How to make a water filter with your own hands? The operating principle of water purifying filters at home is almost the same. They use charcoal as a cleaning agent. So we will use it in our homemade filters. Wood, store-bought or homemade, activated – it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that it is an excellent filter medium.
Filters for home
You once purchased a water filter such as “Aquaphor”, “Barrier”, etc., but the cartridge has served its purpose. You need to buy a new one. Is it possible to restore it? Can.
For this we need:
- Housing of the spent filter element.
- Charcoal or activated carbon.
- Cotton pad.
Operating procedure
- Carefully cut out the top part; we won’t need it anymore. We leave only the upper pressure ring (in different systems it can be with or without a mesh).
- We remove the spent contents of the filter and rinse the housing with water.
- Divide the cotton pad in half and place one half on the bottom of the case.
- Fill the body with coal. (The coal should be finely ground, but not to a powder state).
- Cover with the other half of the cotton pad and secure with a ring.
In some cartridges, the pressure ring does not lock into the housing. Then it can be secured with a few drops of sealant. The main thing is that the sealant is waterproof and non-toxic.
Another simplest homemade filter option, made by yourself.
You will need:
- Plastic bottle with screw cap.
- A piece of cotton fabric.
- Charcoal.
First regular wood carbon needs to be activated. To do this, grind it into grains with a diameter of 4–6 mm (We take the amount of coal so that it fills the bottle by two-thirds.) Then pour it into a saucepan with water, bring to a boil and leave to simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. Next, you need to drain the hot water through a colander or metal sieve. Important! Coal must be drained when it is hot. Let it cool down.
Assembling the filter
![](https://i2.wp.com/stoki.guru/images/59948/samodelnyi-filtr.jpg)
You can put another layer of fabric on top, but this is not necessary.
This filter lasts for quite a long time. If you feel that over time the water has changed its taste, or any impurities began to be felt, then no need to make a new filter. It is enough to rinse the used coal, boil it again, replace the cloth and continue to use the filter.
DIY filters for wells and wells
In a country house or in a village, it is also necessary to filter water, even if it is water from a well or clean well water. "For what?" - you ask. The fact is that nitrates, pesticides used in gardening work, seep into the ground and, together with groundwater, end up in wells and boreholes.
For filtering well water when digging a well or for routine cleaning bottom filter installed for water made from natural materials. How to do it yourself?
To begin with, we define what is the bottom of the well:
- Dense clay bottom with gushing springs. In such wells it is better to install coarse water filtration into the water intake system. A bottom filter can only do harm by blocking the outlet of spring water.
- At the bottom of a well made of soft clay, which is washed away by water, it is better to lay a 15–20 centimeter layer of coarse crushed stone.
- A sandy bottom with calmly seeping water requires a bottom filter. Otherwise, when the bucket hits the water or the bottom, the sand will be washed away and the water will be cloudy. It is impractical to install a pump in such wells, because it instantly becomes clogged with sand and fails.
- At the bottom there is floating sand, that is, sand highly saturated with groundwater. It can be recognized by periodic emissions at the bottom of a well or by muddy streams of water. In this case, in addition to the bottom filter, it is necessary to protect the bottom with a wooden shield from erosion.
Materials used for the bottom filter
Coarse-grained quartz sand has grains up to 1 millimeter in size; it must be washed before placing it in the well.
river pebbles- round stones of different colors and sizes.
Gravel is a porous, loose sedimentary rock; the size of gravel grains can range from a few millimeters to 2–3 centimeters.
Crushed stones are stones of different sizes, irregular shapes made from various minerals. It is extracted mechanically. For the bottom filter, it is necessary to take crushed stone made from neutral minerals, such as jadeite. Granite or building crushed stone is not suitable for this.
Shungite– petrified oil. In alternative medicine, this mineral is used very widely. It effectively purifies water from harmful substances, radicals and dioxides. It is a unique bactericidal agent.
Zeolite. This mineral is also often used in water purification. All known bacteria, microbes and viruses are powerless against it.
Installing the filter
If a shield is needed for a well, then we take hardwood to make it: aspen, oak, which can remain in water for a long time.
- We knock together a shield from the boards, cut it to the size of the well trunk, drill holes 1–1.5 mm in size, wrap it in geotextile, and lower it to the bottom.
- We lay a layer of large stone on top of the shield.
Next, the filter itself is installed directly. It can be of two types: direct or reverse. If there is soft clay at the bottom of the well or a bottom shield against floaters, a straight line is used, that is, we lay it from the larger fraction to the finer one. The thickness of each layer is 15–20 cm. There must be at least three layers: the first - stones no less than 5–6 cm in size or crushed stone, the second - small river pebbles, shungite or gravel up to 1 cm in size, the third - a layer of washed river sand.
