View Full Version : How do you carry/dispense your bleach?
fievel2011
02-06-2011, 13:08
This applies to any chemical water treatment, really. I'm wondering what containers people use to carry and then dispense their bleach/iodine/etc.
I'm thinking maybe visine bottles or something like that. Small, seal well, easy to squirt drop-by-drop.
Other suggestions?
Thanks everyone!
Household bleach is not a popular water purification choice on the AT. Most who carry chemical treatment options, carry them in their original containers, for example AquaMira.
For bleach, I agree, a Visine bottle, or a contact lens solution bottle would be good choices.
I use micro bottles. I got some from MLD, GG and BPL....not sure why I ordered so many, and now I don't remember which is which. At least they all work well.
Nalgene makes a 2oz dropper bottle. I use it for tea tree oil.
http://www.rei.com/product/634320
otherwise I would think the small contact lens saline bottles (purse or travel size) would give you a little more volume.
I know some people that will seal a pre-measured amount sealed in small pieces of drinking straws (enough to clean the water in their 32oz water bottle)
Just remember.... straight bleach will damage gear if it gets spilled.
atraildreamer
02-06-2011, 14:11
I save sinus nasal spray bottles when they are empty. They are usually in 1 to 1 1/2 ounce capacity. I pull the round dropper tip applicator top off of the bottle, remove the attached tube, clean out the bottle and fill with whatever.
Currently, I use them to carry dish soap/hand cleaner (look for the dish soap brands that can also be used as hand soap), and bleach for water disinfection.
Since one ounce is 456 drops, at 3 drops per quart, you can disinfect 152 quarts of water (38 gallons) with a 1 ounce capacity bottle of bleach. :)
I save sinus nasal spray bottles when they are empty. They are usually in 1 to 1 1/2 ounce capacity. I pull the round dropper tip applicator top off of the bottle, remove the attached tube, clean out the bottle and fill with whatever.
Currently, I use them to carry dish soap/hand cleaner (look for the dish soap brands that can also be used as hand soap), and bleach for water disinfection.
Since one ounce is 456 drops, at 3 drops per quart, you can disinfect 152 quarts of water (38 gallons) with a 1 ounce capacity bottle of bleach. :)
I use these sprays too........ Thanks for the tip!!!!!!
Trailbender
02-06-2011, 15:08
2 oz dropper bottle, but I am building a "living pack" now, so it is going to be slightly heavier.
drastic_quench
02-06-2011, 21:06
Don't use a Visine bottle. Ingesting just a drop of that stuff can make you very sick or even kill some people. Sure, you'd rinse it out first, but don't take the chance.
StormBird
02-06-2011, 21:10
Household bleach is not a popular water purification choice on the AT.
Just to set the record straight, I knew ALOT of people that used bleach for water treatment on trail. I used it for most of my thru. :) I just used an old aquamira bottle to keep my bleach in. That Nalgene dropper looks pretty good though. :)
Camping Dave
02-06-2011, 23:14
This applies to any chemical water treatment, really. I'm wondering what containers people use to carry and then dispense their bleach/iodine/etc.
I'm thinking maybe visine bottles or something like that. Small, seal well, easy to squirt drop-by-drop.
Other suggestions?
Thanks everyone!
Original containers, either aquamira or iodine tabs.
mweinstone
02-06-2011, 23:27
yall needs matthewski on thisy here.listen up.
bleach comes in bleach bottles marked bleach to keep it identifiable
bleach comes in all kinds that may look like regular unscented but are either splash proofed with an agent or other new conveinyent subletys hard to identifi and easy to ingest harmfully.
putting bleach in water is not as safe as all other types of aqua mira and such for the reason that more money was spent on the safe developement of the trail treatment drops of those sorts. the emergency information on the original bottle is critical to preserve.
chemicals of all types must be given the utmost respect, as there dangerouse.
no water treatment drops are good for you. they all hurt your flora in your small intestine and cause hard water issues if used indefinatly. all should be used for a time and unused for a time to allow water to be consumed of a purer nature. 2 weeks is all your body really can handle without a small break or your really running the engine hard so to say.
the bottles they come in are very very important to use. do not rebottle these chemicals for any reason.
if you went looking to get sick on the AT from untreated water you would have slim to none chances of finding any but the purest finest water anywhere in the east.
you have fear of untreated water because you cant prove to yourself that all the water on the AT is safe because you have fear of untreated water.
fiddlehead
02-06-2011, 23:55
I use a visine bottle.
