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is this possible and how can I make a filter like this using sand and random junk?
build a water filter
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You could get some cans, make one into a fire container, throw random junk it, make a holder for the other can put it above that one, boil water in it, use random junk to make the fire sparks, useful litter is almost _everywhere_ assuming you can come up with something flamable enough you can purify it by boiling it then devise a particle filtration system using paper of various sorts with holes punched in it and rotated so the holes dont line up
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You can't really "filter" the salt out, because it is not a particle, it is disolved in the water.
Salt water can be turned into fresh water by desalination. Salt water is boiled, turned into steam, the salt remains behind, and the steam is collected and condensed back into fresh water.
On a small scale, if you had a teapot full of salt water, and held a mirror up infront of the steam, the condensation that collected on the mirror and eventually began to drip off would be fresh water.
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There are two ways to remove the 'Salt' from 'Salt Water',
1. Chemical Filters.
There are many different brands of 'Survival Pumps' that use chemical filters and membranes to remove most of the bad things out of salt water.
They are often found anyplace Coast Guard approved Lift Boat supplies are sold.
2. Distilling.
Distilling can be done a number of ways, and you usually see the 'Cooker' or 'Pot' with a fire under it and a coiled tube on top to condense the water vapor back into liquid water.
1. Chemical Filters.
There are many different brands of 'Survival Pumps' that use chemical filters and membranes to remove most of the bad things out of salt water.
They are often found anyplace Coast Guard approved Lift Boat supplies are sold.
2. Distilling.
Distilling can be done a number of ways, and you usually see the 'Cooker' or 'Pot' with a fire under it and a coiled tube on top to condense the water vapor back into liquid water.
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Filtering the salt in water is not as easy like filtering the particles in water... it may be possible on distilling the water... water filter can't trap the salt... it is a soluble compound...
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Refrigerator Water Filters
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Refrigerator Water Filters
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Step to create Simple water filter
1. To start with, you need a container. If you can find a large, empty can, use it. Punch 5-10 holes in the bottom of the can. A large plastic bottle is also fine. Cut the end of the bottle off evenly. If there is no container available, you have to use what material that nature can provide, or that you brought with you.
If you find a birch tree, make a cone of birch bark. The cone will need to have a fairly small hole in the bottom. Tie the cone with rope to keep it from opening up. Put a few stones in the bottom to help hold the filtering materials in place.
2. Fill your container with layers of sand and gravel from the bottom to the top. For sand and gravel, use both fine and coarse layers. The bigger the filter and the more layers you have in it, the better.
If you use a bottle or cone, you need to stop the sand to get out of the container. Find some filter material you can place at the bottom. For instance:
· a couple of inches (centimeters) of pebbles.
· a grass mesh, make sure it's nonpoisonous grass.
· or cotton material.
3. Collect some water. Pour your collected water through the filter. Catch it in another container at the bottom. Look at the water that comes out of the filter. It should be clear. If not, you may have to pass the water through the filter more than once.
Safe water
Now you know how to make a water filter, but to get safe water to drink, you also have to purify your water. The water may still contain harmful bacteria that your filter did not remove.
To improve your water filter, replace the sand and gravel with a layer of charcoal. Keep the top layer of sand or gravel. Get charcoal from your fire, crush it, not to powder but just fine gravelsize.
:2thumb:
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I have fish in a tank in my house. I have wondered a few times if I could use fish-tank filtration material to create drinking water and if I can - what would be the best way to make the water drinkable?
Has anyone done this and if so, how has it been done? Pictures would be wonderful!
Has anyone done this and if so, how has it been done? Pictures would be wonderful!
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491 Posts
Interesting idea NaeKid! The mfg of the filtartion material might be able to provide you with some technical daat that would answer your question.
Small distiller?
I have been thinking. the only way to make dirty water into 100% pure H2O Is to boil it, collect the steam, and condense it back to water.
Now. Why can't we do this with a small can and a funnel cover with a coil of copper tubing on top?
I'm going to build a small portable one and test it with some dense salt water and some smelly swamp water. It'll be interesting to see what get's left behind.
I have been thinking. the only way to make dirty water into 100% pure H2O Is to boil it, collect the steam, and condense it back to water.
Now. Why can't we do this with a small can and a funnel cover with a coil of copper tubing on top?
I'm going to build a small portable one and test it with some dense salt water and some smelly swamp water. It'll be interesting to see what get's left behind.
1. Slow sand filter
Biosandfilter.org - The Bio-Sand Filter
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2. pool shock!
Better than Bleach: Use Calcium Hypochlorite to Disinfect Water
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Biosandfilter.org - The Bio-Sand Filter
2. pool shock!
Better than Bleach: Use Calcium Hypochlorite to Disinfect Water
Also, you can filter the salt molecules out of saltwater. For this you need a highly specialized filter (called a membrane), one with sub-microscopic little holes (called pores). These things are not cheap (unless you do research in this topic, in that case they'll send you whatever you want) and are typically spiraled 'on the roll' or hundreds of little tubes packed in a larger rigid plastic tube.
This type of filtration is called Reverse Osmosis (RO). It is called such because you need to overcome the osmotic pressure in order to push the water molecules through the pores.
You will end up with two streams of water. One is a concentrated stream of water that contains most (like 80%) of the salts (called retentate), the other is a stream of water with a lesser concentration of salt (called permeate).
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Show above is a 'crossflow' type, one that typically fouls less (pores get plugged over time). And just like in the sandbed filter you can apply a backflow to flush out some of the pores. But eventually the filter becomes irreversibly clogged.
This type of filtration is called Reverse Osmosis (RO). It is called such because you need to overcome the osmotic pressure in order to push the water molecules through the pores.
You will end up with two streams of water. One is a concentrated stream of water that contains most (like 80%) of the salts (called retentate), the other is a stream of water with a lesser concentration of salt (called permeate).
Show above is a 'crossflow' type, one that typically fouls less (pores get plugged over time). And just like in the sandbed filter you can apply a backflow to flush out some of the pores. But eventually the filter becomes irreversibly clogged.
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Sand, charcoal
It takes a LOT of sand to make a good filter, even just for particulates. You'd be looking at a column anywhere from 15 feet to a hundred feet high depending on the nature of the sand (size and shape of the grains is critical). Best readily available material is charcoal, and charcoal is extremely variable. Hardwood charcoal is generally best, and the VERY best is charcoal from coconut shells (the inner shell, not the husk), aka "activated charcoal".
But as has been pointed out, nothing short of reverse osmosis or distillation is going to "filter" out salt or anything else that is in solution rather than suspended particles.
I'm pretty fond of the expen$ive (~$200) Sawyer Complete Water Purifier System - not only does it flaunt a million gallon guarantee, it filters down to 0.02 microns absolute, which removes even viruses. And no work involved since it runs on gravity flow...
It takes a LOT of sand to make a good filter, even just for particulates. You'd be looking at a column anywhere from 15 feet to a hundred feet high depending on the nature of the sand (size and shape of the grains is critical). Best readily available material is charcoal, and charcoal is extremely variable. Hardwood charcoal is generally best, and the VERY best is charcoal from coconut shells (the inner shell, not the husk), aka "activated charcoal".
But as has been pointed out, nothing short of reverse osmosis or distillation is going to "filter" out salt or anything else that is in solution rather than suspended particles.
I'm pretty fond of the expen$ive (~$200) Sawyer Complete Water Purifier System - not only does it flaunt a million gallon guarantee, it filters down to 0.02 microns absolute, which removes even viruses. And no work involved since it runs on gravity flow...
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