The return filter is used in wells with a sandy bottom and quiet filling and has a dual purpose- does not allow small grains of sand to rise up and protects the bottom of the well from large debris. We install such a filter in the reverse order: first the small fraction, then the medium one, and the large one on top. The thickness of the layers is the same.
During use, the filter becomes clogged with small particles of clay, silt, and sand. Therefore, it must be cleaned every year. The sand is completely replaced, and the stones are taken out and washed with running water. Then the filter is put back in the same sequence.
Well filter
Filters are also used to purify water in wells. The most favorite and popular among owners of private houses and summer residents is the perforated perforated system. The device is simple and effective.
For the manufacture of a cleaning system we will need:
![](https://i1.wp.com/stoki.guru/images/59951/filtrujushhij-kolodec.jpg)
Stages of work:
- We measure the length of the sump. Depending on the depth of the well, it will be approximately 1–1.5 meters.
- Next, we drill holes at an angle of 35 to 60°, directing them from bottom to top. We arrange them in a checkerboard pattern, making the distance between the holes about 2 cm.
- We clear the pipe of chips and wrap the perforated area (it should be at least 25% of the pipe length) with mesh. We secure it with rivets.
- We close the pipe on the side of the sump with a plug.
Water passing through the mesh and holes is cleared of fine sand, silt, and clay. Larger particles that enter the pipe settle in the sump.
Thanks to such filters, water in a personal plot and in a private house will be clean and transparent, but will not be cleared of the harmful substances it contains. Therefore, it is recommended to boil such water or additionally run it through carbon filters.
Homemade filter on a hike
It often happens that when going on a hike, we stock up on drinking water in insufficient quantities. There are no shops or wells in the area, but there are plenty of natural reservoirs, puddles, etc. How to make dirty water drinkable?
Method one
When packing a first aid kit, we always put several packages activated carbon, bandage and cotton wool. We will need all this and a plastic bottle for the filter.
- Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle and turn it over.
- Place a layer of cotton wool in the neck.
- We fold the bandage strip into several layers (the more the better) and place it on top of the cotton layer in the bottle.
- We pour crushed coal tablets on top, and a layer of bandage and cotton wool on top.
Method two
You can do without a first aid kit. For this system we will need a plastic bottle with a cap, moss and coal from the fire(not very large so that it fits more tightly into the container) and a small piece of fabric.
- We make several small holes in the lid and place fabric folded in 3-4 layers into it. Screw the lid into place. Cut off the bottom of the bottle.
- We fill the container with moss and coal in layers, starting and ending with moss. The more layers we lay, the cleaner the water will be.
Method three
Let's make the most primitive filter. To do this, we will need two containers (pots, mugs, etc.) and a bandage or a long strip of some cotton fabric.
We unwind the bandage equal to the height of the container taken 8–10 times. Fold it in half and twist it into a rope. We fold it in half again. Folded end of the harness lower into a container with dirty water to the very bottom, the free ends into an empty container.
Important nuances of this system:
- The water container should be located above the receiving container.
- The free ends of the rope should be lowered below the folded end in the water.
- The higher the level of dirty water, the faster it is filtered, so it makes sense to add dirty water to the upper container.
- The free ends should not come into contact with each other or with the walls of the vessels.
- If it is necessary to pass a large amount of water, several flagella can be made.
Water filtered in this way will not be perfectly clean and transparent. Mainly dirt, sand, suspended matter, and silt will be filtered out.
It is important to remember that such hiking filters only purify water from dirt and turbidity. Bacteria and microbes are preserved in it. Therefore, filtered water must be boiled before use.
Since its inception, humanity has been looking for any possibility of water purification. Starting from the Middle Ages to the century of modern technology and innovation. Indeed, at the moment of the existence of life on earth, environmental problems are becoming more and more.
Due to the constant development of technological processes, emissions of harmful chemical compounds into the atmosphere or soil are growing every year. These harmful substances then penetrate into groundwater.
In our article you will learn:
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Filter characteristics
Recently, a filter for purifying running water in the form of a jug has been gaining popularity. This filter has a simple design and can be made from scrap materials at home. This filter is suitable if you need to purify a couple of liters of water.
If we talk about large volumes, you will have to try, but the design principle of these filters is identical.
A properly made filter like this can purify water without any problems, but it is better not to use it immediately after filtering, but to let it stand for a while.
