How to make a filter out of a five gallon bucket

[denny]

How to make a filter out of a five gallon bucket

I used a wine bucket which is probably six gallon, but a five gallon will work just fine. As you can see in the picture I took the line from my UV light to the filter. Buy the filter media from eBay (link below). Cut 5 or 6 circles out of the media to fit the bucket, then put a small hole in the middle. You will want to put something in the bottom of the bucket to keep the filter from setting on the bottom (I used a few rocks). From the line coming in I just put a elbow on it and then a straight section of plastic pipe anything will work, just make sure the bottom is not touching the bottom of the bucket. The discharge hose I bought from Home Depot (link below). I used a wash machine discharge hose (it was the only thing that I could that would work). When you cut the hole for the line out to put the hose in , I put a little silicone around the hole so it would not leak. Then I drilled two holes on each side of the bucket to put a rod (I used a piece of brazing rod ) to hold up the hose. Once you get it going you will have to clean it maybe once a week till the water is clear. After that maybe once a month. The only thing I bought was the filter media & the hose. Any question just email me (e-mail address removed)​

Exclusive Everbilt 8 ft. Corrugated Washing Machine Discharge Hose

Model# HRBDIS08EB $11.98

5-ft ROLL Blue Rigid Coarse Pond Aquarium Media Pad 12"x5' Poly Filter Material From Ebay. There are lots of filter media that you can use. This one was $14.99

 

[poconojoe]

Great job! I love DIY creations. They save money and you have a sense of accomplishment knowing you created it.
I have a 5 gallon bucket submerged in my pond. It has a small 550 gpm mag-drive pump sitting in the bottom of the bucket. A piece of 1/2" PVC pipe exits the top of the pump and ends just under the surface of the water. The PVC pipe is tied to the upright handle of the bucket. The bucket is filled with lava rocks completely covering the pump.
The water shoots out of the PVC pipe breaking the water surface creating a fountain about 8-10" above the water.
When the fountain diminishes, it's time to clean the bucket out. I use the pole for my net to lift the bucket by it's (upright) handle.
This setup runs 24/7, 365 days. Even throughout the cold PA winters. During long spells of cold an ice dome can form over the fountain. It looks really cool.
This is not my only filter, but it's the only one that runs during the winter. I also have two pressure filters. My pond is 1500 gallons with a heavy fish load.

 

[addy1]

Great job!

 

[Lisak1]

I'm a bit confused about the design - does the water both enter and exit from the top of the bucket?

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I must admit, I was totally taken in by the mention of a 6 gallon bucket of wine. I quit processing anything after that... Hic.... Sorry, priorities you know...

 

[denny]

I'm a bit confused about the design - does the water both enter and exit from the top of the bucket?

The water comes in from the uv light and is pumped to the bottom of the bucket, then it goes out at the upper hole that is put in the side of the bucket.

 

[Lisak1]

The water comes in from the uv light and is pumped to the bottom of the bucket, then it goes out at the upper hole that is put in the side of the bucket.

So you pump it from the top down to the bottom? Gotcha. Is there a reason you didn't plumb it into the bottom of the bucket?

 

[denny]

Well then you would have to put a hole in the bottom of the bucket. I never thought about it when i made it. It just seemed to be the easiest way to do at the time. It works great & it only takes about 15 minutes to clean it.

 

[poconojoe]

If you find that your silicone seal begins to fail (hopefully not), you can always redo it by using a bulkhead fitting. They are not expensive and give a positive seal. The ones called "uniseal" are for curved surfaces.

 

[Lisak1]

If you find that your silicone seal begins to fail (hopefully not), you can always redo it by using a bulkhead fitting. They are not expensive and give a positive seal. The ones called "uniseal" are for curved surfaces.

That's what I was imagining at the bottom of the bucket @denny - a bulkhead would make a good seal. i guess I'm having a hard time imagining how the water is pumped from the top and to the bottom, then flows back up through the pads. I mean, it makes sense that there's no where else for the water to go, but what keeps it from just burbling back up through the hole that the UV line goes down through? Perhaps I just lack imagination! If it works, it works, right?