Aqua Mira liquid vs tablets vs Katadyn tablets

[Big Dawg]

OK, with all this recent talk about water purification, I have some specific questions regarding the above mentioned title.

On Aqua Mira's website, there is AM treatment drops (which I've used before) & AM water purifier tablets. Both are chlorine dioxide. I assume the only difference is the price hike of the convenience of tablets. However, on the site, the treatment drops only talk about killing odor causing bacteria & enhancing taste of stored water, whereas the tablets talk about killing bacteria, viruses, giardia, & crypto. Even Campmor say's about AM treatment drops... "Note: To remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium pathogens, use (#25674) Aquamira™ water bottle and filter kit". So if both are chlorine dioxide, then why doesn't treatment drops kill all? AM's website doesn't address this at all.

But even AM's website doesn't discuss how long it takes to kill each item in the tablets.

Katadyn's tablets kill all & REI's website dictates time scale. I assume Katadyn's tablets are identical to AM's tablets.

[Snowleopard]

My recollection is that the tablets provide a higher concentration of chlorine dioxide and that higher concentration is required for giardia and cryptosporidium (and 4 hours treatment time). Treatment time is longer for colder temperature water.

Because the Aquamira directions are so vague, I'd say use another brand.
"I assume Katadyn's tablets are identical to AM's tablets." Maybe if you look at the packaging for them you can see if they provide identical amounts of chlorine dioxide.

[skinewmexico]

Like Shelterleopard said. You might search BPL about it, there was a big thread with a lot of technical data a while back.

[shaggy2004]

Honestly, I wish I knew the answer to this.

All I can say is I've drank 4000 miles worth of back country water using the aqua-mira drops religiously and have never had any trouble - though the product description of "improving taste", etc always worried me somewhat and still does.

[bmwsmity]

If I'm reading it right, Aqua-mira's site doesnt state that the drops kill viruses?

I just learned the hard way using my Sweetwater pump that viruses still need to be dealt with... got a pretty nasty poisoning...luckily it was after a shakedown hike near home.

I think I'm gonna just get a Steri-Pen... if I got this sick on the trail i'd be in real trouble...

[DrRichardCranium]

I didn't know water-borne viruses were a problem. What virus did you get?

[bmwsmity]

I didn't know water-borne viruses were a problem. What virus did you get?

just assuming thats the source of my sickness... violent vomiting, runs.. the whole bit...

only possible source was the creek i filtered water out of... unless it was the Mountain House eggs and bacon? doubtful...

[Snowleopard]

...
I just learned the hard way using my Sweetwater pump that viruses still need to be dealt with... got a pretty nasty poisoning...luckily it was after a shakedown hike near home. ...

A virus is a possible cause, but bacteria is most likely, followed by giardia or cryptosporidium. The filter should remove everything but viruses and the sweetwater purifier solution should kill viruses, so something went wrong. The sweetwater solution looks like it's just bleach (sodium hypochlorite).

A breakdown in food or hand sanitation could also do that.

[bmwsmity]

A virus is a possible cause, but bacteria is most likely, followed by giardia or cryptosporidium. The filter should remove everything but viruses and the sweetwater purifier solution should kill viruses, so something went wrong. The sweetwater solution looks like it's just bleach (sodium hypochlorite).

A breakdown in food or hand sanitation could also do that.

I didnt have the sweetwater solution though... just the filter...

this was a creek in a state park in the country... probably some yahoo had their sewer running into the creek... lucky i didnt get more sick...

[Bear Cables]

My recollection is that the tablets provide a higher concentration of chlorine dioxide and that higher concentration is required for giardia and cryptosporidium (and 4 hours treatment time). Treatment time is longer for colder temperature water.

Because the Aquamira directions are so vague, I'd say use another brand.
"I assume Katadyn's tablets are identical to AM's tablets." Maybe if you look at the packaging for them you can see if they provide identical amounts of chlorine dioxide.

I have used both aquamira and katadyn tablets allowing only 30 min for clear water and have seen no difference or ill effects.

[gipcgirl]

I have used both aquamira and katadyn tablets allowing only 30 min for clear water and have seen no difference or ill effects.

I have just bought Katadyn tablets for my thru hike after having read and discussed pro's and con's of other systems.

Reason. I have used them before with no problems
It only takes 30 minutes for it to be ok to use
So easy no fuss no mess
Bit more expensive but worth it for ease of use.
Very light to carry and takes up no space

Happy hiker

[skinewmexico]

I think I'm gonna just get a Steri-Pen... if I got this sick on the trail i'd be in real trouble...

Make sure and carry some tabs for a backup.

[bmwsmity]

Make sure and carry some tabs for a backup.

i think i'm just gonna get some katadyn tabs...nice and light and fail safe... and much cheaper

[jdb]

If you add a a little Crystal Light to the water would that help the taste? I don't like our city tap water so I add Crystal Light to it and drink it that way.

Takes the off taste away!

[Bear Cables]

I use a steri-pen and love the ease of it but carry the tablets as a backup. I like the pure water taste of using the pen.

[bus]

It may be overkill; but i hike a bit down in Florida where some rivers/creeks suffer from residential yard runoff ie. pesticides and fertilizers, so i use my Katadyn Filter along with the Katadyn tablets.

The filter is good at cleaning up the tannin stained water and the tablets help kill the little critters.

I sometimes add Emergen-C powders. Like Kool-Aide one-a-day's.

[Deadeye]

I found these 2 links very informative. In a nutshell, filters (1 micron or less)are more effective than chemicals at removing cysts (Giardia, Crypto), while chemicals are very effective at neutralizing viruses and bacteria.

In other reading, it appears that cysts are the main concern in the US, we don't have widespread bacterial or viral problems.

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drin...treatment.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1349767/