Modeling stage
Installing a filter for purifying running water will not be difficult. You will need a container to hold the filtered water, preferably glass. Next, you can take any plastic bottle and cut it to the middle.
This way we form a container, the so-called jug. Then we begin the construction of the filter itself. For this we need filter wool and graphene sorbent.
A layer of filter wool is placed at the bottom of the funnel of the cut bottle, then the sorbent is placed and covered with a layer of filter wool. Thus, we get the simplest water purification filter.
What is graphene sorbent?!
So, a graphene sorbent is, first of all, a chemical element, carbon, the structure of which has been radically changed. Graphene carbon is a kind of modification that allows the passage of water molecules, various salts and allows the retention of impurities, which include chemical elements and petroleum products.
In order for the graphene sorbent to perform its specified functions, it must be compacted to form a membrane.
Methods for purifying rainwater
There are many ways to purify rainwater. This depends primarily on the number of drainpipes, namely where to install the filter - on the roof or on the ground.
If the number of drainpipes is not small, then you should install a kind of coarse filter at the bottom of the drainpipe to initially clean the water from leaves, stones, and droppings. The coarse filter, which is located in the drainpipe, is made of stainless steel mesh.
But in this article we will give an example of a filter for purifying rainwater with your own hands, without complex technological solutions.
Preparation and installation
First you need to purchase barrels, for example, plastic or wooden. The barrel should be located directly under the drainpipe. It should be located a short distance from the building and it is recommended to place either bricks or stones under it.
Next, we install a faucet, which we will later use to drain filtered water. We install a solid partition in the barrel and make small holes, then covering them with a membrane that allows water to pass through. Next, let's get to the fun part!
Filter modeling stage
At this stage, we will look in detail at how to make a filter for purifying rainwater.
To begin, pour a small layer of pebbles, approximately 10-15 cm thick, onto the bottom sheet. Then we lay a layer of river sand of approximately the same thickness on top of the pebble layer. Next we lay a small layer of gravel. It is advisable to arrange a layer of gravel and river sand together as a single whole.
The next layer, namely the last one, is a layer of granular coal. An analogue of granulated charcoal is hard maple charcoal.
The next stage is compaction - we create a very dense and quite thick membrane, which is the filter. All filter elements must be covered with a top sheet. The canvas can be changed depending on the degree of contamination, and the filter itself is recommended to be replaced every season, since it, like all materials, wears out.
Such a filter can be created for containers of any size, the main thing is to follow the technological process and the correct design of the filter.
I hope this article will be useful and informative for you!
Photos of DIY water filters
Not everyone has water in their well or well at their dacha that is suitable for drinking “immediately”, from a bucket or tap. And even if it is clean, then on the way to the place of “distribution” there are many places where it can become contaminated, chemically and bacteriologically. These are old pipes, storage tanks, and receivers... Once they get there, bacteria and microbes feel great. In general, it is advisable to filter the water that is taken inside in any case, and preferably immediately before use.
If the water in the water supply is under pressure, at least slightly, it is best to install an additional tap, especially for drinking water, and install a stationary filter with a large cartridge (usually a cartridge with activated carbon) into the system. For washing dishes and other technical purposes, they use a regular tap, and the water used for cooking is poured from an additional drinking water tap.
It’s worse for those who don’t have running water in their house or if it’s a summer house. Then, with the onset of persistent frosts and cold weather, a problem with water supply arises. Water pipelines in gardening societies drain water in the literal sense of the word. During this period, summer residents usually begin to bring it with them in large plastic bottles and canisters. Water is “extracted” at home, in stores, at water pumps in populated areas on the way to the dacha, and its reserves are created. But long-term storage of water in an open state does not contribute to its refreshment, so the problem of filtration remains. And there is practically only one way out - filter it in “desktop” pitcher-type filters with a built-in cartridge (again, with activated carbon).
Jug-type drinking water filters are quite inexpensive, relatively convenient and popular. But they have some disadvantages. Firstly, they have a small capacity, 2-3 liters at most. And this is just the daily water consumption rate for one person. A family of 3-5 people will not be very happy with such a filter (in a single copy). Secondly, it is quite inconvenient to use. Since it is designed as a container above a container, separated by a filter cartridge, if we pour water into the upper container, we will have to wait until almost all of it is filtered down. Otherwise, it is impossible to tilt the jug and drain clean water. Thirdly, by purchasing such a filter jug, you become “tied” to a certain type of cartridge. There are no universal cartridges; each manufacturer is interested in getting you hooked on its own “needle”. And fourthly, the resource of such a cartridge is very short, and they need to be changed more often. And they are not cheap...
