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Post by leadbelly on May 21, 2022 15:53:23 GMT -8
I’m replacing the ceramic filter in my MSR Miniworks. It’s 15 years old (or more), and i have been cleaning and scrubbing it for years. It’s time. It’s not the best filter in the world, slow as molasses and needs to be cleaned frequently, but it works.
anyone use Aquamira or potable aqua in addition to a filter? If so, wondering about the logic. It’s cheap and virtually weightless insurance, but i would rather not spend the $ if it’s not necessary.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on May 21, 2022 17:38:15 GMT -8
I used AquaMira for a few seasons, then gave it up except as an emergency back up in case my filter failed. Now, I don't even use it for that.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 21, 2022 17:55:18 GMT -8
No, as backup but not at the same time. Redundant. For me the entire purpose of the filter is to NOT endure the wait time while the chemical performs it’s thorough process, which a half hour to 4 hours, depending on water temperature and organism of concern. “ Treatment Time All chemical treatments take about the same amount of time. To start the process, you need to activate the liquids by pouring a few drops of bottle one and two together in the mixing cap. This activation takes five minutes. Then, once you add the activated chemicals to your water, you must wait 20 to 30 minutes for sterilization. The more turbid (or murky) the water, the longer the process will take. According to Aquamira, different organisms take longer to kill. If you are worried about Cryptosporidium, a particularly resilient protozoan, you will have to wait up to four hours. For viruses, you should wait 40 minutes. Bacteria should take the allotted time mentioned above.” www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/backpacking-water-filter/aquamira-water-treatment-dropsI’ve had a clinical lab diagnosed case of Giardia so I’ll carry the “extra” weight.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on May 22, 2022 8:27:11 GMT -8
There's a difference between filtering and purifying. Filter all water. If that water comes from a stagnant stinky cow pond then use an iodine based purifier after filtering.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 22, 2022 10:14:48 GMT -8
There's a difference between filtering and purifying. Filter all water. If that water comes from a stagnant stinky cow pond then use an iodine based purifier after filtering. I’m curious what you expect the iodine to neutralize that the filter won’t block? Cow pond water will have gut E. coli from the cows or other livestock but they’re big enough to be filtered out (and aren’t pathogenic anyway).
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 22, 2022 10:34:16 GMT -8
First a Sawyer Squeeze is like $30 and works like a charm for me. Theoretically will outlast me from its specs. So far for me a good back-washing does restore flow rate. I like paring it with a CNOC bag for my dirty water bag. Actually I fully trust my Sawyer for bacteria, protozoa, etc. Bigger, more common baddies. The only time I would think you would need to do drops after filtering is if you are worried about viruses. I believe they are tinier than the pore size of the Sawyer. I have read online that the filter may filter viruses but not by enough margin that they can safely claim that.
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on May 22, 2022 13:25:04 GMT -8
There's a difference between filtering and purifying. Filter all water. If that water comes from a stagnant stinky cow pond then use an iodine based purifier after filtering. Sometime in the recent past a woman turned up missing in Zion. Days later she popped back up and when the sheriff asked her how she had survived she told him by drinking Virgin river water. He was very skeptical saying the Virgin was full of Cyanobacteria and that would have quickly killed anyone partaking of it, Cyanobacteria can be filtered but that doesn’t remove the toxins. Boiling only ruptures the little bad boys so a bigger dose of toxins. I’m not sure if it’s easily purified either after speaking to educated folk who have tested and found the stuff. Filtering might be better than nothing if one is dying of thirst but iodine or other chemicals would just add to the flavor of the toxic concoction. It just depends on what is in your specific source so personally I’d avoid that end of the cow. Lol
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 22, 2022 14:32:48 GMT -8
I know Cyanobacteria have blooms where they make the water very toxic. It can cause massive fish die offs. Other times though they are there but the fish still live. That woman may have just gotten lucky as to when she drank it.
Another big one that filters or chemicals don't get is dissolved heavy metals. Leach from a old mine can make a water source dangerous. When I was section hiking the AT in the post industrial NE I was always happy to see frogs in my water source. They can't handle toxic water I hear.
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on May 22, 2022 14:49:50 GMT -8
There certainly is a lot to consider with water sources. We have the warm conditions for Cyanobacteria and certainly lots of mines scattered about with those warnings. We have more than 500 nights in southern Utah so it was constantly an issue. Finding a seep was the best we could do on every trip. That could be comical at times trying to reach it and get the water into huge Drom bags.
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Post by bobcat1 on May 22, 2022 20:21:49 GMT -8
Here in southeast Ohio, we have the toxic legacy of mining, mixed with agricultural use ( muddy cow ponds etc). There is some expensive sort of filter that will supposedly clear out the heavy metals and toxic sulfides, but I don’t know much about it. We usually stash gallon jugs of water at road crossings we intend to cross late in the afternoons, plenty of oil-and-gas access roads all around our region. On two of the local trails they actually truck in water to fill these tanks, that hikers can use. I filter what I take from the tanks, but plenty of people just use it without further treatment.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on May 24, 2022 10:39:03 GMT -8
To the OP question: yes I carry purifying tablets on every trip and in my day pack. For the last few years, enough for 2-3 days water in my first aid kit. I use both the pump MSR Mini-works and squeeze type filters like Sawyer. Select the type depending on the planned water sources. Rotate out the unused tabs every two years. it is a hedge against filter fail and i have filled a few times of some ranch hose and decided to insure my gut safety and treated with tablets.
Cyanobacteria is new concern in the Mountain West. I love hiking the sagebrush steppe in my area but heavy metals and alkali is a concern. Fortification Creek WSA is one of my favorite areas but all the beautiful surface water is not potable. Along with my purifying tablets I carry some Ph strips to test.
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on May 24, 2022 12:55:45 GMT -8
I went chemicals for awhile (Aqua Mira) but took too long, so discovered the Sawyer Squeeze for 3-season. Haven’t looked back except for winter (don’t want filters freezing), though thinking about maybe adding some chemicals in smaller drop bottles in case my water bottles get disgusting during a long adventure.
Of course I’ll backpack in the mountains from what’s ultimately runoff as I like following the snowmelt. Something downriver like rafting the Mississippi or mountain biking south Texas steams, think a purifier is in order.
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Post by bikehikefish on Jul 30, 2022 11:44:10 GMT -8
I’m curious what you expect the iodine to neutralize that the filter won’t block? Cow pond water will have gut E. coli from the cows or other livestock but they’re big enough to be filtered out (and aren’t pathogenic anyway). I'm late for the party, as usual, but.... Iodine kills viruses, filters do not. The CDC recommends filtering AND chemical treatment as the safest way to drink water, just as safe as boiling it. Here is the science www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/backcountry_water_treatment.html
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 31, 2022 15:09:28 GMT -8
The challenge is iodine takes a long time to work on the toughest targets: time few will actually tolerate; so they’ll shorten the time negating any protection, and it’s worse with the coldest water.
“Disinfection can be used as a pathogen reduction method against microorganisms. However, contact time, disinfectant concentration, water temperature, water turbidity (cloudiness), water pH, and many other factors can impact the effectiveness of chemical disinfection. The length of time and concentration of disinfectant varies by manufacturer and effectiveness of pathogen reduction depends on the product. Depending on these factors, 100% effectiveness may not be achieved. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed.”
Granted a stagnant cow pond isn’t your usual wilderness backpacking water source so ymmv.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Aug 2, 2022 7:27:41 GMT -8
Granted a stagnant cow pond isn’t your usual wilderness backpacking water source so ymmv. hah! Everyday in my neighborhood.
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