I have need of several high capacity drum filters for organic solids removal on a variety of aquatic projects (fish room, koi pond, duck pond & an indoor RAS). Problem is I still enjoy drinking my home brew and really can't afford to sacrifice the kidney that it would cost to buy them, so I'm thinking DIY.
Thanks to capitalistic communist cheap labor, stainless steel micro-filtration screens are more affordable and accessible than ever, so my first attempt will feature a 25 micron screen drum. The volumes that I need to filter vary by application, from 500 to 20,000 GPH, but I hope to use the same design and just scale it up or down as needed.
So, if anyone has any experience with these, particularly in trying to build one from scratch, I'm all ears. The basics are simple enough; a revolving screen drum, a float valve, medium to high pressure booster pump, spray bar nozzles, some stainless steel sheet metal work and some piping. Most of the commercial units that I've seen run at least $1 for every GPH of capacity, so even a few thousand dollars invested in a DIY solution still offers a huge savings.
To work out the hydro-dynamics I'm using a horizontally oriented 30 gallon poly drum with large wall sections removed as the skeleton to support the stainless filter screen. The rotating 30 gallon drum will sit in a 55 gallon poly drum oriented in the same direction that has had a large door cut into it to allow access to the inner works. I'm starting with a medium pressure booster pump from a herp misting system, but if that doesn't work I'm thinking of trying a re-purposed electric power washer. Should be fun!
Thanks to capitalistic communist cheap labor, stainless steel micro-filtration screens are more affordable and accessible than ever, so my first attempt will feature a 25 micron screen drum. The volumes that I need to filter vary by application, from 500 to 20,000 GPH, but I hope to use the same design and just scale it up or down as needed.
So, if anyone has any experience with these, particularly in trying to build one from scratch, I'm all ears. The basics are simple enough; a revolving screen drum, a float valve, medium to high pressure booster pump, spray bar nozzles, some stainless steel sheet metal work and some piping. Most of the commercial units that I've seen run at least $1 for every GPH of capacity, so even a few thousand dollars invested in a DIY solution still offers a huge savings.
To work out the hydro-dynamics I'm using a horizontally oriented 30 gallon poly drum with large wall sections removed as the skeleton to support the stainless filter screen. The rotating 30 gallon drum will sit in a 55 gallon poly drum oriented in the same direction that has had a large door cut into it to allow access to the inner works. I'm starting with a medium pressure booster pump from a herp misting system, but if that doesn't work I'm thinking of trying a re-purposed electric power washer. Should be fun!