I had a similar problem, so I decided to make a homemade filter for drinking water. Since my water supply is still summer and the water from the water tank had to be drained.
A homemade water filter had to be free from the disadvantages described above, so I decided to make the filter as follows. A plastic canister (made of food-grade polyethylene) with a capacity of 20 liters served as a receiving container. Almost at the very bottom, I used hot glue to glue a small collapsible faucet, which I took from packaged wine. (Well, you probably know, table wine is sold in 3-liter bags. There is a special faucet in the bag. Press it - it flows, release it - it closes). As an initial container, I took a “standard” plastic 10-liter bottle of bottled drinking water. I just cut a filler hole in its bottom. And the neck of the bottle miraculously almost coincided in diameter with the neck of the canister. It fits in so tightly that there is no need to fix it with anything. It remained to resolve the issue with the filter element.
Generally speaking, you can install a standard filter element for a filter that cuts into the water supply. It can be installed inside the top bottle, since it will not fit into the neck of the canister. And you can press it to the neck of the bottle using a pair of washers and a threaded rod. The bottom washer must be perforated (you will need to drill several holes in it). I had already decided to do just that, but then a piece of polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 40 mm caught my eye. And.. Oh, miracle! This pipe also fit perfectly, with a slight interference, to the inner diameter of the neck of the bottle! And I decided to make a homemade filter cartridge. It won’t work, I thought, I’ll install an industrial one...
In the homemade cartridge, the most confusing part was the bottom... I managed to pick up a plastic bottle from some kind of medicine. I drilled several holes in the bottom of the bottle and stuffed the bottle with several non-woven napkins. Then he pulled it onto the tube. To be safe and clear my conscience, I also dropped a little hot glue. A pipe (30 centimeters) filled with crushed charcoal. This one is sold in bags labeled “Grill Charcoal.” Industrial cartridges use carbon from coconut shells. I don't think it's much better than ours. It’s just that in this way the poor “coconut” republics somehow utilize the shells of coconuts for their benefit, after they have stripped all the copra from them for mattresses, the pulp for “bounties”, and made Malibu rum from coconut milk. Well, in any case, there have never been coconuts in our forests, and when my stomach was swollen as a child, my grandmother gave me a piece of “native” birch charcoal and it always helped...
To prevent the coal from floating out of the cartridge, I also pushed several crumpled non-woven napkins from the other end of the tube and fixed them with a few drops of hot glue. In general, the cartridge was made. All that remains is to insert it into the neck of the bottle and place it on the canister. This is how the filter for drinking water turned out.
Having poured the first batch of water (5 liters) into a bottle, I immediately poured the result into the sink. No, not because it “didn’t work out.” This is simply a standard operation for “breaking in” the carbon filter itself. Tiny (microscopic) pieces of coal are washed out of it. In principle, they are completely harmless to humans and this operation can be skipped.
The filter productivity turned out to be approximately 2-3 liters per hour. But the most convenient thing is that you fill a full bottle of water from a well in the evening, and in the morning you get ready-made, clean water. And you can fill in the next large portion. You can disassemble the water “when it is necessary”, and not when it is strained. Thus, the house always has a sufficient supply of clean drinking water of 10-15 liters. Not much and not little. It does not stagnate and in quantities sufficient for reasonable consumption. And the cartridge is almost “free”. A 10 kg bag of coal costs only 300 rubles. Enough for many years.
Nowadays, a very large number of people living both in megacities and in the outback are concerned about the quality of drinking water. And this is correct: after all, we are, in essence, what we are. As for what we drink... Let me remind you that the human body is 80% liquid, and it is not surprising that the molecular composition of this fluid matter and well-being are directly related. All kinds of deviations from normal functioning conditions are embedded in the human genetic code.
The question may arise: why filter water in rural areas? There, the well or well is located away from gasoline, exhaust gases and asphalt. And the answer - here it is, lies on the surface. Or rather, at the depth of the aquifer: you have no way of knowing what kind of water this horizon is saturated with, and whether a bunch of nitrates were washed away from a neighboring field during the last rainstorm. And there may also be impurities that not only worsen the quality of water, but are simply unhealthy: for example, the level of iron in water, exceeded several times, can lead to liver diseases, allergic reactions, increase the risk and even provoke cerebrovascular accidents leading to stroke. Nice bouquet, isn't it?
Solved: filter the water
Almost all water filters work on the same principle. The difference can only be in the shell, types and thickness of filler layers and the throughput of the unit. But for a more complete picture of homemade options, let’s consider several filter options.
