Water Softener doesn't output any water

[Stingray454]

Today I tried to install a new Rheem 42,000 grain water softener. We had been having low water pressure inside the house but no issue with the hard water spigots outside. After I hooked everything up I put the manifold in bypass and turned the water back on. I had water flowing inside my house at this point. I then slowly transitioned the manifold to the water softener and the water inside stopped. When I put it back on bypass there was still no water. The only thing on the installation I messed up was that I didn't add water to the salt tank before turning it on. I even put the old manifold back on in bypass and still no water to the house. Finally I just connected the copper plumbing lines together with a flexible hose and got water back to my house.

Can anyone tell me what is going on here? are these manifolds one way only? I'm really confused how I could not get water to go through two different manifolds.

 

[TomFOhio]

Did you make sure the pipes are going in the right direction. Is it possible that the water that is suppose to be going
in could be going in the out instead.

 

[Stingray454]

Did you make sure the pipes are going in the right direction. Is it possible that the water that is suppose to be going
in could be going in the out instead.

I only installed the manifold one way, it doesn't appear as though there is a check valve making it a one way thing but I'll try anything at this point.

 

[TomFOhio]

Your softener should have arrows on it showing the water in and the water out. Just make sure that the pipes
are going in and out the correct way