hydration tube funk

[Dingus Khan]

there has been some talk about preventing tube funk/bacterial growth by covering up the exposed part with webbing/spandex/etc.
my question/thought is if one was to use a chemical purifier to sterilize the water, wouldn't it also sterilize the container in which the water was kept?

i use a bladder for storage with a gatorade bottle for drinking out of, being careful not to cross contaminate, and use aqua mira. i have a filter, just ditched it because of weight and hassle. during these hot months where drinking is more frequent i have gone back to using the tube system on my bladder for day hikes.

so whats the verdict? anyone use aqua mira and still have the slimey stuff in their tube?

[Survivor Dave]

there has been some talk about preventing tube funk/bacterial growth by covering up the exposed part with webbing/spandex/etc.
my question/thought is if one was to use a chemical purifier to sterilize the water, wouldn't it also sterilize the container in which the water was kept?

i use a bladder for storage with a gatorade bottle for drinking out of, being careful not to cross contaminate, and use aqua mira. i have a filter, just ditched it because of weight and hassle. during these hot months where drinking is more frequent i have gone back to using the tube system on my bladder for day hikes.

so whats the verdict? anyone use aqua mira and still have the slimey stuff in their tube?

After each trip, I use about 5-6 anti-bacterial denture cleaning tablets mixed with water and let it sit overnight. I remove the mouthpiece and soak it in a bowl of HOT water with a couple more tablets. Seems to work fine. The bladder needs to be scrubbed with bottle brush as well.

SD

[JERMM]

SD- I do a similar treatment after each trip and on long trips I carry a small bottle of bleach, mix a few drops with water pour in the bladder, slosh around for a few minutes and drain out through the drink tube and rinse.

[Lyle]

I usually just empty the bladder after the trip. If it's a long time before I get out again, I disassemble and let everything soak in moderate bleach water for a while, then rinse well. Not sure if this is recommended by the manufacturer's, but I've never had a problem with funk.

[Dingus Khan]

thanks guys - i use the bleach solution as well and store the combo in the freezer when not in use.
has anyone noticed the drops preventing the funk though? i am looking for a solution for on-trail maintenance/prevention for longer trips. otherwise im just going to ditch the tube and go back to bottle feeding

[Pedaling Fool]

thanks guys - i use the bleach solution as well and store the combo in the freezer when not in use.
has anyone noticed the drops preventing the funk though? i am looking for a solution for on-trail maintenance/prevention for longer trips. otherwise im just going to ditch the tube and go back to bottle feeding

Make sure you only use plain bleach, not that scented stuff.

I never cleaned my platy during my thru, never an issue, but I did make sure that fluid never sat in there for an extended period of time, even on zero days I would air it out.

[TFin04]

Plain bleach and hot water in the bladder (about half full) making sure to squeeze some through the tube and mouthpiece. Get all the air out first.

Slosh around and let sit a few hours, sometimes overnight. Rinse with clean tap water being sure to put fresh water through the tube. Roll up and secure with a rubber band, then store in the freezer. The freezer is cold enough that bacteria wont grow. Fill up for next trip and I'm off.

Works great.

[take-a-knee]

I used to have problems with camelback bladders/tubes growing funk, since I converted to platypus bladders/tubes I've not had a problem. I just rinse them with hot tap water and hang them up until they are completely dry. An antiseptic bleach solution sounds like a good idea, I've used that to clean up really funky GI canteens and it worked great.

Also, in my experience if you put anything containing sugar into anything other than a nalgene or a gatorade bottle you just screwed it up.

[rafe]

Also, in my experience if you put anything containing sugar into anything other than a nalgene or a gatorade bottle you just screwed it up.

Sweetened water will kill Nalgene as well, if it's left for too long.

[Cool AT Breeze]

I used Aqumira and still had growth in the tube.

[Lyle]

thanks guys - i use the bleach solution as well and store the combo in the freezer when not in use.
has anyone noticed the drops preventing the funk though? i am looking for a solution for on-trail maintenance/prevention for longer trips. otherwise im just going to ditch the tube and go back to bottle feeding

Just use the bleach water on a zero. Bleach is cheap.

[Bearpaw88]

thanks guys - i use the bleach solution as well and store the combo in the freezer when not in use.
has anyone noticed the drops preventing the funk though? i am looking for a solution for on-trail maintenance/prevention for longer trips. otherwise im just going to ditch the tube and go back to bottle feeding

I used aquamira for 2 months and never had any growth in my tube. I did get funk in my nalgene from drop treated water. I not sure if aquamira alone will always keep the funk out but it seemed to work for me.

[angewrite]

Every so often when I hit a town (not every time, maybe once a month) I rinsed my Nalgenes and Camelback with bleach water to kill anything funky. Don't forget to wash the cap and the threads of the Nalgene.

[Wise Old Owl]

Walmart carries a cheap cleaning brush kit, when the black bactieria builds up no chemical is going to get rid of it, you have to brush the tube. If you can't get a brush I found I can take a wire hanger & bend a small loop over a piece of tissue paper and ram it down the tube. - gets it every time.

[Bare Bear]

Another reason not to use those tubed screwups.
I have never had one that didn't eventually screw up/leak. Gatorade bottles let you see how much water you have left. Free with a cool drink purchase. Never keep em long enough to see them get funk.

[Bear Cables]

I used to have problems with camelback bladders/tubes growing funk, since I converted to platypus bladders/tubes I've not had a problem. I just rinse them with hot tap water and hang them up until they are completely dry. An antiseptic bleach solution sounds like a good idea, I've used that to clean up really funky GI canteens and it worked great.

Also, in my experience if you put anything containing sugar into anything other than a nalgene or a gatorade bottle you just screwed it up.

I too have had the scummy problem with a camelback but never with the platypus. I do clean after hike with denture cleaner and use aquamir on the trail.

[Narwhalin]

Another reason not to use those tubed screwups.
I have never had one that didn't eventually screw up/leak. Gatorade bottles let you see how much water you have left. Free with a cool drink purchase. Never keep em long enough to see them get funk.

Also the first drink isn't warm, as it always is out of a tube system...

[Wise Old Owl]

Try to avoid the Undrinkium....

[Newb]

That scum tastes great on a cracker.

[Nomad94]

That scum tastes great on a cracker.

If you put it on some agar you can have a good source of spreadable goodness for weeks. Plus, it presents an excellent opportunity to share your culture with others.

I use peroxide for cleaning toothbrush, mouthpiece, hoses. No bladder, the hose goes to a bottle. Peroxide turns to plain h20 w/i a day...