The most available fillers today are:
- Paper napkins
- Gauze, bandage, natural fabric
- Sand
- Coal
- Lutrasil or spunbond.
It is worth taking into account that cotton wool, napkins and gauze as fillers are quite effective, but short-lived. So be prepared to replace them frequently. You can either buy wood or make it yourself. Charcoal is sold in picnic departments, and only a small amount is needed as a filter filler. So, once you purchase a bag, you can count on it for a long time.
If you still dare to cook charcoal yourself, use only deciduous trees. Lutrasil or spunbond is also called agrofilm. Most often it is popular among gardeners and gardeners for covering plants. It has different densities and is sold in 2 colors: white and black.
Homemade filter options
When using water at a summer cottage, it is rather inappropriate to install a regular household filter into the water supply, since it is customary to drain the water from the system in the winter. So that it doesn’t freeze and break the pipes, according to the laws of physics. You can, of course, bring a jug and spend hours catching zen, watching him try to strain water through himself. And if you need it quickly and a lot, then here you go first option.
We take a regular five or six liter plastic bottle and a bucket with a plastic lid. Carefully cut off the bottom of the bottle and clean the edges from sharp burrs. In the lid of the bucket we cut a hole of exactly the diameter so that the bottle's neck fits tightly into it, of course with a lid. If necessary, sand the edges of the hole and use a rubber gasket.
We fold a piece of gauze or fabric in four and put it on the neck, securing it with a lid in which 10-20 holes are made with a hot nail or drill, briefly borrowed from a neighbor's dentist. This workpiece can already be fixed in the lid of the bucket. Place a thick layer of cotton wool inside the bottle on gauze in a layer of approximately 5-10 cm. We again make a fabric layer on top so that when pouring, a stream of water does not quickly turn the cotton wool into floating scraps. The fabric layer can be pressed with cleanly washed pebbles.
That's it, your filter is ready. Enjoy it for your health. But here's a little secret: by placing a silver coin, ring, chain or other trinket between the lower layers of cotton wool and gauze, you will get clean water saturated with silver ions. Tasty, healthy and almost royal!
You can improve your gadget a little. Instead of a bucket, use a 20 liter plastic one with a small tap embedded at the bottom. This makes it much more convenient to pour water into the same kettle.
Second option The filter will be useful in areas where the water in the well-faucet-pipe at the outlet is cloudy. In this case, lay a layer of coal on top of the top fabric layer - 7-8 cm is definitely enough. And on top of the coal we make a 5-centimeter layer of clean river sand (but don’t be too lazy to boil it, then you will definitely be sure of the purity of the water). The procedure for pouring water into a canister does not need description, I think. And the fact that the bottom of the bottle is wide, it’s convenient to fill it either from a bucket or from a hose.
Third option It will certainly appeal to those who love to make things. We leave the filling and pouring vessels, but instead of a cap with holes, we use a piece of propylene pipe, the diameter of which is selected according to the neck of the bottle. The pipe and bottle must be mounted without gaps; most likely the pipe will need to be placed on hot glue. The top and bottom of the tube must be covered with perforated plastic bottoms (you can use the same hot glue), and the tube itself must be filled with charcoal.
There is only one nuance here: the first portion (2-4 liters) of filtered water will need to be drained. The first portion is used to wash the filter from small particles of carbon that can pollute the water.
Fourth option assumes the presence of a full-fledged water supply in a private house. Those who wish can make their own three-flask filter for drinking water purification. You need to purchase 3 identical flasks, which must be connected in series with two adapters with a diameter of ¼ inch. Pay attention to the in/out markings to ensure free flow of water. For sealing, use FUM tape.
The flasks with the outermost holes are attached to a ¼-inch tube using straight adapters. And it is already connected to the water supply with a tee and a ½-inch connector. At the outlet, the three-flask valve is equipped with a tap for. In the flasks themselves, you can add filler according to your wishes: coal, non-woven material, silicon - also a very useful additive for drinking water.
Fifth option It’s quite within the capabilities of a first-grader. So, take a plastic 2-liter bottle and twist the holes in the cap. We literally push a piece of cotton wool tightly into the lid itself, in which crushed activated carbon tablets are wrapped. Pour water into the bottle, screw on the cap and place the neck down in a 3-liter jar. Check - the water will be very clean. Another option is to cut the bottle in half and insert it, neck down, into the bottom. Quite an “office” option.
Of course, each filter has its own service life. You will replace fabric fillers according to the degree of wear, but what about carbon fillers? Calculate based on the following data: 1 activated carbon purifies 1 liter of water. The tablet form of the filter is easy to calculate, but charcoal? A piece of coal the size of a walnut replaces 7-8 tablets, depending on the density. And you can count the number of nuts in the bottle yourself.
