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View Full Version : For those who don't use filters...some help please



hikernutcasey
01-08-2013, 14:59
I would like to hear everyone's best solution to removing the "floaties" when using Aqua Mira. How do you keep out the loose particles? I've heard coffee filters but do they work good? I'm thinking of making the switch from a filter to Aqua Mira but don't really like the thought of drinking dirt in my water!

Feral Bill
01-08-2013, 15:16
Don't drink the floaties. Drink extra protein and fiber.

Praha4
01-08-2013, 15:29
here's a neat youtube video by Pacowarabi on using a gatorade bottle and bandana to get water from shallow sources, and a modified plastic funnel with a bandana as a prefilter for a Steripen, of course could be used with Aqua Mira. It's cheap and easy to use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7diwHZ3pxTE

Slo-go'en
01-08-2013, 15:33
Cheese cloth, most commonly found in the paint department these days! Coffee filters don't last long, thier designed to fall apart after one use.

Dogwood
01-08-2013, 15:43
Bandana or bit of cheesycloth. Be careful pulling floaties into your drinking water in the first place. It's not like floaties are the same as the little fish, mosquito larvae, little frogs, tadpoles, and snails that I've seen floating around in my hastily scooped up trail drinking water.

daddytwosticks
01-08-2013, 16:30
I use the small tiny no-see-um mesh bag (about 4" by 5") that I store the Aqua-mira in. Double it over the mouth of my gatoraide bottle and dump water in from my pot/mug, then treat. Minimum floaties. :)

moldy
01-08-2013, 16:45
Try a different color of water bottle. Perhaps one that you can't see into. I have swallowed quite a few floaties and I'm still here.

konradchen
01-08-2013, 17:09
Been strictly using aquamira liquid for a couple of years now, after experimenting with filters, steripens, tabletsand other methods. A regular old cotton bandana has worked great for me when dealing with floaties. Site selection also helps.

hikernutcasey
01-08-2013, 17:11
Thanks for the info. - Follow up question - Do most of you carry some sort of cup or something to dip water with when the source is really shallow? It looks like that's what the guy in the video is doing.

Praha4
01-08-2013, 17:15
if necessary, I just use my titanium mug when the source is too shallow to use my 20 oz. gatorade bottle. I carry a 1L Powerade bottle, a 20 oz. gatorade bottle, and a 2L Platy-bottle or Evernew bladder. If its a very shallow source, you can also cut a 1L Platybottle in half and use the bottom like a small cup.

Slo-go'en
01-08-2013, 17:19
I bring down my pot if I don't know for sure what the spring looks like. It can be a long walk to the water, often down hill, and you don't want to go back for a scoop!

Drybones
01-08-2013, 17:33
I would like to hear everyone's best solution to removing the "floaties" when using Aqua Mira. How do you keep out the loose particles? I've heard coffee filters but do they work good? I'm thinking of making the switch from a filter to Aqua Mira but don't really like the thought of drinking dirt in my water!
18887
Take the top section of a Smartwater bottle and put a fine wire water faucet filter under the cap. Hold your finger over the hole, scoop your water, move your finger and let the water drain thru the filter into your bottle. After a month on the trail tho, you'll consider dirt a spice to add flavor to your food and drink...have a great hike.

Drybones
01-08-2013, 17:35
Try a different color of water bottle. Perhaps one that you can't see into. I have swallowed quite a few floaties and I'm still here.

That fiber will help keep you regular.

Ironbelly
01-08-2013, 18:00
The best items I have found in order of best to worst: Metal mesh coffee filter, cheesecloth, bandanna

The metal coffee filter works the best, but weighs the most at 1oz. I am perfectly comfortable with just using a bandanna though, It works for me.

Omaha_Ace
01-08-2013, 18:07
Sand and ground charcoal.

buldogge
01-08-2013, 19:07
I like the smallest size biodiesel cloth filters...I buy them in a 2-pack from an Amazon seller for like $8.

-Mark in St. Louis

evyck da fleet
01-08-2013, 20:48
I carried a bandana but never used it. I avoided floaties, like mosquitos and bugs, but occassionally found some dirt or sand had made its way to the bottom of my Gatorade bottle. I just didn't drink all the water to avoid as much if not all the dirt until I could find a better source. A little dirt or leaf particle isn't a big deal. I was more concerned when the water was stagnant or discolored.

As for shallow water sources, I would fill up one Gatorade bottle as much as I could, which sometimes amounted to nothing more than the length of my fingernail from the bottle of the bottle, and dump it into the other bottle until I filled one bottle. At least then I had 2L of water until I could find the next accessible source.

Papa D
01-08-2013, 21:55
I really don't find too many "floaties" but with water that is prone to have a few, a bandana seems to handle it fine

daddytwosticks
01-09-2013, 08:25
I bring down my pot if I don't know for sure what the spring looks like. It can be a long walk to the water, often down hill, and you don't want to go back for a scoop! Agree! :)

moldy
01-09-2013, 09:58
For very shallow pools when desperate for water I have used my water bottle cap to slowley dip what I needed one tablespoon at a time. You can get better advice from the PCT CDT. They tell stories about licking wet rocks.

Mr. Bumpy
01-09-2013, 11:08
I fill up a a three liter nalgene bag, let things settle, hen decant. It takes a little time, but then I take my time.

maybe clem
01-11-2013, 23:48
Cut off bottom of a plastic bottle to scoop, bandana to filter.

hermit1970
01-12-2013, 10:30
Check out this post. She uses a piece of nylon stocking to pre-filter. It's lightweight and cheap. I'll plan to adopt this practice next time I'm out there.
http://jermmsoutside.com/2013/01/02/diy-ultralight-pre-filter/

Nooga
01-12-2013, 10:52
I used household bleach on my thru hike last year. I don't remember having to use a bandana for floatees. I would try to pick a good site and was careful not to disturb the sediment on the bottom. Also, if the site was deep enough, I would insert the bottle open end down and then invert under the water to avoid the floatees on the surface.

SunnyWalker
03-03-2013, 16:23
Praha: Thanks, that was a good little vid and I got some good ideas. Remember when you do have "floaties" that one might need to put in additional Aqua Mira. This is because, as I read in a report on this, that some of the bacteria, etc., adhere and even penetrate the "floaties". The additional AM is needed to bring the strength of the solution up to "penetrate" the floatie and kill the little buggers!

Pingus
03-03-2013, 18:41
Maybe I've just been fortunate. And I've dipped water from every source y'all have. But I've never had a problem with floaties. You can see them when you dip and when they get too close you pull your bottle back. As far as treating water... bleach drops.... none if it's good water 5 drops per 3L if the water looks sketchy. I've never gotten sick from my water, nor has any hiker I've ever known who uses a similar method.