Combining water treatments (last post didnt work!)

[Billy1]

Hi guys I posted this a couple of days ago but for some reason my post isnt actually there so sorry about that I'll try again lol

I am looking for a water purifier that will treat everything, including chemicals and polutants from pesticides and factorys etc. as well as viruses. At first I was going to go for the First Need XL - treats everything as far as I can tell. Downsides are cost, weight and cartridge life (just 300 gallons).

So I then looked at the MSR Miniworks - cheaper, lighter and a 2000 gallon cartridge life. Only downside is that is doesn't elliminate viruses. So.. I thought combine it with something like Aquamire Drops (chlorine dioxide) or Oasis (Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate) to get rid of the viruses.

The MSR has a "block carbon core" and is supposed to get rid of chemicals INCLUDING chlorine. Would this negate the effect of the drops / tablets? If I filtered the water with the MSR first and then added the drops afterwards would that be better? Or is my only option boiling or UV?

Cheers

 

[Billy1]

Sorry got the figures wrong, I meant litres not gallons

 

[British Red]

The answer is yes, you must filter then add your chlorine source. Even if you leave a long time between treatments, pre filtration the virus could be inside a soil particle and so "shielded". Either boiling or bleach or tablets post filtration will kill viruses - your choice

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I would say avoid the mini works. Plastic handles have a habit of snapping when you most need them. The best filters in my eyes have no moving parts. I have a thirst aid bag and a drink safe systems explorer canteen.

Many will reccomend a lifesaver bottle but to me it needs pressurizing and its just something to go wrong. I always try and pre filter water through a millbank bag or even a clean piece of cloth just to prolong the filter life.

Both of the above ones i have remove everything

Edit: as a bonus the filter head from the explorer canteed also fits on a 10 litre ortlieb bladder for base camp situations

 

[Billy1]

I would say avoid the mini works. Plastic handles have a habit of snapping when you most need them. The best filters in my eyes have no moving parts. I have a thirst aid bag and a drink safe systems explorer canteen.

Many will reccomend a lifesaver bottle but to me it needs pressurizing and its just something to go wrong. I always try and pre filter water through a millbank bag or even a clean piece of cloth just to prolong the filter life.

Both of the above ones i have remove everything

Edit: as a bonus the filter head from the explorer canteed also fits on a 10 litre ortlieb bladder for base camp situations

I have just looked at both and they both look great I would be concerned with the Drink Safe Explorer Canteen that it would be difficult to use for filling up containers for multiple people, also having looked at a few reviews, a few people have complained about leaking.

The Thirst Aid Bag however looks perfect and I would definetly get one of those rather than the MSR Miniworks

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Ive never had leaks with the explorer canteen and as i say if you screw the filter head on an ortlieb 10 litre bladder its great for groups

The thirst aid bag is cracking though

 

[Billy1]

Ive never had leaks with the explorer canteen and as i say if you screw the filter head on an ortlieb 10 litre bladder its great for groups

The thirst aid bag is cracking though

Ah I see in that case I might go for that one then as it has a much longer filter life

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Filter life is very subjective. If you put grubby water through it you will get a very small potential of the stated life. Thats why I always pre filter if the water source is poor. Generally though most water you come across isnt too bad.

Customer service with drink safe is excellent. The guy phoned me to tell me he'd dispatched it. Was very helpful answering questions.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[BillyBlade]

I have the first need xl-I would go as far as to say it's the best piece of kit I own. It truly does take water that looks like death in a puddle and puts it out the other end tasting like perrier.

It is the only one that takes out every single nasty thing and treats the water for taste also. Can you tell I'm a fan yet?

You can also use the supplied bag with it to let it drip through the filter and purify the water while you go do something else. Very handy indeed.

Ignore the stated filtration capacity if you pre filter the solids before you filter it. If you are using typical British river water it'll be good for a lot longer.

Great kit. I take mine in my travel bag when I go abroad, as you cant always trust the water.

I got my first one as a swop from some american servicemen, and the only reason the Brit army didnt go for it in the 2010 tests were cost.

If you go for it, you'll not regret it

 

[petrochemicals]

there are lots of choices, but as others have stated they are only as good as there failure rate. If you have a more capable filter you will be inclined to use more rancid water, and when your filter fails, the effect will be even more catastrophic. Ceramic filters can crack, others can fail in there own ways. from what I've read chemicalfilter and then charcoal(brittafilter)or what proctor and gamble are sending to africa chemicals and flocculants combined. that pretty much crosses all boxes in a fail safe way.

edit.

The nasa inspired filters,there ok but I think nasa may run them through 3 of there filters and test them. If you use them I'd take two if I could.

 

[rg598]

This method is very commonly used. That way you don't have to use the chemicals is there is no viral threat (viruses are very rare in western countries). Any decent filter will do the job. I use the Sawyer Squeeze Filter.

However, I don't know of any filter that will remove all chemicals and pesticides. I would be very careful with that if you are in such area. For most places in the mountains a regular filter like the ones listed above will be all you need.

 

[petrochemicals]

I think my ideal filter method would be a failsafe biological management, and then a suspended matter and contaminant complete removal tool.
The nasa filters remove almost all organic matter, even yellow and green peat water, one water type that a katadyn ceramic filter fails to remove the colour from.

The filters only remove a set percentage of contaminants. One percent of a gram of uranium 238 is still going to cause you indegestion.

Lifesystems who make water chemical treatments did give away little fabric cones with there tablets to filter the problem dirt. The fabric cones obviously worked to Lifesystems standards as a pre filter and they where quick and folded to nothing. Something like the material cone, chemicals , then the msr carbon filter. But what a faff.

 

[petrochemicals]

I think my ideal filter method would be a failsafe biological management, and then a suspended matter and contaminant complete removal tool.
The nasa filters remove almost all organic matter, even yellow and green peat water, one water type that a katadyn ceramic filter fails to remove the colour from.

The filters only remove a set percentage of contaminants. One percent of a gram of uranium 238 is still going to cause you indegestion.

Lifesystems who make water chemical treatments did give away little fabric cones with there tablets to filter the problem dirt. The fabric cones obviously worked to Lifesystems standards as a pre filter and they where quick and folded to nothing. Something like the material cone, chemicals , then the msr carbon filter. But what a faff.

 

[PDA1]

when I first started researching this subject, I thought it would be really difficult to find a solution that would meet PC's need to remove heavy metal contaminants as well as biological contaminants. However, i found the following fairly recent development from P&G which meets a lot of the requirements and is pretty simple to use.
http://www.csdw.org/csdw/pur-packet-technology.shtml

The clever part is the ferric sulphate which makes the coagulant which traps and deposits the particulate matter- , heavy metals and especially cysts whcih are chlorine resistant. The calcium hypochlorite (bleach) destroys the bacteria and viruses. when treated, filter through a coffee filter (or bandana) or just decant after the coagulant has settled.

edit - additional info
A similar product - standard equipment in US military
http://www.campingsurvival.com/milwatpurtab.html

 

[Lateo]

Filter heavy particulates in water 'socks'
Filter fine particulates through micro gauze
Chlorine tablets
Neutralising tablets
Boil

Worked for me out in Iraq and Afghanistan wetlands. Plenty of the mechanical units broke or ran out of 're-fills' so you aught to have a back-up plan when the MSR breaks etc

There's a few bacteria resistant to chlorine but I would seek alternative sources before drinking from heavily contaminated wells or rivers

The biggest threat isn't contaminated water but poor hygiene and cross contaminated drinking vessels and water sources

D&V will get you faster than any zombie