Multi-chambered filter from the Container Store.

[JohnHuff]

I posted this on a reply to another thread but I believe this type of container is so promising that it deserves a whole thread on it's own. I've only got some basic ideas, but perhaps others can improve on it.

1 - You can have the water entering top left. You can make that as a settling chamber by putting a couple of baffles in it and have the water drain high on the top left.
2 - Put your pads here for mech filtration.
3 - Bioballs or other media.
4 - The water would fall down from 3 to make a shower filter compartment which will also add air (cut air holes to draw air in.)
5 - media (the middle row can actually just be 2 containers, a shower container and a media container.)
6 - media
7- Another shower compartment
8 - Exit and side flush if needed.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Heck, why not try it with the media it already contains. :dunno:

 

[Mmathis]

LOL! I was JUST looking at these same containers to use for organizing my craft materials

I like the idea, but how would you connect the horizontal units -- PVC pipe?

And how would the plastic hold up outside? That is, if you were planning to use it outside...

 

[dieselplower]

I think it is a great concept although it does seem it would be very difficult to flow the water from one drawer to the next. a piece with 3 or 4 drawers stacked vertically would be much easier. Would definitely need to be hidden hahaha

 

[JohnHuff]

You can drill holes and just put PVC pipes through them. There are PVC pipes or electrical pipes with threads on the ends so you can make them watertight. Just connect them like you would two drum units that I've seen. Each level does have to be one unit, but the different levels can just be stacked on top of each other.

 

[crsublette]

Fun idea.

Reminds me of the crazy aquarium DIY filtration system. Big time on being space savers and doing the most you can with as little space as possible. Helps to hide it in a cabinet or something as well.

Give it a go.

Although, I would definitely reinforce the compartments with some plumber's metal strapping tape or with something else. Eventually, the weight of the water would cause the thin plastic to bow.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

It will never work.
You won't be able to make the plumbing connections and still have the drawers work so you can clean or change the filter media.

 

[crsublette]

I am curious about accessability.

Possibly do the plumbing on the backend instead of through the side walls and, with it being gravity flow, construct it in a way so the compartments can slide out a bit (6" or so) for access.

Possibly add a strong enough metal sheet below the compartments and this sheet slides on a frame filled with some BB ammo so to make a type of sliding ball bearing shelving unit.

Instead of the plastic frame due to water weight concerns, I would possibly construct my own wood frame out of pressure treated wood with a water proof back board.


I don't know. Just a couple of ideas. DIY'n is fun.

 

[crsublette]

It will never work.
You won't be able to make the plumbing connections and still have the drawers work so you can clean or change the filter media.

The water outlets would be tricky. It would have to be a water tight sleeve that would allow movement while maintaining its seal.

It could work if a proper "sleeve" could be created or found.

 

[crsublette]

The water outlets would be tricky. It would have to be a water tight sleeve that would allow movement while maintaining its seal.

It could work if a proper "sleeve" could be created or found.

Not for sure what the heck this would be. They are used in agricultural spraying rigs, but, for what to do here, I have no idea.

 

[Nepen]

My thought is... where to position the connector between the horizontal ones. Some space need water to be low (like '4' since its a shower, the media is not submerge and the connector needs to be low) and some media need to be submerge (like '5') or even the 5 doesn't need to be submerge, then what type of media to use since the water will be at low level passing through to 6...


Does this post of mine even make sense?

 

[JohnHuff]

Making this work would be an interesting exercise and I think it would be doable since it's gravity fed and the compartments are not big, the water pressure would not be high. It would definitely be easier to make this without the outside frame if the drawers can just sit atop one another. But I like the idea of having horizontal as well as vertical water flow. A ton of ideas can be found at the Container Store and Home Depot.

The hose in #4 can be half-way up. The media in #5 does not need to be all the way to the top.

 

[Nepen]

Hi John,
I've been trying to see if I can combine the shower filter and little bog filter into one (since I love plants but also think the shower filter is so cool) and then I found the vertical planter (which wold not work for me sadly) and think that might be a good combination

something like this http://www.amazon.com/Algreen-34002...d=1380140949&sr=8-8&keywords=vertical+planter

 

[JohnHuff]

Looks neat! When I made a shower type filter, I used 3/4" PVC pipes to make a frame. The planters just sit on them and can be slid out anytime.

 

[27goldfish]

My concern would be the wieght of the water in the containers.