Does it filter bacteria, etc.? Can it be used for wild water.
207128
Oh I don't think I'd use it for wild water. I'd carry along purifier tablets for that and then AFTER you've purified the water, put the water in the CamelBak. Try this, or something like it. Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
207129
The label/instructions definitely say not to use it as a purifier/for wild use.
207130
No, I don't think it's appropriate for wild water, but if you use chlorine to kill bacteria then this will filter the chlorine taste from the water. I have only used it for potable water.
1041620
Yes, it certainly does filter contaminants from sea water. However, it does not desalinate seawater, so you would not be able to drink it.
1845627
i don't know it it has a filter but i am using it in my front yard water feature that has a small waterfall with a catch basin and it works fine, i haven't had to clean it and the water feature does have algae in it, it works great , i would not hesitate to recommend it and the price is excellent.
2259279
No. A filter such as this removes microorganisms down to about 3 microns. Bacteria and viruses are much smaller. You should use water disinfectant tablets (chlorine) in addition to the filter or boil the water. There are also better and more expensive filters available (e.g. First Need water purifier). Boiling also kills viruses.
193537
It does not filter out or remove any kind of bacteria or parasite. I got the following statement from Brita's FAQ's:"The technique of a carbon block is not designed to filter out bacteria or viruses." Link to website - http://www.brita.net/ae/faqs_contaminations.html?L=24#1Keep boiling that water, and be safe.
839784
It probably could be used for that. I have mine in a 20 gallon freshwater tank. Its very powerful and the waterflow is a little strong. Good filter though would definitely recommend.
794739
This unit actually has .2 micron glassfiber filter. You can get access to the white sheets for it here: http://www.katadyn.com/usen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-water-filters-backcountry-series-products/katadyn-hiker-microfilter/ - This unit produces good clean water but I've only used it in mountain lakes and streams. Would I use it for water from the river behind my house in Florida? No, absolutely not. But for backpacking it is great, light, compact and easy to use.
178882
The filters are designed to remove particulate matter and bacteria.They are not designed to desalinize water.
80945
No it is not, it physically removes particles, protozoa, and bacteria down to 0.3 microns in size, including giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidia and others. I love this filter.
510780
I use mine in the backcountry fairly frequently. As others have pointed out, the filter suppresses the risk of Giardia and Cryptosporidium which are the biggies when drinking untreated water. My one suggestion; make sure you filter the water through a shirt or something. The filter clogs relatively easily so you want to make sure to not allow any debris from the river / pond.
813730
Hi Prsmith, Thank your for your comments. Yes we are aware that this straw while highly effective for the common bacteria and heavy does not filter for viruses. That is why we developed 3 other straws that use MIR Hi-Poly Iodine Resin to effectively filter 99.999% of common viruses. While the other filter medium contained in the straw filters out 99.999% of bacteria and heavy metals. Please check out our 3 other water filter straws here on Amazon: H2OLIFEGUARD,H2O SURVIVAL Water Filter Travel Straw & H2O SURVIVAL Water Filter Travel Straw MAX. It should be noted though that pregnant woman and those allergic to Iodine should not use this straw.
639930
You can use anything with a filter for goldfish so it should be fine. Just change half the water about once every 2 weeks.
1524049
I recommend googling for the Berkey website and it will give you a description of what is removed since getting the wrong information in this case could be deadly. I have never seen any sort of demonstration of filtering really mucky water though.
1742520
No, it will not filter water but it is a very good particulate filter.I use this filter just upstream of my water separating filter.
1440092
Yes, but as others have suggested, test the water for bacteria. This filter does not kill baacteria, it removes fine particles from the water supply. If you have bacteria in the water there are other filter types that can be used to treat the water and reduce the risk of infection. Frequently the Big Blue is used to eliminate particles before passing thru a second filter such as a UV type filter for treating bacteria.
653056
No, it is only for filtering for taste. Does not get other contaminants like bacteria, lead, etc. In the fine print, you see it is NSF 42 for water treatment standard. This is the minimum. Filters for making truly potable/bacteria-free water are NSF 53 (53 means they filter bacteria like naegleria, cryptosporidium, and giardia). For more info: http://www.nsf.org/services/by-industry/water-wastewater/residential-water-treatment/residential-drinking-water-treatment-standards/
2063018
I would still boil the water since there are no guarantees that this filter will take out any viruses or anything that it is not made to filter. Take care.