The principles underlying water purification technology can be used in the manufacture of homemade filters. This is especially true when the quality of water leaves much to be desired, and purchasing factory-made products is impossible for some reason. As part of this gigantic article, we will try to consider various approaches to making water filters with our own hands.
Cleaning methods and types of filters
Water treatment technologies differ depending on the initial and required water quality. The goal is to remove contaminants from water that pose a threat to humans and domestic animals. In the table below we have reviewed the main approaches used in modern water purification filters.
Water purification method* | What is removed | Features of the cleaning process |
Mechanical | Solid impurities of various sizes responsible for visible contamination of the liquid | Filter material: insoluble in water, does not bind the substances contained in it chemicals. Sand, gravel, grates with various sizes cells, fabric, containers with holes, etc. – all this can act as a mechanical filter |
Physico-chemical | Organic substances, chlorine and its derivatives - everything that causes the unpleasant taste, smell and color of water | A prominent representative is activated carbon, which has a huge surface area. Purification is carried out using two mechanisms: adsorption (removal of organic matter) and catalytic oxidation (removal of chlorine) |
Ion exchange | Iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium (hardness salts) are substances responsible for the characteristic metallic taste and scale formation in water heating equipment | The main material is ion exchange resins, passing through which ions of iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium bind to the resin complex, replacing sodium ions in it (instead of one we get another). The process is reversible, which allows you to restore the properties of the ion exchange resin by passing a saturated solution of table salt through it |
Reverse osmosis | Everything except water and air dissolved in it | The heart of the installation is a reverse osmosis membrane with semi-permeable property. However, for its operation you need a pressure of 2 atmospheres |
If you set out to make a filter with your own hands, you will probably rely on the first two types of cleaning. They are the simplest, and for their manufacture there is no need to purchase expensive consumables.
Simple water filter device
The efficiency of any water treatment system depends on how correctly the sequence of using certain materials for water purification is chosen. Traditionally, the diagram shown in the figure below is used. It provides stepwise cleaning, first from large debris, then from suspended particles, organic inclusions and salts.
The most available options– sand or carbon filter, in which the main role is played by materials of the same name:
- sand. Use coarse quartz sand or rinse thoroughly with river sand so that it does not contain silt particles. To be more confident in the safety of using sand, you can calcinate it for a few minutes - this will kill all the organic matter inhabiting the material. Only dry sand is suitable for backfilling;
- coal. Ideally, use the capabilities of pharmaceutical activated carbon. If you don't have it, use coal from the fire. Just not for coal from coniferous species wood!
Ion exchange resin is used to purify water from iron, calcium and magnesium and is sold in large bags, so it would be more rational to buy a cartridge for iron removal or Aragon-2. A similar function, only more complete cleaning, performs a reverse osmosis membrane in a reverse osmosis system. You will also have to purchase it separately - in this case it is better to buy it right away ready-made system water treatment
Filter for a summer cottage or a hike
Before you start assembling your homemade product, you need to be aware that such simple filters only carry out selective water purification. One way or another, worm eggs, viruses and bacteria may remain in it, and the content of hardness salts and iron may be exceeded. This water must be additionally boiled, and as disinfectants you can use iodine solution (add 5 drops of a 5% alcohol solution to 1 liter of water), potassium permanganate (tinting the water to a barely pink color), hydroperite (0.5 tablets per 1 liter of water) .
One of homemade devices for primary water purification can be made literally from scrap materials. It is often used on a hike to remove mechanical impurities and toxins. After the filter, the liquid must be boiled. The instructions for making a filter for a summer house or some extreme conditions look something like this:
- take a large plastic bottle, cut off the bottom;
- using the bottle as a funnel, place it in another container, for example, a glass jar or a piece of another bottle (in the shape of a glass);
- line the first filter layer with a clean cloth, gauze, cotton wool or other available material. This layer will be responsible for fine purification of water from mechanical impurities. If conditions permit, boil the fabric before laying;
- Fill the bottle with charcoal to about a third of its volume. It is better to use activated charcoal, but if it is not available, charcoal from a fire pit is quite suitable. But you cannot use coniferous species. The larger the coal layer, the better, because... it is responsible not only for mechanical cleaning, but also for adsorption organic matter, which include components that cause the unpleasant taste and odor of water. In addition, coal absorbs toxic impurities;
- the top layer of the improvised filter will be represented by river sand. Rinse it first and then heat it over a fire. Sand is responsible for removing large mechanical impurities from water. To prevent it from mixing with coal, an intermediate bridge made of a thin layer of fabric can be laid between them
That's it, our simplest treatment plant is ready! It is better not to use the first portions of water, because... First, coal dust and ash will be released from the coal.
One of the simplest options involves making some kind of filter jug. But for this you will need to purchase a cartridge; you will only need to make a suitable container for the water filter with your own hands. In our case, a plastic bottle is used for these purposes.
Remove the cartridge from the packaging and clean the plastic bottle from dirt if possible. Prepare a sharp knife or scissors for the job.
