$50 DIY Activated Charcoal Filter - Works Great!

**potpimp** · 11-17-2011, 12:27 PM

My plants are about a month old now and for the last week or so it's been getting scary stinky in my house. I could not put it off any longer so last night I went to Wal-Marx and picked up some items to do a DIY carbon filter for my grow tent.

My grow tent is also a DIY, 30" x 54" x 76" framed with 1x2's and panda film stapled to it. These are mother plants and I want them short and bushy so I'm running T8 "Hi Bay" industrial lights, 6 x 4', 3500K.

Shopping list:
1 bucket with lid $1.31 (sign said $4.44 but my receipt says $1.31)
1 pack of activated charcoal (in the aquarium section) $6.68
1 spatter screen (in the kitchen gadgets section) $3.97
1 Honeywell "Turbo Force Power" fan $25. (Wal-Marx was out so I got it at Fred Meyers)
You'll also need a little duct tape.

Cut the bottom out of the bucket, all around the edges. I used a pocket knife and it only took a couple of minutes and no mess.

Turn fan on low and place it, face down, in the bottom of the bucket, letting the cord hang out the bottom.

Cut the handle off the splatter screen and snip it so that you have a little "give".

Lay the splatter screen in the bucket to see how it fits. You'll be putting some duct tape inside where the splatter screen touches the sides of the bucket (for friction).

Remove the screen and put in duct tape around where the screen fits (6-8" pieces work best).

Lay the screen in place, getting fairly level, then tape it in place with more duct tape.

Pour about half of the activated carbon onto the screen and spread it out evenly.

Hang up the your new rig by the handle, plug it in and prepare to be amazed at how fast the odor disappears.

You don't have to have a lid; the lid is only to keep the charcoal from getting out if you move it or store it, otherwise you won't use it.

Oh, and don't bust my balls about the plants; I know they have Mg deficiency but I didn't have any epsom salts until I got some last night.

I'll move this thread to the DIY section after it gets buried but I'll leave a permanent linkback to it.

**potpimp** · 11-17-2011, 10:51 PM

WTF??? Somebody puts a damn thread on here about his f'ing booger collection and gets more views and replies than something worthwhile. Sheesh, you are some sick mofos!

**Fight411** · 11-17-2011, 11:02 PM

Wow awesome shit man.

**unohu69** · 11-17-2011, 11:27 PM

hmmn, very interesting take on a common problem. And this really works? no mo smelly ?

**potpimp** · 11-17-2011, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by unohu69

hmmn, very interesting take on a common problem. And this really works? no mo smelly ?

It's not as effective as the little $20 ionic balls I used to use but it does a very good job. At least the smell is localized to the bedroom now.

**indagroove** · 11-18-2011, 01:35 AM

I'm confused. The thread title says $50, but it looks like it only cost you $37. I would like to modify this further and put some kind of reducer on the top of the bucket, down to 6" ducting. That way you could easily use it as a vent fan/scrubber. Could prolly do that with the extra $13.

**potpimp** · 11-18-2011, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by indagroove

I'm confused. The thread title says $50, but it looks like it only cost you $37. I would like to modify this further and put some kind of reducer on the top of the bucket, down to 6" ducting. That way you could easily use it as a vent fan/scrubber. Could prolly do that with the extra $13.

Actually, you are right about the math and you can probably get things cheaper in the lower 48 than here in Alaska. There are many ways to make one of these to fit your particular fan size; but I would not put a reducer on it because it would add a lot of extra stress to your fan. I have a 6" inline fan (in storage in Cali) that I paid nearly $150 for and it's super loud.

**potpimp** · 11-20-2011, 05:57 PM

After being in my grow tent for 3 days, I can safely say this thing is working great. It has totally removed the smell in the room and even when I open the door there is no odor. I have more activated charcoal left so I'm going to make myself a DIY "Smoke Buddy".

**DSB65** · 11-20-2011, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by potpimp

WTF??? Somebody puts a damn thread on here about his f'ing booger collection and gets more views and replies than something worthwhile. Sheesh, you are some sick mofos!