How do you know how much to use?

[Gipsy]

Before I start this post I would like to state that I really don't want this to become an argument between chemical / filter / electronic purification methods. the post is for those that have already chosen chemical purification.

With that being said................

A friend was admiring my gear and considering purchasing his own gear. He asked a lot of questions, which I answered enthusiastically. He was looking over my water purification tablets/drops/gear and asked, "How do you know how much to use?". I responded, "Just read the directions." He replied, "I am, it says dependent on temperature. So how do you measure the water's temperature?"

This never really occurred to me. So how DO you measure water temp in the field?

Different brand directions say that more chemical or time is needed with a decrease in temp or increase in turbidity.

Chlor-floc...
At 41 degrees F (5 C) two 600 milligram tablets will be required.

Polar Pure...
Water to be treated that is colder than 68° F will require longer treatment time or increased amount of iodine.

Aquamira drops...
Shake to mix. Let stand 15 minutes. If water is very cold, cloudy or tinted let stand 30 minutes.

Water temp and air temp can be two totally different things. Ground springs or mountain streams can be ice cold even on the average day. There are several options. Do you allow the water to warm naturally before treating? Do you intentionally use too much chemical/tabs and risk depleting your supply to quickly? Do you use the usual amount and risk parasites/illness? Do you use excessive fuel to boil the water pot by pot and wait for it to cool?

Here is my quick and easy solution.--- a temperature strip! I stuck one of these on my Nalgene bottle and put 2 thin coats of clear silicone over it to protect it. I can fill my bottle, instantly check the temp, and decide if any purification adjustments should be made.

If this solution appeals to you... Don't rush out to a major retailer, fish store, or pharmacy. Most of those strips only measure down to about 75 degrees (at which temp you wouldn't make any purification adjustments anyway).

I found these that measure down to 0-deg. I have the one on my bottle and one on my hiking pole for air temp.

http://www.aerostich.com/liquid-crys...re-strips.html

So what tips or tricks do you use?

[generoll]

my recollection is that Polar Pur has a temp strip on the side of the bottle. I think the issue here is the solubility of Iodine in water. The colder the water the less Iodine that is dissoved, hence the need for more solution to get the same level of Iodine into your water container.

[Gipsy]

my recollection is that Polar Pur has a temp strip on the side of the bottle. I think the issue here is the solubility of Iodine in water. The colder the water the less Iodine that is dissoved, hence the need for more solution to get the same level of Iodine into your water container.

I have a couple of bottles of Polar-Pur. they DO have temp indicator. Mine is too hard to see against the dark bottle.

The other drawback is, if you are dipping the water out of the source to use in your polar pure bottle, then you have to wait 1 hour to use it.

If you have already pre-mixed the polar pure, I suppose you could hold the bottle in the water for a minute and then quickly check the strip... if you can see it well enough.

[generoll]

yeah, the temp strips are hard to see and they seem to degrade over time. as far as waiting, I just agitate the solution to quickly dissolve the Iodine and go for it. assuming I even treat the water. I generally just carry the polar pur in my possibles sack in case I feel the need to treat. which I usually don't.

[Gipsy]

My mistake...... the strips measure from 15-deg to 100-deg F, or -9 to 38 C.

[fiddlehead]

I wouldn't worry about a temp strip.
For the most part, the water coming out of the ground is going to be aprox the same temperature as the ground. If it is not, it won't be a whole lot different.
Where I come from, that is aprox 52 deg F. (PA)
It's probably slightly higher in GA and slightly lower in ME.

The problem is that colder water takes longer to kill the bacteria with the chemical.
So, you usually have to wait until the water gets warm.
Put your drops in, then wait 20 minutes is usually my standard.

Don't sweat the clock, just get used to waiting for cold water.
If you got the water earlier, and now it's warmer, just wait 5 minutes. (like if you are at camp)
My 2 cents anyway.