Cut the bottle at its widest point, where the cone ends. The operation must be carried out so that the resulting funnel, when placed in the second part of the bottle, does not fall into it.
Place the cartridge in the funnel and use a marker to mark a line defining its lower part. Next, you need to cut off the neck and insert the cartridge into the resulting hole so that it fits snugly into the funnel. This is very important stage, because otherwise, some of the water will end up in the collection tank in an unpurified form.
Place the funnel with the cartridge in the remaining part of the bottle - congratulations, you have made a filter for your summer house with your own hands! The main advantage of this design is its simplicity and compactness. In fact, to manufacture it, you only need a factory cartridge, because Finding a plastic bottle is not a problem.
Not bad flow system can be assembled from syringes, various parts of plastic bottles, as well as medical tubing made of PVC or silicone rubber. Cotton wool and crushed activated carbon can be used as filter layers. The set of tools and materials for its manufacture is as follows:
- 3 syringes. Choose the largest volume so that the diameter of the syringe is equal to diameter holes in the whole bottle;
- 5 plastic bottles. Only for two is the volume important (preferably 1.5 or 2 liters), the rest are needed as sources of spare parts (caps and necks);
- a small piece of hose with a diameter matching the diameter of the bottle cap;
- two plastic tubes. Through them, water will be supplied to and removed from the filter;
- a dozen tablets of activated carbon. From it we will make a filter layer with our own hands, responsible for removing organic matter;
- cotton wool Will be used for cleaning from mechanical impurities;
- beeswax, sugar or gypsum with egg white. Serves as an adhesive that can be used when working with food utensils;
- sandpaper;
- sharp knife or scissors
We will use two identical syringes as the body. To begin, remove the piston and use a knife to remove the stops protruding from the body. To ensure the parts stick well, sand the area as shown in the picture above. So, you have two halves of the filter housing - how do you connect them?
For fastening we will use threaded connection bottles. Cut off the neck of the bottle at the point where the container begins to expand. Unscrew the cap, but do not throw it away - we will need it later. Such operations must be carried out with two bottles. As a result, we will end up with a pair of plugs and necks. Everything else can be thrown away. Products for fastening to a part from a syringe must be sanded from the inside. Why, it will become clear later.
Our next task is gluing the parts of the filter housing. There is one nuance here: you cannot use moment, super glue or other compounds for this. After all, our filter will come into contact with water for food purposes. Therefore, we will use caramelized sugar solution as glue. To prepare it, take a couple of tablespoons of sugar and heat them slowly over low heat. Apply the resulting glue in a thin layer to the sanded surfaces and immediately connect them. You can also experiment with a solution of gypsum and egg white (add liquid egg white to pure gypsum powder in a ratio of 3 to 1), natural beeswax, natural resin from coniferous trees and other substances that do not pose a threat to health if they get into water (hereinafter, for brevity, we will call such glue food grade). As a result of these actions, you will get two identical parts. Now let's figure out how to connect them.
To connect the two parts of the water filter housing, you need to make a so-called connector. Its components are two plugs (the same ones that remained at the previous stages of work), a piece of hose with a diameter equal to the diameter of the plugs and a width equal to twice the width of the plug. Sequence of work:
- Using a knife, cut small holes in two corks (with a diameter equal to 2/3 of the diameter of the cork);
- using sandpaper, sand the outer parts of the plugs, as well as the inside of a piece of hose;
- Apply pre-prepared food glue to the sanded surfaces and assemble the connector. You can use it as soon as the adhesive joints dry
So, we already have almost everything we need to make a water filter with our own hands. It remains to deal with two containers: the first will be responsible for supplying dirty water, the second – for receiving purified water. If any clean vessel can act as a receiving container and everything seems to be clear here, then there are a couple of tricks with the first container.
How to make the first container:
- take three plastic bottles and a syringe;
- cut off the bottom of bottle 1 and unscrew the cap;
- cut off the flared tip of the syringe, make a hole in the plug and insert the element cut from the syringe into it from the inside. It should fit tightly into the hole, and the connection will be airtight. But to be extra sure, you can additionally use some edible glue. The result of our work will be a plug with a pipe;
- take bottle 2, we only need the cork from it. Use a sharp knife to cut holes in the threaded area of the plug. Now it can be placed in bottle 1, where it will serve as a filter rough cleaning water (from sand, etc.);
- take bottle 3 and place it in what is left of bottle 1. As a result of these actions, the screwed cap on bottle 3 should touch our coarse filter (see point 4). Cut the bottom of bottle 3 so that you get a funnel, make slits in it;
- assemble all the parts together as shown in the picture above
Place a small piece of cotton wool in one part of the filter housing, then add pre-crushed activated carbon, fill the rest of both housings with cotton wool. It needs to be compacted, but not too much, because... this affects the filtration rate. Use a connector to connect the two parts. All that remains is to connect the housing using plastic tubes to the supply and receiving containers - you have managed to make a filter for water purification with your own hands. However, there are several nuances in using such a device:
- the performance of the system is determined by the difference in level between the point of water supply and the point of its discharge;
- at the first stage it is necessary to initiate the flow of water, creating traction, similar to draining fuel from a car tank
To avoid silting of the well casing, as well as to reduce the load on the main treatment devices, a mechanical cleaning filter is provided at the water intake site. Below we will talk about the two most simple and effective designs of filters for wells made of plastic or steel pipes. It’s easier and cheaper to make them yourself than to buy ready-made products.