Our advice to you: change the fillers in the filter on time, and you will get water of amazing quality. And how grateful your body will be to you!
So, with the theory passed, we move on to practical exercises.
And may you be healthy to me!
Eco-friendly estate: According to ecologists, air and soil pollution is already the norm, and caustic chemical compounds easily penetrate into groundwater. That is why the question is becoming increasingly relevant: how to make a practical water filter with your own hands quickly and at no extra cost.
According to environmentalists, air and soil pollution is already the norm, and caustic chemical compounds easily penetrate into groundwater. That is why the question is becoming increasingly relevant: how to make a practical water filter with your own hands quickly and at no extra cost.
Why do you need a water purification device?
Jug-shaped filters are already included in the list of basic kitchen interior accessories. They will do a great job if you need to filter a couple of liters of liquid. But when it comes to large volumes, pocket and household devices are useless and you have to look for a commensurate alternative.
A suspension of sand, fine clay particles, organic matter, waste products of all types of animals and microorganisms makes water from open reservoirs categorically unsuitable for drinking. The situation is the same with wells.
The agricultural industry annually becomes on par with the heavy and chemical industries in terms of pest levels, due to the amount of nitrates used. Thus, the use of nitric acid to fertilize the soil saturates groundwater with harmful salts.
Be that as it may, even the most modern equipment periodically needs to replace cleaning cassettes, let alone homemade ones. After a certain time, it is imperative to replace the makeshift system with a specialized one.
This is important to do because the water may contain pathogenic bacteria and other undesirable microflora, which are absolutely impossible to filter, and only the sanitary and epidemiological station can cope with bacteriological contamination of a river or well.
How to choose filter media
When choosing a container for a filter, you need to carefully calculate everything, because the cleaning properties primarily depend on the correctly formed “filling”. The volume of the filter container must be such that it can easily accommodate all components.
Natural materials are widely used as absorbents, such as quartz river or washed quarry sand, gravel, activated carbon and zeolite. As you know, any filter begins with a primary coarse layer. Often this role is assigned to cotton-based fabric materials.
Natural materials are very impractical from a hygiene point of view. Firstly, in a humid environment, such a filter layer is subject to rotting processes, which causes an unpleasant odor. Secondly, the structure of the fabric implies very rapid contamination of the filter with unwanted particles, which increases the need to change the layer.
Much better performance is observed in synthetic analogues. More preferable in this regard is lutrasil. The material has moisture-resistant qualities and is more resistant to contamination than cotton or bandage.
A completely budget option for a fabric filter can be considered a synthetic layer, which is used in making coffee.
Quartz sand does an excellent job of retaining small particles, as well as filtering heavy chemical compounds. While gravel, on the contrary, will better screen out large inclusions of unwanted materials.
A mineral called zeolite has an incomparable cleansing effect.
The active action of the substance will cope with water pollution with metal and salt suspension, and also neutralizes pesticides and other processed products of the agricultural industry.
Travel-type small-sized carbon filter
Perhaps the best quality filtration results are shown by homemade options based on activated carbon. The absorbent will equally successfully cope with the retention of both mineral formations and toxic substances.
The properties of the material include the ability to impart transparency to liquids, as well as eliminate unpleasant odors and waste products of microorganisms.
When choosing coal, you need to pay attention to the structure of the mineral. Too fine and powdery will penetrate into the water, while coarse, on the contrary, will not provide the proper level of purification. (Granular starting material should be preferred).
Activated carbon is the most popular material in homemade filter devices. It is advisable to fill it in layers so that there is powdery material below, granules on top, and the fractional composition increases in height
An important factor is the degree of so-called “roasting” of the coal. If you overdo this procedure, the absorbent will quickly lose all its valuable qualities.
Coal can be bought at any supermarket, or made at home. The best absorbent qualities are observed in deciduous wood, in particular birch.
To obtain coal, you need to load wood into any metal container and heat it over a fire (preferably put it in a stove). After the wood gets red hot, remove the container and let it cool - that’s it, the charcoal is ready for use in the filtration system.
A completely camp option would be a homemade carbon-based filter for water from the ashes of a burnt fire. If necessary, it is better to use whole pieces approximately 4 cm in length.
As a rule, anything can serve as a housing for such an improvised system, but mainly a plastic container or bottle is used for convenience.
Making a carbon filter for water
Before assembly, you need to select a more optimal housing option. For this you will need:
- Several plastic containers (bottles or PVC pipe, in some cases you can use food containers. Due to their strength, they will serve well as the base of the cartridge).
