Hi Christy,
Will bring mine along to the meet in July so you can have a look at one...Thanks to British Red for the gift...
Will also hopefully have a go at making some water filters from sand, charcoal and a 2ltr pop (soda) bottle...
LS
I have already tried the 3 pop bottles each has a layer of moss at the bottom to stop my filter media disappearing.
This was to prove filtering can be done with things you find in a survival situation. As is was for a survival challenge scout badge award. Obviously boiled afterwards also.
Bottom Bottle has sand - should be silca sand (but I used builders sand - very well washed) - with a layer of moss at the bottom.
Middle Bottle has barbeque briquette or lump wood or chard wood from your fire - with a layer of moss at the bottom.
Top Bottle had just moss - completely filled.
Each bottle was taped together with gaffer tape.
This was tested using really dirty river water.
The water started cloudy and grey, what came out was clear but green from the moss.
I then boiled the water for roughly 3 - 5 minutes on a rolling boil.
And drank some of it - it tasted a little peaty, but apart from that it was OK and no I didn't get stomach ache or the runs, etc.
I have been doing this method with the scouts for a few years now as this is the similar technique as used to filter water at water treatment centres, they also add further chemicals and the filter media is slightly different, but you get the idea.
The scouts have to use this technique with a sock believe it or not. Some of the time, if the sock is lined with leaves it works if you use moss at the bottom, then ash, then chard wood, then moss.
Margaret