aquamira vs filter

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Grampahawk

 
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aquamira vs filter

by Grampahawk » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:33 pm

Forgetting weight,bulk, and taste considerations, and also assumining that we are using clear water or glacier melt is there any significant difference in using a filter like a Hiker Pro vs Aquamira as far as the spectrum of stuff they protect you against? I understand using Aquamira for glacier travel and in freezing temps, but for most of my other hiking I can find a decent stream and I'm thinking about forgettng the filter.

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ExcitableBoy

 
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Re: aquamira vs filter

by ExcitableBoy » Thu Aug 29, 2013 12:04 am

Filtering does a great job at removing protozoans and most bacteria but not virus particles which are usually not a concern in North America. Aquamira (chlorine dioxide) is good at deactivating virus particles and bacteria, but requires a longer contact time (up to 4 hours or longer in turbid or cold water) to deactivate protozoan cysts and oocysts. ClO2 will eventually kill all the wee little beasties (that's a technical term) but most folks, myself included, don't want to wait 4 hours to drink water.

That said, most water quality scientists believe protozoans are relatively rare in the high country, although for some reason are significantly more prevalent in streams in the far North (Canada, Russia, Alaska). I think most people, myself included, make the choice between chemicals and water filters based on convenience, weight, bulk, taste, and destination (outside of N.A. I would personally use a filter and ClO2), rather than actual differences in efficacy.

There is a really excellent article that discusses the various organisms and water treatment options here on SP.

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MoapaPk

 
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Re: aquamira vs filter

by MoapaPk » Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:06 am

When I backpack into a site, I usually have 1-2 liters of "clean" water with me. I typically treat 3 liters immediately with ClO2, and typically don't have to use them till the next morn. 20-40 minutes to kill the typical protists, longer to kill Cryptosporidium and other nasties.

On the occasions when I carry a stove, I just boil the coffee or dinner water direct from the source.

If the water comes from well above the human-accessible zone, or (say) directly from snowmelt, I may not treat at all.

ClO2 does leave a taste. Iodine left a taste, but you could add ascorbic acid (or another easily oxidized organic) after 40 minutes and there was little taste. Maybe the same is true of ClO2, but I haven't tried that yet.

I never used to treat the clear streams in the Adks, Greens or Whites. Then in 1974, I happened to camp downstream from a cow pasture (not known to me!) in Vermont. I had "gastroenteritis" for 6 months -- may have been Giardia, Crypto, or any number of other nasties. Back then they mainly treated the symptoms (Lomotil).

In 1984, I was working on a scientific drilling project near Inyo Domes in the Sierra. There was a guy in charge of getting us fresh water every day, but one day he got lazy and just dipped out of the stream. Upstream was a shepherd with a large herd of sheep. Shortly after, I got what was probably Giardia, and once again, the docs mainly treated the symptoms. Years later I was given a course of flagyl.

If you get the ClO2 tabs in the super-tough packets, be sure you have a way of opening the packets when your hands are cold/tired or your teeth aren't willing.

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seb

 
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Re: aquamira vs filter

by seb » Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:17 pm

Filters freeze and crack in the cold so beware of them as mentioned earlier aquamira requires to long the best option is unfortunately to just boil it is probably the best option.


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