- Tools for processing plastic (various sharp objects: awl, scissors, stationery knife, screwdriver).
- Absorbent material (in this case activated carbon).
- Additional filter granules (quartz sand, gravel).
- Material for the primary fabric filter (medical bandage, gauze or coffee filter).
- Plastic covers or plugs.
To ensure the tightness of the structure, polymer substances should be used at the junctions of the modules (if the filter is multi-level and consists of several parts). Moisture-resistant silicone glue or insulating tape work well.
Device assembly process
To install the hanging structure, you need to first cut off the bottom of the plastic bottle using a stationery knife. Then make two holes opposite each other to attach the hinges. Now the improvised body can be hung, for example, on a tree branch.
Next, you need to make an outlet valve from where the filtered liquid will flow. At this stage, the design feature depends on individual preferences. You can organize something like a shower - make many small holes in the lid, or you can drill one large one.
The next step will be the actual installation of the components. After screwing on the perforated lid, the body is turned over or hung by the hinges. Then, the first step is to place a bandage or gauze folded several times. The use of a coffee filter is also encouraged.
In some cases, you can find designs where the role of the primary filter material is played by a fabric cover, sewn specifically to the size of the housing. This greatly simplifies the task of changing the absorbent and saves time.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that the installation of absorbent components should be done in a “pyramid” type. This means that the first step is always a fine-grained absorbent (coal), then comes a layer of quartz sand, and then comes the turn of river pebbles or gravel.
It is better to cover the filler hole with some kind of cloth or lid to prevent unwanted objects from getting inside the cartridge.
The principle of operation of such a filter is the passive flow of water through all layers. Under the action of the granules, the contaminated liquid is cleaned and flows out of the perforated hole. Initially, you need to pass several liters of water through the filter. The first filtering procedure will wash the layers and remove contaminants.
The disadvantages of the system include the rather slow cleaning speed and the need to constantly add new liquid after completing the filtration procedure.
The disadvantages of homemade water filters with natural fillers include low speed, the need to frequently change filter layers, and not very high cleaning quality
Homemade carbon filter from PVC pipe
To build the structure you will need a piece of plastic water pipe and 2 containers. You can connect two bottles, where the upper segment will act as a coarse filter.
Inside, as expected, a primary layer of gauze or cotton wool is first placed, while some kind of mesh backing, for example, made of plastic, is constructed so that the layers do not mix. A plastic cap that can be glued into a PVC pipe is well suited for this, then drill several small diameter holes around the circumference.
Next begins the stage of filling the initial cartridge with synthetic material (sintepon can be used). After this, close the module again with the lid, only this time you should not resort to using glue, because this part must be removable in order to be able to replace and clean the filter material.
Then the turn of the plastic pipe begins. You need to cut off the neck of the bottle and secure it inside the pipe so that you can use the thread.
It should be secured tightly to avoid leaks (silicone glue works well). It is recommended to wrap the outer side and edging of the neck with several layers of electrical tape for greater strength.
As usual, you need to insert a cap into the other end of the tube and make a perforation. A fabric layer should be placed on the inner surface of the improvised cassette.
After all the manipulations, the structure is ready to be filled with granulate (in this case, activated carbon). For better efficiency, you can alternate layers of minerals inside the pipe.
Once complete, the primary filter and carbon module are screwed together using threads. Then, plastic bottles are added on both sides. That's it, the cut PVC carbon filter is ready for use.
Water filter for aquarium
As you know, for the normal functioning of aquatic inhabitants, it is necessary to clean the tank in a timely manner and maintain the purity of the water. Owners of small aquariums will come in handy with instructions on how to build a filter at home.
The body of a homemade filter for purifying hard water can be any plastic tube of a suitable diameter, including, in the absence of one, 2 syringes will work well.
Before assembly, you need to prepare some additional parts: a spray bottle (often used in bottles with detergents), a sponge with a high degree of rigidity, as well as a mechanism by which the structure will be attached to the wall of the aquarium (suction cup).
The first step is to remove the moving part of the syringe; it will not be useful. Then, using hot glue or other sealant, connect the blanks to each other, having previously cut off the spouts.
For water flow it is necessary to make perforations. An ordinary soldering iron will do an excellent job of this, and if you don’t have one, you can heat any metal object, such as a nail, over the fire and make holes over the entire area of the syringe.
In some cases, you can put some granules into the filter capsule; the best option would be to use zeolite, because The absorbent does a good job of filtering nitrates.
