If you haven’t heard about ZeroWater, you’re missing out so much! The filters produced by this company are high-quality supplies ideal for the kitchen due to the five-stage technology to get contaminants out of your daily water.

Although, if you’re here, that probably means that you have used these filters in the past and encountered an issue you didn’t expect: an awful fish smell on the water.

There are good news and bad news. The good news is that you’re not alone, as many people have encountered the same problem before. However, the bad news is that getting rid of that smell requires plenty of patience and time.

To understand what causes the fish smell, we have to learn how these water filters work. Let’s start from there.

The ZeroWater Filter, What Is It?

These filters come from the ZeroWater company, which is one of the most popular when it comes to water purification. The ZeroWater filters feature an Ion Exchange system for water filtration, trapping solids from sources like the tap. Additionally, these devices make the water taste pretty good.

Another reason why these filters are great is that they work just fine without us interfering with the plumbing system. The five-step system for filtering water guarantees a safe water source to drink, use in the kitchen, and many other typical purposes around the house.

Here are some of the best products from ZeroWater:

How Do The Five-Step System Work?

During the first filtration stage, the water goes through the coarse filter screen, which features a high-quality infusing carbon micro cloth. As the water passes through the screen, elements like particles and sediments get filtered. Then, the water continues its way to the second stage.

For the second stage, the filter has the water going through the foam distributor. This piece is capable of spreading the water all over the filter, which ends up removing many more contaminants out of the water. You could think of it as a secondary filtration system. Then, onto the third stage.

The third stage makes good use of carbon and oxidation, and they work in a system of multi-layers. It may not sound like it, but the carbon is highly capable of reducing pollutants. On the other hand, the oxidation-reduction alloy secures there is no chlorine nor metals in the water.

Those elements mentioned above have another purpose, and that is keeping mold formations away. Or, at least that’s what they should do because one of the reasons for that unpleasant fish smell is that these elements don’t work as they should. We’ll get into this issue in the next section.

As for the next stage, the system filters water through the ION Exchange resin, a dual technology that is one of the reasons why many people like ZeroWater devices. ION Exchange ensures that no ion exists on the water, completely purifying it.

Finally, in the last stage, the filter uses an ultra-fine screen combined with non-woven membrane layers.

These elements do nothing more than delivering the final blow to any contaminant that could’ve survived the previous measures. After this process, your water will be in perfect condition.

The five-stage filtration system ensures there is no chlorine, sediments, ions, and metals, among many other particles that could be dangerous for our health. That’s why these products are a must-have for many people, especially if you care deeply about what you put into your body.

What Is Causing That Fish Smell in the ZeroWater Filter?

There’s no denying of ZeroWater’s efficiency when it comes to purifying water. However, there may come a time when you try to get your water, and for some reason, this unpleasant, fish smell comes out of the filter. What are the reasons that could cause this issue?

First, let’s start by saying that while some people have this problem with their ZeroWater, some other customers never get the misfortune of experiencing this.

The fishy smell could originate from several reasons. Nonetheless, the most common one is because the filters usually have anion resins, which are responsible for releasing trimethylamine. That’s what we know as the nasty rotten fish odor.

Of course, the trimethylamine amount that gets released depends on some other minerals and the pH levels present on the water source. While they’re not necessarily bacteria, they do create the perfect combination to create that odor we dislike so much.

That’s why, as we mentioned above, some people notice the odor while some other customers don’t. After checking out comments left by previous customers, it can be said this nasty smell is something that, unfortunately, a lot of people have to experience while using their ZeroWater filters.

Many years ago, the manufacturer actually addressed this issue on their website. It was pretty clear that they were well aware of the problem. However, sometime after that, the company removed any mentioning of the problem. Probably, due to the effect it had on their sales.

How to Get Rid of the Fishy Smell?

Unfortunately, there’s no clear method to remove that odor. By reading opinions from previous customers, many of them have their unique ways of cleaning their filters. After trying the cleaning methods those customers mentioned, the following proved to get rid of the smell for some time.

What you want to do is check the filter. Wash the plastic parts thoroughly by using an ammonia-lemon solution to soak them. Let them rest overnight and then rinse the parts. You may have to replace the filter too.

It’s not a definitive solution, as it is quite possible that the smell returns after a couple of weeks, perhaps it could work for your ZeroWater filter.

Final Words

Fish odor in your ZeroWater filter is not an isolated event. We’d go as far as saying that, under some specific circumstances, it is a problem that you’ll have to face inevitably while using these filters. If you want to avoid it, do regular maintenance on the unit from time to time.

Moreover, if you want a suggestion on which ZeroWater product you should buy, we suggesting this amazing water filter pitcher:

Last update on 2023-03-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. WaterFilterly is user-supported. We might receive a commission on any purchase you make through clicking links on this page.