Briefly about what they are. This is a plastic or steel pipe 3 m long, divided into three zones from bottom to top: settling (about 0.5 m), filtering (2 m), installation (0.5 m). Through the filter zone, water enters the settling tank, where it is preliminarily purified from random impurities under the influence of gravity, and the mounting part is used for fastening to the casing pipe or fixing the cable when lowering it into the pipe larger diameter.
Two situations are possible:
- in an active well. After washing it, it became necessary to install an additional barrier for mechanical contaminants (sand and small stones). In this case, in casing pipe place a ready-made filter of smaller diameter;
- when constructing a well. In this case, the well filter is the first section of the casing pipe
Be that as it may, the technology for its manufacture is the same in all cases. Let's look at the simplest version of a plastic filter for a well. By analogy, you can make the same structure from steel.
We will need:
- pipe 3 m long;
- pipe cover or piece of plastic;
- polyamide cord with a thickness of 3 mm;
- P64 polyamide mesh for filtration;
- hacksaw for metal;
- screwdriver and 10 mm drill;
- self-tapping screws; roulette;
- construction stapler
First, let's mark functional areas our pipe as shown in the figure below.
It makes sense to immediately mount the bottom of the device. For these purposes, cut plastic element round shape, drill three 10 mm holes in it (for water). Secure the bottom with self-tapping screws. Further, the approach to work depends on how water will enter the casing: through holes or through cracks.
Drill holes with a diameter of 10 mm in a staggered pattern. Take the distance between holes located in the same line equal to 100 mm. Maintain the same distance between the longitudinal rows located with an offset of 50 mm - hence the checkerboard order. Drill a couple of additional holes on both edges of the filtration zone, which will be required to secure the cord. It should be understood that the role of these holes is solely to provide effective use well flow rate, i.e. so that water in the required volume enters the casing pipe.
Attach a cord to one of the edges and make a dozen tight turns around the pipe. Next, wrap it with a spiral in increments of about 150-250 mm. Closer to the opposite part of the filter pad, again wind about ten tight turns and secure the cord with a pair of holes. So that trying to make a filter for a well with your own hands does not involve mechanical work according to instructions, we will explain why this cord is included in the design. It is necessary in order to create small space between the mesh (more about it below) and the holes in the pipe. In this case, the entire grid area is used. But if it just fit tightly to the pipe, only the part that is located at the holes would work.
All that remains is to wrap the pipe with a special P64 synthetic mesh, which will serve as a filter layer, and secure it with a construction stapler.
Instead of holes, you can make slits in the filter pipe. This will significantly increase the area through which water will enter the casing, as well as reduce the size of particles that can get there, bypassing the mesh barrier. For this sharp knife or use a hacksaw to make 100 mm long slots on both sides of the pipe in increments of 20 mm. At the same time, after every 10-15 slot holes, leave an untouched gap of 50-100 mm in length. All other operations are similar to those described above for a perforated well filter.
Well filter
To purify water in a well, simple and effective solution, which is called a bottom filter. Naturally, you can do it yourself. There are two approaches here:
- direct filter. The choice in its favor is made on the condition that the bottom of the well is constantly eroded and this is the reason muddy water. For example, in the case of a clay bottom. The idea is to reinforce the bottom with large stones, gradually reducing the fraction of subsequent layers. Those. the first layer is stones cleared of algae, thoroughly washed, which are best collected on the river bank. Next we lay the large pebbles and finally the smallest ones. The thickness of the layers is within 20 cm, hence the total thickness of the entire filter will be approximately 50-60 cm. Of course, the thicker the layer, the higher the quality of the resulting water. But at the same time, the capacity of the well decreases and the load on the bottom increases;
- return filter. If the situation is the opposite, and the turbidity of the water is due to the sandy bottom of the well, then backfilling is carried out in the reverse order. However, coarse quartz sand can be used as the first layer (then there will be 4 layers: sand, small and large pebbles, large stones)
The large volume of water and the abundance of sources of pollution require periodic cleaning of pools. This task is best accomplished with a flow-type cleaning device through which liquid will be pumped. When people talk about a homemade pool filter, they most often mean a simple sand (or sand) filter. The scheme is elementary, but quite reliable installation is presented in the figure below.
To make a pool filter with your own hands, you will need the following set of tools and materials:
- capacity from 50 l.;
- sewer pipe PVC diameter 110 mm;
- tee 110x110x45 mm;
- pipes with a diameter of 45 mm;
- polyamide mesh;
- 3-4 corners and screws for fastening them;
- plastic sheet for partition;
- screwdriver and 10 mm drill;
- centrifugal pump and hose with a diameter of 45 mm
The idea is as follows: water will be pumped into top part containers and fall onto the perforated partition. With its help, uniform distribution of liquid over the entire surface area of the sand load will be ensured; Large debris will linger here. Next, the liquid will pass through a layer of sand and be cleared of smaller mechanical impurities, gradually filling the central pipe. The water outlet is located at a level below the inlet, which, based on the principle of communicating vessels, facilitates its exit from the container by gravity through the pipe.