Then the improvised cartridge should be completely wrapped with a sponge and the outer layer should be secured so that it does not unwind. That's all, the power of such a filter is quite enough to purify water in a small aquarium.
Sand filter for pool
As already mentioned, the process of constructing small-sized variations of filter systems is quite simple, however, if we are talking about a large reservoir, it is necessary to think through all the nuances of the purification system.
Many people have probably encountered the problem of “blooming” water. Most often, this process is observed in the warm season, and if the pool is also equipped with a heating system, such an incident can occur at any time.
It is fair to say that the problem of green water can be completely solved with improvised means, namely, removed mechanically, but sometimes a layer of algae can sink to the very bottom and removing the surface film will not solve the problem.
In addition, not only algae can act as a pollutant, but also fallen leaves, as well as sand and all kinds of microparticles if the pool is located outside.
Faced with problems of this kind, people begin to frantically buy all sorts of detergents and cleaning products in the hope of getting rid of annoying green islands. But the active chemical action of substances can only help with the pollutant that is on the surface and in order to clean the tank to the very bottom, completely different methods are needed.
To completely clean the pool, there are special filter systems. They work on the principle of a “vacuum cleaner”, namely, they pump liters of contaminated liquid through a compressor. The filtration process is a repeated transfer of water from one part of the pool to another.
This mechanism is often used in large municipal or private institutions, where the volume of the pool sometimes reaches thousands of liters, so the best solution is an automated filtration system.
But it is not profitable for the average user to invest in such bulky equipment if, for example, it is necessary to clean only a small seasonal inflatable tank.
Just for such reservoirs there are instructions for constructing a sand filter.
During the assembly process, you will need any container that can serve as a cartridge. The water tunnel from the primary filter can be made from a 2-meter long plastic pipe (if the pool is large).
You also need to take into account that the tunnel design involves a 90-degree rotation, so a PVC corner is needed. The inner diameter of the cartridge and pipe should be about 50 mm.
A threaded bushing with a diameter of M10 can be used as a support pin for cleaning modules. The convenience of this design allows you to connect several filter cassettes into one, which turns a regular filter into a multi-level one. This increases absorption efficiency and ultimately results in cleaner water.
At the first stage, you need to make two holes (it is better to use a hammer drill).
The first is in the filter plug, and the second is in the PVC corner, then connect the two parts using a pin and nut. A water compressor should be attached to the other end of the tube. The power of the equipment should be selected based on the volume of the pool.
In order for the filter to float, it is necessary to make a special foam backing.
The purification process is circular, and occurs by taking water from the lower layers of the pool and pumping it through the filter using a pump.
The advantage of this design is the absence of additional elements for releasing filtered water, as well as the possibility of replacing the cartridge. It is better to carry out the rinsing procedure over a separate container to avoid dirty liquid getting back into the pool. It is better to use a bucket for this.
In addition, the cost of this installation is significantly less than branded analogues. Everything you need can be purchased at specialized retail outlets, for example, a compressor is sold in any pet store, PVC pipes and angles in construction supermarkets, and a replacement cartridge in the markets in the plumbing department.
A big advantage when creating a floating filtration system is the freedom of design. If you have decorative components on hand, you can disguise the filter as any object that fits into the composition of the pool, for example, a ship.
Homemade water filter
At home, anyone can build an installation consisting of three containers connected in series. Such a filter works only under a certain pressure of the water supply system.
Plastic or glass containers can be used as future cassettes, and the segments must be connected using a ¼-inch adapter nipple.
For convenience, the adapters have entry/exit guides. They will make sure that the assembly process is successful. Another important point is the tightness of the installation. To avoid leaks, it is recommended to wrap each thread in Teflon tape and seal the joints with synthetic material.
A filter of this type is connected to the system as a tee and connected in series with the water supply pipes. The same coal can be used as granulate. It will clean raw water from harmful microparticles and prevent the appearance of scale on the heating elements of an electric kettle and washing machine.
Features of homemade filters
After some time, you will have to replace such a system with a more professional one. This is due not only to the wear of old parts, but due to their low absorption and purification efficiency in relation to microorganisms contained in water.
To ensure the sterility of the reservoir, modern filters are equipped with a mineralizing system. Before buying equipment, it is worth testing the water in laboratory conditions for mineral content and then, based on the results of the examination, choosing a filter with the appropriate mineral composition.
Homemade equipment does not have such a function, so after the cleaning stage it is recommended to boil the filtrate.
Also compare the power of the filter with the water pressure. Incorrect calculation of the water pressure intensity in relation to a homemade filtration system can affect the performance of the equipment. published