Tank vent filter

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Gregory S

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Anybody remember where the thread was on building a filter for holding tanks??
 
Not sure where the thread is but the process is easy.

Get a 2" nohub fitting from home depot/lowes about $4

Get a box of activated charcoal from your local pet supply. The kind used in fish tank filters. About $5-$10

1) Cut filter in half with hacksaw. Doesn't have to be perfectly in the middle but leave at least 3" for nohub.
2) Dispose of old charcoal.
3) Slip nohub on one of the cut ends of the filter.
4) Fill each filter half with new charcoal.
5) Slip other cut end of the filter half into nohub.
6) Tighten hose clamps on nohub and your good to go.

Should take less than 15 minutes.

Some people like to use standard fittings instead of nohub to screw the halfs back together but then you have to learn to glue PVC which is not hard but why bother! Ever wonder why plumbers use nohubs? Because it's easier, faster, and it works just fine.
 
My Bayliner 3587 came with 2 holding tanks and, after flushing the heads, it smelled outside. I found it didn't have any vent filters ... so I made my own.
Using about 14" of standard 2" black pvc pipe I glued a suitable sized hose barb to one end then a screwed coupling to a hose barb at the other end. These are available in any hardware store, it just takes a little ingenuity to find the correct couplings.
I bought the jumbo box of activated charcoal that Rommer suggests but filled ladies nylon socks that I got in a package from the dollar store, and stuffed them into the pipe. This way, when I need to refill, I'll just unscrew the coupling, remove the loaded socks and replace with fresh.
I found a suitable place close to the holding tank, cut the vent hose, and inserted the home made filter. It was a very easy DIY job.
So far it has worked just fine.... and my neighbors thank me for that.... NOPE....I just made that last part up!
David
 
Thanks guys. This is a new build, not a re-make. I thinkk I can do it with what you gave me.
Greg
 
Greg,
If this is a new installation you should ensure that the filter is positioned as close to the holding tank as possible to eliminate the hose from being permeated by the odor. Also, it should be as high up as possible to prevent any overfill from saturating the charcoal.
David
 
rommer:

Thanks! I can't believe they sell $20 worth of PVC, charcoal, and some misc. parts for $80! That's right folks, those Sealand filters we all buy are simply 2" PVC with a couple bucks worth of ends, screens and charcoal. I'm in the process of trying to convert my tank to "good bacteria" via a larger vent, which should do away with the bad odors. But if I fail, I've already "refreshed" one old filter with your method and will do another.
 
Kurt, you're absolutely correct on the "actual cost" of manufacturing the vent line filter. But, a manufacturing company has to add a lot of extras to those costs, that are incorporated into their costs of being in business. Such as wages and salaries, health insurance for employees, tooling, packaging, labels and instruction sheets, building maintenance, fire insurance, property taxes, corporate taxes, and the whole nine yards - plus a percentage added in for profit. In the overall scheme of things, the actual materials cost is probably the smallest single production cost.
 
But I'd have to say in this case Vic it is really over the top. When purchased in bulk the cost of material for this product is just a few dollars. Labor time to assemble is what 2 or 3 minutes? I understand it is a low volume product but perhaps it is that because it is so expensive for what it does.
 
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