If desired, instead of sand or together with it, you can use any other suitable material: foam rubber, crushed stone, coal, etc. It all depends on what contaminants you want to remove from the pool water and what labor costs you are willing to spend - a sand filter is simpler and cheaper to maintain than its analogues.
Today it is fashionable to have summer cottage small, but it has its own pond. Not everyone is lucky with the location of their dacha, so we have to solve the problem by installing an artificial reservoir. But if in natural conditions ponds are a self-regulating environment, the development of man-made objects depends entirely on the measures taken by their owner. To keep the water clean, installing a filter is considered as one of the measures. You can buy a finished product, but it is quite possible to make a filter for a pond with your own hands - in order to save money and understand the processes occurring in it.
Two can be considered simple options designs:
To make the case, we need a container with a volume of 20 to 40 liters. The larger it is, the less often the filter will have to be serviced, but the more difficult it will be to disguise it in small pond. Make holes in the bottom 1/3 of the container with a diameter of about 5 mm. Place several layers of foam or other waterproof filter material into the container. This must be done in such a way that the foam covers the holes made in the body. To prevent the container from floating or moving along the bottom of the reservoir, place several heavy stones inside. Now the most difficult thing is to solve the issue with the lid.
It is necessary to make a hole in the lid for a submersible pump, the operation of which will ensure the flow of water through the filter media. The hole is carefully sealed, as is the fastening of the lid to the body. All that remains is to choose suitable place and place a water purification device there. Once a week or two you will have to remove the device from the water and wash the foam.
There are two types of filters for purifying water in an aquarium: external and internal. Their name is due to the location of the filter element. In the first case, it is installed somewhere outside the aquarium, in the second, it occupies part of usable area. We will not deal with the question of which solution is optimal. What is much more important for us is how to save money on buying a factory product and make aquarium filter with your own hands at home. But first, let's think about what we will use as a material for water purification. As we said above, there are solutions for different purposes.
Name | Brief description | Cleaning | Peculiarities |
Foam rubber | A type of elastic polyurethane foam. It has a porous soft structure. Often used as furniture padding and sound insulation. One of the cheapest options. | Mechanical cleaning. After some time, it is also biological due to the development of beneficial microorganisms in the pores of the filter. | It is advisable to choose foam rubber for aquariums. It is more durable and is not believed to cause harm aquatic inhabitants. Inexpensive but effective filter material. |
Sintepon | Non-woven fabric made from synthetic fiber. It has a layered structure. Most often used as insulation in clothing and blankets. Cheap. | Like foam rubber | It clogs quickly, so it is used only for fine water purification. Often you have to change. Again, it's better to buy special material for aquariums. |
Sintered glass | Balls with a diameter of about 1 cm made of sintered glass. They have a porous structure. | Biological treatment due to the work of microorganisms settling in the pores of the material. | The effectiveness of water purification using sintered glass is determined by the previous stages of filtration. Quickly becomes clogged with mechanical impurities. |
Granular carbon | An effective adsorbent with a developed internal structure. Due to this, the area of the reactive areas of the material increases. | Cleaning from organic matter, removing odors, correcting color. | For use with external filters only. Before use, wash to remove coal dust. |
Peat | A natural filter that cleans water from coarse mechanical impurities and disinfects it. | Mechanical cleaning. Reduces the pH of the water, which has a good effect on the inhabitants of the aquarium. | Special peat is required. Additionally, consult with sellers. |
Zeolite | Minerals with a porous structure. Inexpensive material. | Purification by sorption. Absorbs ammonium from water. | An effective way removal of nitrates. Required loading volume: 1 g/l. |
Ceramic rings or straws | Porous structures in the form of small tubes or rings. Serve as a basis for the development of microorganisms. | As an auxiliary element for the effective distribution of water flows. Biological treatment. | They can act as supporting elements for filter structures. Requires periodic washing. |
Plastic elements | Excised balls or tubes. Inexpensive. | Do not participate in cleaning. Auxiliary filter element. | Intermediate loading for distribution of water flows. |
On your first trip to a specialized store, you can easily replenish this far from complete range of aquarium filters with new items. But even ordinary foam rubber and zeolite may be enough to make a full-fledged bottom filter.
How to make an internal filter
To make a simple internal filter for a bottom-type aquarium you will need:
- small capacity. It is better to use a clay bowl or transparent glassware, i.e. containers that will fit into decorative design or they will simply be disguised. This reservoir will determine the filter surface area;
- funnel. It is better to choose products made of transparent plastic or glass. This is due solely to aesthetic considerations. The role of the funnel will become clear as we describe the manufacturing process;
- filter material. For example, a piece of foam rubber, which will take up about a third of the container;
- pebbles. They will serve as supports for the funnel, and also press down the foam, masking it;
- compressor. Any inexpensive aquarium compressor will do. A flexible tube needs to be connected to it, through which air will be supplied. To do this, you can use a medical transparent PVC tube.
