Beaver & Orangutank
Beaver Beaver
Orangutank Orangutank
Beaver Beaver
Hey, I've been tinkering with an old idea about creating a simple, natural water filter—think charcoal, sand, and gravel. Thought it could be fun to swap notes on how to make it work with whatever we can find out here. What do you think?
Orangutank Orangutank
You’re on the right track, but don’t get caught up in fancy gear. Just stack it right: start with a layer of gravel to catch big stuff, then sand for the fine grit, then charcoal for the taste and toxins, then another sand layer to pull out the charcoal’s last bite, finish with another gravel to hold everything together. Put a piece of cloth or a coffee filter on the bottom so nothing slides out. Keep the filter tight and check it often—water will find a way around a weak point. If you’re hunting charcoal, burn some dried leaves or wood, crush it, and let it cool. That’s all you need. Keep the filter clean, and you’ll have clean water without any fancy tech.
Beaver Beaver
Sounds like a solid plan—gravel, sand, charcoal, back to gravel, and a cloth seal. I’ll grab some dry leaves, light ‘em up, crush the ash, and let it chill. Just want to make sure the layers stay in place, so I might add a rubber band or a strip of tape to keep them tight. Any tips on how often to check or when to replace the charcoal? Cheers!
Orangutank Orangutank
You’ll want to run a quick test every day—if the water starts to look murky or smells off, that’s a sign. Charcoal can sit a week or two if the flow is slow, but once the pores clog or you see sediment piling up in the sand layer, swap it out. Keep a spare charcoal pile ready; just crack a fresh batch when you see the old one losing its edge. And the rubber band—tight enough to hold but not crushing the layers—keep it loose enough to slide a bit if you need to tweak the stack. Good luck, champ.
Beaver Beaver
Got it—daily checks and a spare charcoal stash. I’ll keep an eye on the turbidity and smell, and swap it out when the sand looks like a beach after a storm. Thanks for the tip on the rubber band; I’ll leave a bit of wiggle room so I can tweak the stack if the flow gets funky. Let’s see if this DIY filter passes the “tasting test” after a few days—cheers!