Rarely use the stuff anymore, just drink the water as long as you find a good source (seep, drip, etc) but carry it just in case.
One drop is all i've ever used (per litre) and WAIT (till the water gets warm)
swjohnsey
02-07-2011, 09:15
The little bottles that food coloring comes in also work well.
Trailbender
02-07-2011, 09:24
yall needs matthewski on thisy here.listen up.
bleach comes in bleach bottles marked bleach to keep it identifiable
bleach comes in all kinds that may look like regular unscented but are either splash proofed with an agent or other new conveinyent subletys hard to identifi and easy to ingest harmfully.
putting bleach in water is not as safe as all other types of aqua mira and such for the reason that more money was spent on the safe developement of the trail treatment drops of those sorts. the emergency information on the original bottle is critical to preserve.
chemicals of all types must be given the utmost respect, as there dangerouse.
no water treatment drops are good for you. they all hurt your flora in your small intestine and cause hard water issues if used indefinatly. all should be used for a time and unused for a time to allow water to be consumed of a purer nature. 2 weeks is all your body really can handle without a small break or your really running the engine hard so to say.
the bottles they come in are very very important to use. do not rebottle these chemicals for any reason.
if you went looking to get sick on the AT from untreated water you would have slim to none chances of finding any but the purest finest water anywhere in the east.
you have fear of untreated water because you cant prove to yourself that all the water on the AT is safe because you have fear of untreated water.
As a Geology student, I know water coming directly out of the rock is safe to drink. If I cannot see the source, I treat it. Also, you can pretty much drink bleach water indefinitely without harm. You are referring to iodine with the two week thing. Aquamira is there for the same reason as stoves. You can burn esbit tabs on a piece of sheet metal like I do, but some people prefer to buy a nice shiny stove. They both do the same thing, but the companies want you to feel like you got more if you spend more. The water purification companies would be out of business if everyone started using bleach.
mweinstone
02-07-2011, 10:46
your post make little sence. water coming out of anywhere could be bad. its not good cause its comming out of a rock. its a mathamatical equation that predicts water quality. any source 1000 feet above the nearest man made structure or road is usually safe. esbit dosnt burn as efficiently on a peice of foil as a well thaught out stove. bleach water is terrible for all liveing things. iodine use is not being confused with anything. all water can be pooped in or spilled in or naturally poisonous. its just that we have almost none of that on the AT. places like brassy creek are well known and taste so harsh folks dont drink it.
Trailbender
02-07-2011, 11:13
your post make little sence. water coming out of anywhere could be bad. its not good cause its comming out of a rock. its a mathamatical equation that predicts water quality. any source 1000 feet above the nearest man made structure or road is usually safe. esbit dosnt burn as efficiently on a peice of foil as a well thaught out stove. bleach water is terrible for all liveing things. iodine use is not being confused with anything. all water can be pooped in or spilled in or naturally poisonous. its just that we have almost none of that on the AT. places like brassy creek are well known and taste so harsh folks dont drink it.
It is geology, look up water tables, ect. That water has filtered through hundreds of feet of rock, it is far cleaner than you could get out of a filter.
Bleach water is fine at the level of dilution, as far as danger is concerned. Esbit burns well, it boils my water with half a tab, and I get 24 burns out of 6 oz of fuel. It is the best and simplest stove I have ever seen.