This simplest aquarium filter, which anyone can make if they have a compressor, works as follows: air is pumped into a funnel, rushes upward through its spout, carrying water with it and thereby creating draft in the lower part. Thanks to it, successive portions of water are drawn under the funnel. The operation of such a primitive filter is based on the airlift device (see diagram below).
You can also use a regular jar as a container. And the place of the funnel can always be taken by a hose of larger diameter - it must exceed the diameter of the tube through which air is supplied. Bringing water to the surface will provide more efficient filtration due to the increase in the volume of water participating in the cycle (see diagram below).
A small disclaimer: internal filters are suitable for small aquariums. This is due to their low productivity. For large aquariums, it is necessary to design an outdoor installation.
How to make an external filter
The most important thing in this process is to choose a reliable case. Sewer trims have proven themselves to be good for this purpose. PVC pipes with socket and coupling. They can be connected and closed on both sides with plastic caps, installed vertically or horizontally. In order to make an external filter for an aquarium, we need:
- trim plastic pipe diameter 110 mm and length 50 cm;
- two plastic pipe plugs;
- submersible pump (can be an aquarium pump) for pumping water;
- two fittings with a diameter that matches the diameter of the outlet pipe in the pump;
- plastic grill (can be used from a sink);
- foam;
- padding polyester;
- biofilter (ceramic rings, tubes, plastic balls, etc.);
- air bleed valve;
- pipe cuttings to create supports;
- hoses for pumping water;
- FUM tape;
First, make inlet and outlet holes for the fitting. Their location depends on whether the filter is vertical or horizontal. In the first case, make holes from the edges of the pipe on the side, in the second - directly in the covers. The preferred option is a lateral inlet, even if the treatment plant is horizontal. To seal the connection, tightly wrap the threads of the fittings with FUM tape, mount them in the holes and tighten them with a nut. Below we describe the process step by step:
- supports for filter layers. We need to create an intermediate layer in the filter that will perform the distribution function. The main goal is to ensure that the load does not deform over time, and that most of the volume of this layer is occupied by water. Here you can go in several ways, for example, stick a piece of plastic pipe onto the plug. But it will be easier to simply cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle, make as many holes in it as possible and place it upside down relative to the plug;
- partitions between layers. You can cut round parts from the mesh, which is usually laid in kitchen sink. Alternatively, use CDs that no one really needs anymore. Make as many holes in them as possible. Partitions act as dividing walls structural elements to load the filter. Thanks to them, the filter layers will not mix. In addition, they retain large mechanical impurities. Place the first partition on the support structure;
- foam filter. Cut out a round element from foam rubber according to the diameter of the pipe. Place it on the partition;
- biofilter Use ceramic tubes/rings or plastic balls/tubes to create a layer with a large aggregate area. Here, fine suspensions will be deposited on the load and gradually processed by colonies of microorganisms;
- fine filter. First lay the partition, and then a round element cut out of foam rubber or synthetic padding (according to the diameter of the pipe);
- pump. It is better to glue the pump using hot glue to the body of our homemade filter;
- power supply Make a hole in the cover, pull the pump wire through it and seal the hole securely;
- air exhaust. Install a valve in the cover on the pump side to periodically release the air accumulated in the filter. If the filter is horizontal, then during this procedure you will have to periodically move it to a vertical position;
- connecting tubes. Connect the inlet and outlet hoses as shown in the figure above
Without taking into account the time spent, the cost of an external filter for an aquarium made by yourself is approximately 2-3 times less than a factory product. The aesthetics of the solution, of course, suffers, but a homemade product can always be hidden in a secluded place, and no one will see it at all.
A water filter is a necessary and in demand item in everyday life. It is no secret that purified water is healthier, since boiling cannot rid it of harmful substances and impurities. A homemade filter is no worse than a production one and can purify water from sediment. Making a filter with your own hands is quite simple. Moreover, there are a variety of ways to solve this problem that do not require significant financial costs.
What materials will be needed?
Make a filter to purify water from harmful impurities you can do it yourself. The most primitive water filter is sand. At home, a homemade water filter can be made from paper napkins or gauze. Well and tap water with their help it is cleaned quite efficiently, but such filters have one very significant drawback - they are very short-lived and require constant replacement.
Cotton wool and cotton cloth are used quite effectively to purify water. A filter made of cotton fabric will last longer. It can be placed in a large strainer or colander. Previously, in Rus', scraps of linen were used for such purposes.
No less popular as a filter charcoal. It can be purchased today in almost any department store or grocery store. And there are also those craftsmen who prefer to make charcoal themselves, and then use it not for the purpose of preparing barbecue, but as a filter for water purification. If you want to make charcoal for water filtration yourself, follow this operation very simple.
