MSR Miox purifier

[Jean]

Has anybody here used this water treatment system?
Considering buying one and don't know if this is just another gadget. Would like to get some feedback from people who currently use this.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I've spoken with people who use it. They like it. It is pretty much the same thing as aqua-something in the US, Pristine in Canada. It produces Clorine Dioxide, which is then used to treat the water. No taste and no pumping, but it takes time.

Like I said, people I know that have ti, like it.

 

[KMartman]

doesnt address the issues of sendiment either...its a brine thing..put a sample of the water into device with some tablet add that mixture to the water to be treated...wait...viola..."bug" free water...it might still be chewy though...

M

 

[Pete_Hickey]

.put a sample of the water into device with some tablet add that mixture to the water to be treated...wait...viola..."bug" free water...it might still be chewy though...

At least the bugs are dead. Might not be good for vegetarians.

Like my son says...

"Dark colored narrow mouth bottles are best. You don't see what you're drinking."

 

[sp1936]

I've been using one for about a year and I like it; simple and compact.

If you're into expensive electronic gadgetry to purify your water, there's also this, which eliminates the dwell time. I don't know anything else about the product, however.

Steve

 

[Lawn Sale]

Actually it produces Chlorine and hypochlorous acid, which are different from Chlorine Dioxide. The media is salt through which an electrical current is passed, creating the disinfectants. However, these "mixed oxidants" are no more effective than the others against giardia & cyrpto, so a filter is still needed to maximize efficacy.

I use the Pristine (same as Aqua Mira), which is considerably less than the MIOX and not dependent on batteries or salt. I just replace it every spring and mix it for the quantities I need.

There is nothing wrong with the MIOX, don't get me wrong, like any piece of equipment, it has its limitations and advantages.

 

[Halite]

I never enjoyed the business of pumping through a filter. And didn't like the iodine tablets. So I considered the chlorine based solutions.

As others have stated, Aqua Mira works well and is reasonably priced--$12 for 30 gallons. The Miox costs around $120 to $130 and eventually needs new salt and batteries to keep running. Salt is cheap and batteries aren't too bad. So break-even vs. the Aqua Mira is somewhere north of 300 gallons of water. So on a price comparison, if you think you are going to be consuming more than 300 gallons of water on the trail in next couple years, the Miox is the better economic deal. Since I often purify for groups of 4 to 8 people, I've easily done more than 300 gallons.

The Aqua Mira is light, portable and easy to use. The Miox is light, portable and a bit more fussy to use. Until I figured it out, the Miox was very fussy to use. I always had problem with the water getting stuck with the salt crystals and not returning to the chamber where the electrical charge is applied for the chemical transformation. Once I worked out how to shake the water back down, the Miox has been easy to use. The wait time before drinking takes some planning, but I still prefer it to pumping.

 

[blacklab2020]

Ive been using one for about 2 years now,... tastes better than iodine, but the big drawback is ... you cant purify standing muddy puddles of water on a ridge or algae filled pools to the extent that you would want it clear. Other than that with a clear stream its fine.

 

[Meo]

Jean, Karl and Danny (KEDS) bought one last year. The only time I saw them using it was on the Bond range last winter. They seemed to struggle a bit, but it was their first backpack with it. If you want I can give you Dan's PM, that way you'll get their comments first hand.

 

[Chip]

There's a lot of great info on the MSR site about the differences between filters and purifiers.
I think everyone should read it. http://www.msrcorp.com/support/water_filters.asp#1

This is a sample;

How do I know the MIOX Purifier inactivates giardia, cryptosporidia, bacteria, and viruses, and how long does it take?

Two full rounds of testing according to the Environmental Protection Agency Guide Standard were performed at BioVir, an independent lab, using the MIOX Purifier. One test was performed with giardia plus bacteria and viruses in both general (type 1) and worst-case (type 2) water as per the EPA Guide Standard. Knowing that cryptosporidia is a more resistant bug, testing was also performed with crypto plus bacteria and viruses in both waters. The required 3-log inactivation was achieved in both general and worst-case water conditions in 30 minutes for giardia and four hours for cryptosporidia. Bacteria and viruses were inactivated to the required 6-log and 4-log levels in only 15 minutes for both water types.


What oxidants does the MIOX Purifier make and how does it make them?

Electrolysis breaks the chemical bonds of the salt water, or brine (NaCl + H2O), and stimulates chemical reactions, creating primarily chlorine (Cl2 + HOCl + OCl-). Based on microbiological testing, it is likely that other chloroxygen compounds more potent than chlorine are also being created. With current technology, we have been unable to identify these other compounds; therefore, we can claim only that we make a strong chlorine/hypochlorous acid solution. We know, however, that the MIOX solution effectively inactivates cryptosporidia, while chlorine does not—even after days of exposure. The bubbles you see while the purifier is operating are hydrogen ions being freed.


How does the MIOX cocktail compare to chlorine dioxide, chlorine, and iodine treatment?

The MIOX cocktail and chlorine dioxide tablets are effective against cryptosporidia, while chlorine and iodine are not. The MIOX Purifier performs as well as the chlorine dioxide tablets on the market and has the added benefit of an unlimited self life (other than the batteries which must be replaced every 7–10 years). Chlorine dioxide tablets expire after two years. Also, MIOX-treated water tastes better than water treated with iodine, does not make the treated water urine-colored, and does not have the possible thyroid side effects of iodine. In addition, the MIOX Purifier is the only chemical treatment technology with safety-indicator strips for solid confirmation that you have added enough disinfectant to purify your water after the appropriate dwell time. The main reason someone would choose tablets over the MIOX Purifier is cost. However, after 200 liters of operation, or one set of lithium batteries, you will break even with the cost of using comparable tablets and then the MIOX Purifier will start paying for itself.