was that you shouldn’t run the flush water through the other stages of your filter system. Just send it straight down the drain. I guess it’s to avoid messing up the other filters. Also someone said to do it for 15 mins, I also tried that. It seemed that the water became much more clear and fresh.

Disconnected the later stages: I just disconnected the tubing that goes from the membrane to the next filter stage.
Flushed directly: The water coming out of the membrane went straight into a bucket and then down the drain.

The 24-Hour Wait

I read that you should let the system sit for 24 hours after the initial flushing. That was also because they mentioned that there will be sanitization and I shouldn’t drink that water. Okay then, I just let the system chill for a full day, then flushed one more tank, just to make sure everything was squeaky clean.

Final Thoughts

So, that’s how I flushed my new RO membrane. It might seem like a lot, but I figured it’s better to be safe when it comes to drinking water. It did take a good chunk of time, but now I feel confident that my water is good to go! Hope this helps someone else out there who’s wondering about the same thing.