This fall I will be hunting in a camp with water that is 'suspect' (isn't it all now?). Will be there about a week. Can anybody tell me exactly how to purify water with iodine? How much water with how much iodine? How long must it set before it is then safe to use? For the weeks worth of water, should it be purified all at once up front and stored or should we pruify it as needed? Thanks. Can't do much hunting when infected with geriadera (SP?)!
Safe water in hunting camp
- Thread starter critter44
- Start date
Why iodine?
Iodine is not the best for reasons of toxicity and effectiveness. Use boiling as a primary if possible. Then shake to reoxygenate.
Otherwise:
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml
Iodine is not the best for reasons of toxicity and effectiveness. Use boiling as a primary if possible. Then shake to reoxygenate.
Otherwise:
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml
Agreed. If you are using the water for a couple days, the iodine will be fine. But for the long term, it's better to boil it for 5 minutes (full boil -- may take 10-15minutes total depending on altitude and air temp.) If you cant to that, you really should invest in a combination filter/iodine purifier as the iodine may not kill all protozoa.
On the other hand, why not just carry in the water you'll need?
~USP
On the other hand, why not just carry in the water you'll need?
~USP
If you don’t want to use one of the filtration systems, then there are two ways that I have used (aside from boiling) to purify water.
The first way (and my preferred) are iodine tablets. What I use is called AquaPure. I suspect there are other brands out there, but this one is pretty common. Typically the instructions are on the bottle, but if they aren’t its still pretty simple. You use one or two tablets per quart of water. You let it sit. Then you drink. See I told you it was simple. The time you let the tablet sit and the number of tablets you use probably depends on which brand you use, usually its about half an hour to an hour. You can also purchase tablets that minimize the iodine taste. If you’re like me, the taste is no biggie, but if you’re like most other people those “taste” tablets would probably be worth it. Iodine does leave a distinctive taste.
There is another method called Polar Pure. It is small bottle of iodine crystals that you fill with water and let sit for something like 20 min. Then pour a certain number of capfuls of the treated water into a certain amount of untreated water and let it all sit again. You can get a head start on the first 20 minute wait by filling the bottle before you need it. Then you can just pour in however many capfuls you need whenever you are ready to purify your water. For some reason, people that can’t stand the taste of iodine tablets don’t seem to mind the crystals as much. I have no idea why.
There is one thing that is critical for using these two methods. You have to be able to at least estimate the size of your water receptacle.
The first way (and my preferred) are iodine tablets. What I use is called AquaPure. I suspect there are other brands out there, but this one is pretty common. Typically the instructions are on the bottle, but if they aren’t its still pretty simple. You use one or two tablets per quart of water. You let it sit. Then you drink. See I told you it was simple. The time you let the tablet sit and the number of tablets you use probably depends on which brand you use, usually its about half an hour to an hour. You can also purchase tablets that minimize the iodine taste. If you’re like me, the taste is no biggie, but if you’re like most other people those “taste” tablets would probably be worth it. Iodine does leave a distinctive taste.
There is another method called Polar Pure. It is small bottle of iodine crystals that you fill with water and let sit for something like 20 min. Then pour a certain number of capfuls of the treated water into a certain amount of untreated water and let it all sit again. You can get a head start on the first 20 minute wait by filling the bottle before you need it. Then you can just pour in however many capfuls you need whenever you are ready to purify your water. For some reason, people that can’t stand the taste of iodine tablets don’t seem to mind the crystals as much. I have no idea why.
There is one thing that is critical for using these two methods. You have to be able to at least estimate the size of your water receptacle.
Sure you can boil water, but if you want either a large amount or don’t want to sit there and tend a fire (or keep an eye on a stove) then purification/filtration systems are the way to go. Another point that probably doesn’t apply for a hunting camp, but bears mentioning anyway. Boiling water takes lots of fuel. If you are concerned at all about conserving fuel usage, then boiling everything you want to drink probably isn’t the way to go. Even if you use a fire, you have to gather all the wood for the fire, and that can get old in a real hurry. Obviously preference is going to play a major factor here, but I’ve used Aqua Pure in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and even here in Texas and it has always worked just fine for me.
Best bet is to just buy some 5 gallon water containers & bring it with you. 'Course, backpacking 100 lbs of water in isn't usually feasable. 
I've used a couple grams of iodine crystals in a smallish nalgene bottle then filled with water. The iodine goes into a saturated solution which you draw off & use to purify your water - about a teaspoon's worth of the tincture per gallon of water.
Time depends on temp of water (cold = longer) - ~20 minutes at 70 degrees/1 hour at 50, etc.
You must purify the mouth of your "new" water too. Otherwise, when pouring/drinking, you recontaminate from the bottle mouth.
Iodine's is not for those with a thyroid condition or pregnant folk.
Halozine (sp?), AquaPure or such may be a better bet for short-term use & a filter's the way to go. Pre-screen through a cloth first to remove larger junk that can clog your filter.
I've used a couple grams of iodine crystals in a smallish nalgene bottle then filled with water. The iodine goes into a saturated solution which you draw off & use to purify your water - about a teaspoon's worth of the tincture per gallon of water.