Pieces of wood are placed in a metal container, calcined in it - and charcoal is ready for water purification. However, it should be remembered that not every wood is suitable for such an operation. To make activated carbon, do not use pieces of coniferous wood, since they contain resin and it interferes with the production of this product.
What is the role of Lutraxil and what impurities will it help get rid of?
A filter for water purification can be made without any problems from scrap materials. For those who are concerned about the problem of high-quality water purification and who have a desire to purchase any additional components for these purposes, experts usually recommend paying attention to Lutraxil.
It began to be used for filtration relatively recently; it is a new product on the market. Russian market. Lutraxil provides a high level of water purification for drinking and household needs due to the presence of special polypropylene fibers that trap impurities and substances harmful to human health in the filter.
Filters allow you to purify water from the following negative impurities and properties:
- sulfates;
- chlorine;
- nitrates;
- nitrites;
- gland;
- chromaticity;
- turbidity.
About the secrets of making the simplest filters
What is the best homemade water filter? The answer is simple - multi-layered. Each of the listed materials used for water filtration has its own properties.
If filters are combined, water purification is carried out at a higher level. Pitcher filters purify water quite slowly; to solve this problem more quickly, you can use a plastic bottle, which is used to make a home filter.
To make a homemade filter you will need:
- five-liter plastic bottle;
- plastic bucket;
- small pebbles;
- gauze or thin cotton cloth;
- charcoal;
- sand.
How to make a filter to purify water? It is better to take an ordinary five-liter plastic bottle to purify water. The bottom must be carefully cut off. The other part of the filter is a plastic bucket. A hole is cut in its plastic cover. A plastic bottle, neck down, is inserted into it, small holes are made in the cork, about 5 pieces. It is better to clean the edges of the plastic sandpaper. And now all that remains is to fill the homemade filter with filler.
First, place the washed pebbles at the bottom of the bottle. small size, approximately 2-3 cm, on top with a bandage folded in four or cotton fabric. This is necessary to separate stones from coal.
The main filter element is carbon.
You need to prepare it first. If there is no ready-made coal, then for this you need to make a fire in advance, in which you can heat the wood well. Then we break it so that the pieces are not too small and not too large, and fill it on top to about half the container.
We take the gauze again, fold it in four and cover the coals well with it so that there are no gaps. This is done so that when sand is placed on top, it cannot seep into the coals. If sand gets into the coals, they will clog. The sand must first be washed and slightly calcined for disinfection.
The function of sand is to enhance filtration. It should leave behind small particles of dirt and foreign matter. Sand is poured approximately 2-2.5 fingers deep. On top of the sand there is again 4 layers of gauze so that when pouring water a funnel does not form. It is necessary to leave approximately 1/3 of free space at the top in order to pour water to be filtered.
If necessary to clean more water, just take other containers of the same size and repeat the algorithm.
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 used 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, through a colander or metal sieve you need to drain hot water. 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 fall into wells and boreholes.
For filtering well water when digging a well or for routine cleaning bottom filter installed for water 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 different colors and size.
Gravel is a porous, loose sedimentary rock; the size of gravel grains can range from a few millimeters to 2–3 centimeters.
Crushed stone - stones of different sizes, irregular shape 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 construction crushed stone 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 to make it we take a hardwood tree: 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 of at least 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://i2.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 pass it through carbon filters.
Homemade filter on a hike
It often happens that when going on a hike, we stock up 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 do it 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 put into a container with dirty water to the very bottom, 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.
Filters help get rid of the following substances and manifestations:
- chlorine impurities;
- nitrates;
- sulfates;
- nitrites;
- pesticides;
- smells;
- coloration;
- turbidity;
Unfortunately, this method of cleansing is also not ideal; it has features and limitations in use.
Self-production
Filter device
Features of manufacturing the simplest filters– in multilayers of materials with different cleaning properties. Every new level promotes additional removal of impurities, contaminants or certain properties of water.
To build a filter with your own hands, you can use available fillers and simple devices.
At home, for a homemade filter, the following purifiers will be needed:
- Paper napkins, gauze or a wide bandage. Water from a well or a water supply system is perfectly purified with their help, but the fragility of the materials is the reason for their frequent replacement.
- Thin cotton, canvas or linen fabric, wool is more durable in composition and lasts longer.
- , which you can purchase in a store or make yourself.
- Silver coin or other small silver items.
- Small pebbles, gravel, clean river or quartz sand, pre-washed and calcined for disinfection.
As containers for unfiltered and purified water, you can use a plastic or enamel bucket with a lid and a plastic five-liter bottle. The volume of utensils used can be increased or decreased depending on need.
Step by step guide:
- Step 1. In the lid of the bucket for clean water, you need to cut a hole in the center for screwing a plastic bottle with the neck down. The fit between the two elements must be tight. The cut edges should be treated with sandpaper or a file, and 5-6 punctures should be made in the bottle cap to drain the purified liquid.
- Step 2. Preparing a container for water purification. If you are using a five-liter or other plastic bottle, then you need to carefully cut off the bottom to fill the vessel with filtration materials and insert it into the hole in the bucket lid.
