Starvin Larry

This is a simple gravity operated water filter,simple to build,and will filter a lot of water.

Materials:

4′ piece 6″ PVC pipe and end caps.

Washed river gravel-you can buy bags of the stuff at Lowes,Home Depot,Wal-Mart-it’s the small,pebble sized stone.

Play sand,also available at the same places.

Aquarium charcoal,available from pet shops or online.

One 5 gallon bucket-make sure it’s clean.

1 food-grade 5 gallon bucket with lid.

1/2″ PVC

1/2″  PVC ball valve-(on-off valve)

1/2″ faucet screens

Silicone caulk-kitchen and bath type.

1/2″ spade bit

2×3’s and screws to make frame to hold filter and buckets.

First,drill half inch holes in each end cap,bottom of 5 gallon bucket, in lid to food grade bucket,and at bottom of food grade bucket,so the ball valve can be installed there.

Assemble the parts as follows-(without sealing w/ caulk)

The food grade bucket is the bottom of the filter.

The 6″ PVC is attached to the food grade bucket by a 6″ piece of the 1/2″ PVC  through the lid.

The 6″ PVC is attached to the other 5 gallon bucket by a 6″ piece of the 1/2″ PVC through hole in the bottom of bucket,and the end cap to the 6″ PVC.

Once assembled-build a frame using the 2×3’s to support the filter.

After you have the frame assembled,take the 6″ PVC,with the 1/2″ pieces of PVC installed,with a 1/2″ faucet washer just below the top of the upper piece of pipe,and just above the bottom of the lower piece of pipe in both ends-start by putting 18″ of charcoal in the pipe,next,put in 18″ of sand,next put in 12″ of river gravel.

Put a bead of silicone caulk around the 1/2″ PVC at all 4 joints,allow to cure for 24 hours.

Install the ball valve at the same time,then apply the silicone caulk,also allow it to cure for 24 hours.

Use a screen,old t-shirt,or coffee filters to pre-filter the water,so most of the debris is removed.

When you need to filter water for drinking water-pour the water to be filtered into the upper 5 gallon bucket,after it has flowed through the filter,take filtered water from the lower bucket as needed.

This method will remove most contaminants,I would still add a few drops of bleach or iodine  per gallon,to kill any microorganisms not filtered out.

I’m not all that good with computer tech-so I couldn’t figure out how to make a drawing on the computer-I will just sketch one out,scan it,then add to this post in the next day or two-maybe three.

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Train.

Do more PT.