Home made holding tank filter

[eddiezuskin]

After viewing the post of the lister who cut his holding tank filter in half to refill it I decided to make one for myself. I followed most of the instructions but was limited to the fittings available at my local Home Depot. It looks a little silly as I had to reduce the fitting 3 times to get down to the 5/8 size for the holding tank. I guess that is why God invented Epoxy.
I was able to push on the top of the holding tank and smell(what is wrong with me??) the discharge both before and after connecting the filter. It was not exactly Chanel #5 coming out of the new filter but it was definitely 90% less offensive.
Thanks again to our courageous listers who brave the aromas of boating sanitation system maintenance. I drop my boating shorts and squat in your honor.
Eddie

 

[Sundancer]

Eddie:

I didn't know our boat even had a holding tank filter? I think the previous owner must have removed mine because it's just a clear vent tube from the top of the tank to the vent on the side of the boat. I've never had much of a problem with smell and we use it quite a bit in the Summer. I think the vent along with the aerobic or anerobic treatment keeps it from smelling? Now I'm wondering what it would be like if I had one???

 

[estebanj]

Some people like the filters and others hate it. If you don't have it, and you don't experience any foul odors, leave it as is. Usually good aeration into/out of the tank will keep odors away. It may be that the previous owner simply took out the filter, or may have even put a bigger (thicker) vent line.

Esteban

 

[Kameroo]

Never appreciated the filter until a bad pump out (apparently nothing came out) was followed by the filter getting wet. Next thing we knew, it smelled every time somebody flushed. New filter, problem solved.

 

[skolbe]

On my new boat the holding tank smell has been an issue? I have flushed and pumped out. I have never overfilled the tank - but I am wondering if the filter got wet in production... I don't know. Never had an issue on my 260.

 

[cr0ck1]

lets see some pictures!

 

[eddiezuskin]

I was able to find everything at Home Depot except for the 5/8" fitting. If I did it again I would be able to make it without all the reducing fittings. A 15" piece of 1.5" PVC pipe with any fittings that can be epoxied to get down to the size of your holding tank hose.
Fill it with charcoal from the tropical fish store and find some foam and screen to keep it from falling out the ends.

I, also, rerouted the vent hose. It had traveled from the holding tank and through the aft cabin to the the thru hull fitting. The vent hose now goes to the filter and out of a new fitting I added back where the bilge pump and scupper drains overboard at the starboard rear corner. I had wanted to get it out of the aft cabin as the hose was getting smelly in a short time.

PVC pipe, fittings, PVC glue- -------$15
Epoxy- had that already
Charcoal(enough for another refill-$10
Thru hull fitting/6' 5/8" hose--------$12
Improved smell----------------- priceless

 

[BruZerII]

Eddie,

I replaced my filter this week. I too was inspired by the previous poster and did what they did. I already had a filter I put on the system 2 seasons ago. The smell came back this week while out at the islands. I came home from the cruise, and bought the necessary materials.
Cut the filter in 1/2, removed the old charcoal, washed down and re-installed the sponge filters on the ends (forgot to buy new sponges) :smt021 , poured the charcoal into the knee-high pantyhose, put them in each side of the tubing and clamped with a 2' rubber camp.

WALLLA $14 and 5 minutes later...a new filter. :smt038

 

[Bottom Line]

I am curious....for you owners changing vent filters....did you have "smells" :smt101 :smt101 all of the time or just when you flushed? This past weekend we noticed some smells when we flushed....so should I replace the filter or is there another issue.

I may just buy a new filter and try to refurbish my old one, so I have 2 of them...is there only one model of Sealand filters?

Thanks for the advice

 

[jrcinnh]

My factory installed filter got wet from overflow and the smell was bad only when you flushed. I bought a new Sealand filter and rebuilt the old one.

Cut the 2" pipe about an inch from one end, then another cut an inch away. This makes the filter shorter to account for the new fittings. Cut near one end because the hold down strap is in the middle. Get two fittings that screw together and glue them on.

I used fish filter charcoal and cut 3M scrub pads to replace the foam.

There are two filter sizes available, one has the garden hose connectors on each end, the other has a bigger connector. I think the bigger one is only used on Carvers.