- Step 3. In the place of the neck, layers of thin fabric or cotton wool are laid from the inside with a tight fit to the walls. You need to pour pre-prepared crushed coal 5-6 cm high on top and compact it a little with a heavy object. This is the main filter component, its capabilities are calculated approximately from the ratio: 1 tablet of activated carbon per 1 liter of liquid.
- Step 4. On top of the coal layer, you need to spread gauze or bandage in several layers, carefully covering the previous level, and place silver pieces or coins on top for bacterial cleaning.
- Step 5. Place a layer of clean sand 2-2.5 cm high and make sure that it does not seep into the coals. Mixing may cause the filter to become clogged. Sand enhances filtration without allowing foreign particles to pass through. You need to lay 4-5 layers of gauze on top so that there is no funnel when filling the container with water.
- Step 6. You can begin test cleaning after filling the container. If the design is designed for continuous water supply, then it is important to monitor the pressure, which should not exceed the filter capacity.
The performance and quality of filter cleaning depend on the number of layers and their density. Counts optimal indicator per hour purification of 2-3 liters of water.
It should be noted that purchased filters essentially have the same cleaning properties, even if ground coconut shells that have undergone pyrolysis are used instead of carbon filler.
You can prepare charcoal yourself by calcining hardwood wood placed in a metal container in a fire. Ephedras cannot be used due to large quantity the resins they contain. Birch logs are ideal for making activated carbon.
The filtration layers should fill approximately 2/3 of the total volume of the bottle, leaving 1/3 for unfiltered water.
DIY flow filter
Manufacturingpossible provided that water is supplied at a certain and stable pressure. The main purpose of such installations is to remove chlorine odors, additional cleaning and disinfection.
To assemble the structure, you will need three flasks same size, filler and ¼-inch nipple adapters, marked with the direction of the media. The filter material can be carbon.
The flasks must be connected in series, the middle one must be filled with filter material. TO plumbing system the filter is connected with a tee. Connections are carefully sealed to avoid leaks.
It should be remembered that over time the filters themselves also become dirty. Cloth, cotton and paper cleaners should be replaced as they wear out. The sand can be washed with a reverse water flow until the water is completely transparent.
The carbon layer must be replaced due to bacterial contamination. The maximum filtration period for sand is 3 months, and for coal - 1 month.
Overview of filtration materials
Water purification is carried out through porous layers of materials that can be replaced as needed or in connection with the assigned tasks. To determine the quality level of filtration, water must be sent for laboratory analysis. Sometimes it is enough to visually feel the difference between the original and purified water in terms of taste characteristics.
The main list of filtration materials is traditional: cotton wool, gauze, cotton fabrics, pebbles, coal. But sometimes the question arises, what to prefer and why?
River or quartz sand
For the purpose of mechanical purification of water from impurities and contaminants, sand is used. Quartz is considered the most suitable due to the suitable shape of its grains and mineral purity. The angularity of the particles resists sticking, a property important for filtration. Quartz sand is finely dispersed, which enhances the quality of water purification.
Charcoal or coconut shell
The use of coal is associated with the removal of pesticides, traces of chlorine, ozone, and organic matter through the adsorption process. Efficiency is achieved provided the structure is porous.
If the charcoal was produced in a factory method, then technology ensures that the charcoal has pores. Self-production coal does not lead to the desired stage, although there will still be a certain porosity.
The best cleansing structure of charcoal is achieved by charring coconut shells or pits of plums, apricots or peaches.
An additional filter component that has recently appeared on the modern market. The presence of special polypropylene fibers in it ensures high-quality cleaning from impurities and substances harmful to humans.
Operating principle
Operating principle of a reverse osmosis system
Water passes through several layers of filter and is successively freed from various contaminants. The more levels, the higher the degree of purification. Fillers can be different, each with its own filtration features and capabilities.
First stage of cleaning- this is the mechanical screening through porous materials of particles of rust, sand, clay, and any debris that may be contained in water. In this way, transparency is achieved, giving the appearance of cleanliness.
Subsequent filters can change the color, taste, smell of water, and change its chemical composition.
The following are used as cleaning layers:
- tissue or gauze;
- cotton wool;
- paper napkins;
- quartz sand;
- charcoal;
- Lutraxil;
To effectively filter water, you need to know its features and composition. This information helps in selecting filters. For example, when receiving water from artesian well, during the drilling process a lot of iron and hardness salts enter. Accordingly, cleaning should be aimed at removing iron content with a selected reagent.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Cleaning structures made independently from improvised means and materials are quite inexpensive, convenient and accessible. This is their great advantage over purchased filters and installations that do not take root at all in country houses and dachas due to cost and unacceptable conditions for use.
Any average person can make a simple and at the same time effective filter using household tools and devices: a knife, a plastic bottle, a bucket, fabric and other materials.
The disadvantages of homemade designs for traditional filtration are:
- Inability to trap contaminants and infection high level. The pores of the filters can only partially resist harmful substances.