It is geology, look up water tables, ect. That water has filtered through hundreds of feet of rock, it is far cleaner than you could get out of a filter.
Not always. I've had water from a rock that's only come a few feet through rock.
Trailbender
02-07-2011, 17:51
Not always. I've had water from a rock that's only come a few feet through rock.
I meant an actual spring. The water filters through porous rock layers of an aquifer. Even coming a few feet through rock it is pretty clean.
It's not always easy to tell the difference, especially if it has rained recently. Granted, if you're calling yourself a geologist, then it's easy for you, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell others to attempt to do the same thing.
Trailbender
02-07-2011, 18:29
It's not always easy to tell the difference, especially if it has rained recently. Granted, if you're calling yourself a geologist, then it's easy for you, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell others to attempt to do the same thing.
Yeah, it does become an issue with a rain, but if I am not completely sure, I treat it.
Amigi'sLastStand
02-07-2011, 18:33
Mr Weinstone is correct.
No chemical water purification system is meant for long term use. The FDA's guidelines for chemical treatment injestion is six weeks MAX, with 30 days on no chemical intake.
Use a filter.
Trailbender
02-08-2011, 09:07
Mr Weinstone is correct.
No chemical water purification system is meant for long term use. The FDA's guidelines for chemical treatment injestion is six weeks MAX, with 30 days on no chemical intake.
Use a filter.
Actually it is not, I used bleach for 4 months straight with no issues. 2oz vs 16 oz for filter, as well.
milkman91
02-12-2011, 10:08
Bleach isnt going ti hurt you it tastes like city water which im sure most of you all are familiar with. I treated 1 of every 10 bottles of water with bleach in my last thru hike and nothing happened. All water sources right from the rock are indeed safe to drink. I have drank water from the Potomac river near Harpers Ferry where the fish aren't even recomended to eat. expose yourself to enough natural water and you will be fine. What do you think people drank 200 years ago no fancy msr water filters or aquamira and they were fine.
. What do you think people drank 200 years ago no fancy msr water filters or aquamira and they were fine.
What people drank 200 years was most decidedly more pure than the surface water of today because of polution from manufacturing, modern farming practices (chemical fertilizers) and density of todays population. We as a people today have a "softer" gut, as we have been many years away from the likes of many bacteria, cysts and spores that our fore fathers were used to and hence lost our natural immunity to such things. One could again develop or awaken those immunities again if you are willing to put up with some GI distress but some things like ourselves have evolved and could make you extremely sick. I for one will err on the safe side. HYOH
What do you think people drank 200 years ago no fancy msr water filters or aquamira and they were fine.
Bacteria and viruses were around back then too. People were getting sick from water back then too.
fiddlehead
02-12-2011, 20:42
. We as a people today have a "softer" gut, as we have been many years away from the likes of many bacteria, cysts and spores that our fore fathers were used to and hence lost our natural immunity to such things. HYOH
I agree totally with this (above) statement.
But, the more you hike, the less "soft" your gut is.
You do become immune to some bacteria if you travel a lot (especially in Asia), and hike a lot and drink the water.
I believe that more people get sick from treated water than folks who have learned how to find a good source for their drinking.
Of course, this subject has been thrashed about numerous times on whiteblaze as I'm sure the search function will allow you to see much argument.
I agree HYOH. But please refrain from dirtying water simply because you assume that everyone filters. Many don't. Keep it clean.
On June 17, 1804 William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition wrote,
"The party is much afflicted with Boils and Several have the Decissentary,
which I contribute to the water."
Chance09
02-12-2011, 23:24
I use the tiny little breath mint or candy dropper bottles. You can probabbly google them to find out what i'm talking about or if you're interested i can send you a picture. They are about .25oz and are my backup water purification method, or sometimes my only. They weight nothing and pack anywhere. They also don't leak. To fill them i squeeze out the breath mint liquid then suck water up into them a few times to clean them, squirt it out and fill them with bleach.