please school me about water tablets

[slightly disturbed]

I would like to know what have you used to purify water buy using tablets, Iodine (crystals or liquid) or chlorine. Please include all the info you can as I am kinda on the dumb side. And I want to turn a goodwill water bottle along with some tabs into drinkable water for people who need it

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[jdub75]

Is your goal to purify clear water when you are hiking or camping? Or more for emergencies while at home? I would recommend multiple ways to filter/purify. I keep iodine tablets in our emergency kits & camper, which will work good when a source of clear water is available. I keep a filtration system at home for more long term/higher volume filtration from just about any source of water as long as it is not polluted with chemicals. It will make drainage ditch murky water safe.

 

[parallax]

tablets, take a long time to break down, and some of the lower quality one never really break down in a timely manner....I like using the liquid iodine,and a few small syringes to measure out the iodine.( 2 small bottles of iodine lasts about a month in the jungle.) and use 2 quart bottles.and an msr water filter that screws on the top of the plastic quart jars. have one already treated, and after you drink one, you can treat that one, and have a quart of treated water available while waiting 20 to 30 minutes on the newly treated one. tablets are easier to haul around, but they take a long time to break down in the water. before drinking, make sure you splash a little of the treated water around the lip of the quart jar to wash off anything on the lip.( i like to turn the quart jar upside down and crack the lid a little bit and swash it around. anywho, thats what i like using..

 

[Burt Gummer]

Always have PLAIN Clorox bleach on hand also. The one without any additives, perfumes or gels added. Purodene is even better (improves taste, doesn't taste like a swimming pool.)

A couple teaspoons of beach in a 5-gallon bucket of water overnight will kill most anything. There is bleach in the tap water you have been drinking your whole life so don't sweat it.

Research MMS Miracle Water to purify water also; better than 'bleach.' Controversial because it not only purifies water, but can be taken in a mix that 'will' kill ills/viruses in your body. About three years ago I was coming down with a brutal flu/fever w/ about a 103 temp late at night and I took three doses of MMS and the next morning I felt like a million bucks. It is gross though, tastes awful. You can take it with certain juices like prune juice that have zero vitamin C in it. VC kills it. The juice takes the bite out of it. If you try it, start slow. I said screw it and took high doses like the impulsive, careless person I often am lol.

You will see all sorts of FDA warnings and 'scam alerts' about MMS. Well, what do you except when a product that is almost free threatens 80% of the drugs you'd see at Rite Aid and billions in profits? We all know the pharms control the FDA, or at least people should know that by now. That, and Vitamin B-17 will kill you lol.

The amount you would use to purify water is much lower than taking a direct dose and is a lot healthier than the iodine or bleach route (IMO).

http://www.mineral-solutions.net/mms-1

 

[TapRackNGo]

I prefer Katadyn Micropur tablets to iodine because I can't stand the taste of iodine. I have used both. I also use a Kadadyn Pocket Filter which is heavy and pumps slower that some of the other models but it's bomb proof (relatively speaking) and used by the Swiss Military. I have seen quite a few of the plastic filters break.

 

[nwdrifter]

For large amounts make bleach with pool shock.

Purchase 78% granular calcium hypochlorite at a pool supply store... cost 3 to 4 dollars. I could not find it local (only 49%) so I ordered it online. It will be labeled as pool shock. Make sure it has no other ingredient.
Keep it sealed and dry. It does have an explosive quality but such activity is rare. Store away from heat in a sealed container with general fire precautions. (This is why they it's hard to find 78% anymore.) Fewer problems with lower percentages. It will also rust metal so don't store it next to anything you like. I have stored pool shock in the shed for years in a box; it does eat the packaging over time. Its cheep so replace it every couple years. Many water purification facilities use this material. It is listed safe for consumption when properly diluted.

First you want to make a bleach

Dissolve 1/2 heaping teaspoon granules into a one gallon jug (4 liters)
this is now bleach used to purify large amounts of water. It's a good idea to label this jug so no one drinks the bleach


Make this bleach solution in small amounts as it will degrade over time. So make enough for a week or two at a time. All bleach loses its erectness over as little as 6 month to a year.

To purify water add one part of this bleach from your jug to 100 parts water.
So one cup (8oz) would purify 6.25 gallons. 2 cups (16 oz) to 12.5 gallons One gallon purifies 100 gallons of water

Let the mixture sit for one hour before drinking. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the water by pouring from one container to another a few times until the odor is gone."

A one pound bag will purify 10,000 gallons of water.
1 gallon bleach to 100 gallons water
1/2 gallon bleach to 50 gallons water
1/4 gallon (1qt) bleach to 25 gallons water
2 cups bleach to 12.5 gallons water
1 cup bleach to 6.25 gallons water

If you are using true store bought bleach that's not old use this calculation

1 Gallon water is disinfected by 8-16 drops of regular household bleach (visually about 1/4 of a teaspoon) - double that for cloudy water. Shake and let stand 30 minutes. One teaspoon will disinfect 5 gallons. Immediately after treating, water must initially have a slight smell of chlorine. If it does not - repeat the process.