- A typical problem with a purifier is the internal accumulation of contaminant microorganisms, the concentration of which increases as filtration materials are used. The lack of self-cleaning affects the operation of the entire system as a whole. But a solution to this problem has not yet been found.
- Microelements needed by humans in particles, commensurate with the size of the contaminants, are also retained by filters and demineralize the water.
The problem of drinking water purification is becoming relevant not only for city residents, but also for residents of rural areas. To make water from a well or borehole suitable for drinking, you can make a water filter with your own hands.
Why filter well water?
It would seem that what could be purer than well water, sung in ancient Russian epics? Alas, modern reality is not at all like a fairy tale. Water in private wells can be contaminated by the most different substances, such as:
- nitrates;
- bacteria and pathogens;
- impurities that impair the taste and quality of drinking water.
For excess in drinking water nitrates, i.e. salts of nitric acid, should be “thanked” by farmers who widely use fertilizers and pesticides when growing agricultural products. Some of these substances inevitably seep into the aquifer.
Bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms appear in wells and boreholes, since sanitary and hygienic standards during the construction of cesspools and manure pits, toilets and other similar structures are often not observed as strictly as they should be.
The simplest filter can be made from a plastic bottle with filler
Poor quality and damage to equipment lead to the fact that the water contains an admixture of rust, sand, etc. Drinking such water is simply unpleasant. Therefore, it is recommended to buy or make at least a simple water filter for your dacha.
Review of filtration materials
The principle of operation of the filter is simple and well known to everyone. It is necessary to pass water through a layer of filtration material. The filler can be different:
- textile;
- cotton wool;
- paper napkins;
- gauze;
- sand;
- grass;
- coal;
- Lutraxil.
Filters made from gauze, cotton wool, paper napkins, fabric and other similar materials are quite effective, but short-lived. They need to be changed quite often. However, they are quite suitable as a temporary option.
You can buy charcoal in a store or make it yourself
For regular use, other materials are used, mainly charcoal. It is laid in layers, alternating with sand, gravel, grass, etc. Lutraxil is synthetic material, made from polypropylene fibers.
Tip: You can make your own charcoal. To do this, it is enough to heat the pieces of wood in metal container. Coniferous wood is not suitable for this. Ready-made charcoal is sold in stores, in picnic departments.
The simplest filter from a plastic bottle
The use of conventional household filters for small dacha rarely convenient. Such devices require the supply of water from a water supply system under a certain pressure, and not every dacha has a water supply system at suitable characteristics. Pitcher filters purify water too slowly.
In addition, you will have to constantly change cartridges. Therefore, a homemade water filter made from a plastic bottle and a bucket with a plastic lid may be the most acceptable option.
A homemade water filter can be made from a regular plastic bottle.
This filter uses carbon and ordinary fabric napkins as a filler.
The simplest filter for a summer house is made as follows:
1. The bottom of a plastic bottle needs to be cut off.
2. Cut a suitable hole in the plastic lid of the bucket.
3. Insert the bottle into the hole with the neck down.
4. Fill the filter with filler.
Tip: It is important to ensure that the bottle is tightly attached to the edges of the hole made in the lid of the bucket. To do this, sand the edges of the hole with sandpaper and use a rubber gasket.
Using the same principle, you can make a more convenient filtration installation. A plastic canister or tank of approximately 20 liters is used as a receiving container. You need to make a hole at the bottom and insert a small tap into it, through which purified water will flow.
On top of the receiving container you need to install a 10-liter plastic bottle with a filler hole in the bottom. To make a filter, you can use a 40 mm piece of polypropylene pipe. The top and bottom of the pipe are covered with pieces of perforated plastic, which is recommended to be fixed with hot glue. The pipe is filled with charcoal.
Such a homemade filter should fit tightly into the neck of a standard ten-liter bottle. All that remains is to connect the receiving tank with the filter and the bottle. You can immediately fill the installation with a full bucket of well water, which will be filtered after a few hours. This way there will always be a supply of clean drinking water in the house.
Please note: The carbon filter must be rinsed before use. To do this, several liters of water are passed through it, which is immediately drained. This will remove small particles of coal that could contaminate the water.
Three-flask design for full-fledged water supply
Happy owners of a full-fledged water supply in a private house can make a three-flask homemade filter for water purification. To do this you need:
- Buy three identical flasks.
- Connect the flasks in series with two quarter-inch nipple adapters. In this case, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the in/out designations in order to maintain the direction of water movement. Nipple threads should be sealed with FUM tape.
- The outermost holes of the flasks are connected to the quarter-inch tube using straight adapters.
- Connect the filtration system to the water supply with a tee, which is cut into the water supply using a 1/2” connector.
- At the outlet, a standard drinking water tap is connected to the filter system.
- Fill the flasks with filter material. You can use a polypropylene cartridge, carbon filter and anti-scale filler.
Filter cartridges are very diverse and allow you to eliminate a wide variety of water contaminants. It is worth noting that the cost of such a DIY design may not be much lower than an inexpensive filtration unit from the manufacturer.