Time depends on temp of water (cold = longer) - ~20 minutes at 70 degrees/1 hour at 50, etc.
You must purify the mouth of your "new" water too. Otherwise, when pouring/drinking, you recontaminate from the bottle mouth.
Iodine's is not for those with a thyroid condition or pregnant folk.
Halozine (sp?), AquaPure or such may be a better bet for short-term use & a filter's the way to go. Pre-screen through a cloth first to remove larger junk that can clog your filter.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I've used Clorox bleach and then running the mess through a 2-stage filter. The filter removes the nasty chlorine taste. The only problem is that this raises the sodium level in the water quite a bit, which filtration doesn't fully remove.
Critter,
Let me say Iodine really stinks for water purification and not the most effective way.
Something you may want to look into is either a pump or gravity full filter. I’ve used both types while traveling in Mali and Burkina Faso West Africa and never had a problem drinking contaminated water after filtering. The manufacturer I used was Katadyn they have a nice Pocket pump filter that can filter 1 qt of water in 90 sec. It uses a 0.2-micron ceramic filter element. The gravity flow type siphons from one bucket to another.
The company where they can be purchased is Jade Mountain. www.realgoods.com/renew/. The cost of the Pocket model is around $140.00/
Hope this helps,
Turk
Let me say Iodine really stinks for water purification and not the most effective way.
Something you may want to look into is either a pump or gravity full filter. I’ve used both types while traveling in Mali and Burkina Faso West Africa and never had a problem drinking contaminated water after filtering. The manufacturer I used was Katadyn they have a nice Pocket pump filter that can filter 1 qt of water in 90 sec. It uses a 0.2-micron ceramic filter element. The gravity flow type siphons from one bucket to another.
The company where they can be purchased is Jade Mountain. www.realgoods.com/renew/. The cost of the Pocket model is around $140.00/
Hope this helps,
Turk
Filters work!
I have been using the filter method ever since they were commercially available. I have used them in the Sierras of Kalifornia (very suspect source for bugs in the water!), in the wilds of Idaho (not as suspect as the Sierras), the bad lands of Wyoming, and in various parts of Nevada. Filters work. Just buy the best and you should have no problem.
I have been using the filter method ever since they were commercially available. I have used them in the Sierras of Kalifornia (very suspect source for bugs in the water!), in the wilds of Idaho (not as suspect as the Sierras), the bad lands of Wyoming, and in various parts of Nevada. Filters work. Just buy the best and you should have no problem.
freeride21a
New member
filters are the way to go!
can range in price from $50 on up...but they last and filters are replaceable.
just go to your local sporting goods store, they should have some to look at.
.04 microns is the largest you want(most now filter down to .005 microns), any larger it can let giardia through, dont want the runs do ya(for a long long time)?
iodine is fine, but like said in earlier posts, you have to guess the ammounts, and then you have to put up with the tastes too...and polar pure is way to go, if you want that
boiling is great way to do it, but you are limited to your fuel and your pot size. i suggest boiling your eating utensils and dishes for a few min after each meal though, for long term camping this will protect you from dissintary. but boiling water for drinking is one of the last ways i would do it.
here is the filter i use, i love it so far, have used it for few years...the one i used before this one was first need filter, oldie but goodie
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/filterdetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__PRODUCTID=PUR1200
can range in price from $50 on up...but they last and filters are replaceable.
just go to your local sporting goods store, they should have some to look at.
.04 microns is the largest you want(most now filter down to .005 microns), any larger it can let giardia through, dont want the runs do ya(for a long long time)?
iodine is fine, but like said in earlier posts, you have to guess the ammounts, and then you have to put up with the tastes too...and polar pure is way to go, if you want that
boiling is great way to do it, but you are limited to your fuel and your pot size. i suggest boiling your eating utensils and dishes for a few min after each meal though, for long term camping this will protect you from dissintary. but boiling water for drinking is one of the last ways i would do it.
here is the filter i use, i love it so far, have used it for few years...the one i used before this one was first need filter, oldie but goodie
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/filterdetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__PRODUCTID=PUR1200
Roadrunner
New member
The those of you who love the latest gadgets, the Steri-Pen Ultraviolet Water Purifier was just review in Backpacker magazine.
I'll have to second the Katadyn Pocket Filter that Turk recommended.
Used one of those many time while hunting up in Alaska. Filtered water out of beaver ponds, muskeg marshes, etc., and lived off of it for anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks.
NO ill effects what so ever. It is weeeeelllllll worth the money!
Used one of those many time while hunting up in Alaska. Filtered water out of beaver ponds, muskeg marshes, etc., and lived off of it for anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks.
NO ill effects what so ever. It is weeeeelllllll worth the money!
UltimaThule
New member
Iodine isn't perfect, but I usually carry a small bottle of tincture in my first-aid kit anyway. It doesn't weigh much or take up a lot of space, and it does double duty as disinfectant and "just in case" water purifier. As far as taste is concerned, a few drops of lemon-juice or something similar will camouflage the worst of the "hospital-taste".