 

[knuckle Head]

I prefer Katadyn Micropur tablets to iodine because I can't stand the taste of iodine. I have used both. I also use a Kadadyn Pocket Filter which is heavy and pumps slower that some of the other models but it's bomb proof (relatively speaking) and used by the Swiss Military. I have seen quite a few of the plastic filters break.

Agreed, but so you know the difference between the Katahdyn and iodine read hear Potable Aqua Iodine Tablets - Free Shipping at REI.com Iodine does not cryptsporedian, although it is extremely rare in the U.S. I do not of case in awhile it can occur, Iodine will however kills Giardea, which caused from people or animals urinating into a stream or water source or leaching into a water source.

I have drank water directly from a mountin stream or fresh spring many, many times and never gotten sick, but be careful there is not a beaver up hill anywhere, be cause if there is you could easily be getting giardia contamination and it sometimes does not show itself for weeks later.

CDC - Cryptosporidium

CDC - Giardia

I should have added I carry both in my get home and bug out bags, I will decide at the time what I need, for backpacking long distance and my bugout bag is my Katadyn Hiker PRO Water Filter - Free Shipping at REI.com put a coffee filter over the acorn that goes in the water and then secure it with arubber band, this will extend the life of the filter.

 

[ATCclears]

Adding self to thread to learn more...

Peter

 

[Mrand55]

This might be a dumb question, but I am curious myself and need to research up on the topic and I don't at all mean to hijack the thread at all, but where is the best/easiest place to purchase water tablets? I am a little hesitant to use bleach as it makes me a little nervous that I would screw it up. I have a creek right across the street from my house and since my bug out plan at this point is to hunker down at my main residence in most SHTF situations, that would be my first place to go to get water when it becomes a need. That being said and as I have previously stated in another thread, can these be found in the normal big box type store (Fred Meyer, Wal Mart, etc) or would I need to go to somewhere else? Like I said, I'm a newbie so take it easy on me.

 

[receo]

I always get my water purification goodies from hikelite.com. It's a family owned business located in Troutdale and he has the aqua Mira liquid drops that work great.
http://www.hikelight.com/acc_water.html

 

[slightly disturbed]

Thanks guys for all your information. and thread jackers are welcome to tag along on this ride with me. My main source of water is a hand drilled well that just might be a little "not to legal" where I live in the city. But I am more wondering for humanitarian reasons as when the poo smacks the fan I know several of my neighbors will be looking at me for water. I am fine with that and want to be as prepared as possible, also the fact that if Im out and need to get home I dont wanna poop my pants

 

[AMProducts]

Personally, I've never been too much of a fan of "single" treatment options... typically, I will use the bleach method, followed by boiling, which does a good job of removing the chlorine taste. I keep teabags in my kit, as long as I'm boiling the water, may as well make tea (or coffee).

 

[knuckle Head]

This might be a dumb question, but I am curious myself and need to research up on the topic and I don't at all mean to hijack the thread at all, but where is the best/easiest place to purchase water tablets? I am a little hesitant to use bleach as it makes me a little nervous that I would screw it up. I have a creek right across the street from my house and since my bug out plan at this point is to hunker down at my main residence in most SHTF situations, that would be my first place to go to get water when it becomes a need. That being said and as I have previously stated in another thread, can these be found in the normal big box type store (Fred Meyer, Wal Mart, etc) or would I need to go to somewhere else? Like I said, I'm a newbie so take it easy on me.

Iodine tablets can be purchased at almost any store the that stocks sporting goods / camping supplies, Walmart on up to professional extreme outdoors sports.

The Micropur type tablets are usually only available in outstoor camping, backpacking & hunting supply stores.

Places like REI, Cabela's and such sell them online or in a local store if you have one in your area.

 

[Fisher Bill]

Adding self to thread to learn more...

Peter

X2

 

[Fisher Bill]

I just remembered this from the 'What did you do today to prepare' thread, see post # 10

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/preparedness-survival/17206-what-did-you-do-today-prep.html

 

[Working 4 U]

I was Coast Guard c-130 drop and load master and we would keep 3 or 4 little packages of kool aid tucked into our flight suits to add to any water that might be a little off tasting. I also keep some stuffed in my BOBs. Never had to use them except during the 3 day survival class. I remember one guy trying to sneak a canned ham out to that class....LOL. Good info thanks guys.

 

[TapRackNGo]

I keep some single crystal light packs for the same reason. The taste doesn't bother me at all, but just for some variety.

 

[SIG383]

I keep the Katadyn tablets in my kits. I also have an older MSR filter that has never failed me. One sure option that will kill anything and everything is boiling. If I have the fuel to spare, boiling is my favourite method. Get your water to a rolling boil for about a minute and you are done. This of course works best with water that is clear, but it will kill whatever is in the water, regardless of what the water looks like. If you can collect your water in a large container beforehand, you can let sediment and such settle to the bottom and get clear water off the top to boil. The more dirty the water is when you start, the longer it will take to settle.