Added: 3 years ago
From: Colhane
Views: 236,911
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (203)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Aguardo a versão brasileira, irmão. Aproveite e mostre até onde você coloca a fibra e o carvão, dando um "close" na boca dos tubos já com os materiais no interior. Feliz Ano-Novo e volte logo.

  • PLEASE ANSWER!!!!

    1. can i use sand instead of carbon pellets?

    2. can i grind up charcoal sticks instead of the pellets?

  • greenbeetlegear LifeStraw water filter filters 1000 liters, and meets EPA requirements for removal of Bacteria and Protozao (99.9999% and 99.9% BUT IF YOU STORE IT FOR MORE THEN TWO WEEKS IT DEVELOPS BACTERIA IN IT AND YOU WILL GET SICK , IT ONLY WORKS IF IN CONTINUOUS ENVIRONMENT this guys can be renewed and cleaned. just FYI not kicking you .

  • The LifeStraw water filter only costs $20, weighs 2 oz, filters 1000 liters, and meets EPA requirements for removal of Bacteria and Protozao (99.9999% and 99.9% respectively). North American sales go through greenbeetlegear on the web.

  • @blueshoestoo The Lifestraw is a good product. Here in Brazil if you can find it, it is considerably more expensive. I developed this filter about ten years ago at a time that there was no such device available here. This is basically a modernized version of a field expedient bamboo filter.

  • @Colhane I should add that the efficacy of the LifeStraw in reducing bacterial and protozoan organisms in the water, is according to the manufacturer. Surely someone has tested it independently?

  • senhor nao intendo ingles fias um video em portugues por favor

  • Hi, im from Argentina. I bought a water filter. Made of:

    CAG (activated granular carbon)

    CAG with SILVER

    KDF (copper and cinc alloy)

    Mineral resin.

    Does this sound ok? As far as i understood, with activated carbon, you filter small sediments/deposits quite well. The other components, i dont know what they filter..

    Is there something i could add to my home made filter, to eliminate other components as virus, or chemicals...

    Thanks!

  • it's nice video...

  • nice experiment!

  • Reverse Osmosis and Distillation

  • @Lynnc83 Congrats! You can read a bottle.

  • Better tasting O_O

  • How many drops of iodine do you use to disinfect a canteen of water? - I suppose you have the standard military size...

  • @NibiruLives 5 drops 2% Iodine solution per quart/liter, wait 30 minutes. The dose can be doubled to 10 drops and an hour wait for really suspect or cold water. Do not use for pregnant women or people with thyroid conditions.

  • How Do You Force Your Local Authorities To Stop The Fluoridation Of Water? This Is Open Day Light Murder By The Evil Authorities, They Must Be Stoped.!

    Please Reply soon, Salaam All

  • @MuslimsVsJews apperently it isnt murder if it kills you slow enough...

  • After you've used he filter, do you have to disassemble and dry the content before its packed away or does the prolong dampness of the fibre and carbon not produce bacteria?

  • @imautuber444 I've never had a problem with it getting moldy. It seems to dry out on it's own quick enough. The worst I ever had was it got invaded by about a thousand tiny red ants when I left it out in a desert-like area. It was still wet and they were attracted to the moisture.

  • one thing everyone should keep in the back of their heads, is, if you get any of your suspect raw water on your hands while collecting it for treatment, DO NOT touch any food and put your hands in your mouth, etc. wash and dry them very well.

  • Thanks for the info. I am curious about the disk between the fiber and charcoal. How is it made? : )

  • @Fresprt I used a piece of plastic from an ice cream container and punched a series of 2mm holes in it with a punch.

  • Mmm, yes carbon pellets...

  • Hey Dave, somebody has copied your video and posted as his/her own: watch?v=TwYOHUCKGcA

    Just thought you should know...

  • Tip 1: Look at the camera.

  • personally I would love to use the Fremen Water Suit from the 1984 movie Dune!

  • can using Ultravoilet rays be an alternative to chemical treatment?

  • @EasternMerchant a VERY expensive alternative to chemicals, but yes UV is used for water treatment. never heard of it being used in the backcountry/backpacking scene.

  • Very interesting, One of key things people get sick from is Giardia.. Often chemicals in safe level does not kill them. Filtration down to 1 micron is the best way of doing this.

  • You could also fill it with fresh moss

  • I really enjoyed your video. It was simple yet seemingly effecient homemade water filter. Could you make a video or have the directions posted on how to make the filter? Thanks alot.

  • 14 people rink their pee instead

  • I love your videos, and wish i could go to brazil and spend a week there.

  • Thank you for taking the time to teach me something. I want to build my own filter and you helped me get started. How much water flow before you change the elements?

  • HOW MANY GALLONS PER UNIT BEFORE YOU CHANGE CHARCOAL AND SYNTHETIC MATERIAL? NICE JOB. E

  • HOW MANY GALLONS PER UNIT BEFORE YOU CHANGE CHARCOAL AND SYNTHETIC MATERIAL? NICE JOB.

  • Can we see the before and after of the water using your filter?

  • Cool, thanks for all the info, this is really helpful

  • hello Sir..you did not show us in action...I want to see..hehehe

  • how can i activate a carbon? pls help me.. i need it for my IP in reseaerch..

  • chlorine in also bad as it scars the arteries and scarred arteries allows LDL cholesteral to collect more easily IN those arteries. quoting a book on natural cures.

    but if you have no choice then yes, good idea.

  • One thing to highlight is that the activated carbon DOES remove many harmful chemicals (e.g. chlorine, pesticides, etc). I'm building my own PVC-pipe filter today based on this idea. And, of course as you mentioned it's critical to boil or chemically treat the filtered water. Perfect for treating water from my rain barrel...THANKS for the inspiration!

  • @theduke460 I'm glad you found this information useful. I certainly never thought this video would top 100,000 views.

  • 123homefree pocket water filter

  • @Colhane there are alot people out there looking for information like this

  • @theduke460

    -how can i activate a carbon?? can you help me?

    i need it for my research..

  • @20blackpanther08 soak the charcoal in chemical solution.calcium chloride or zinc chloride 25% for 12 to 18 hours then..rinse it with distilled water ..after that dry in in over for 110 for 3 hours..ok..good luck and be carefull doing it..

  • wrong

  • haha great device! Knowing that fish are very succeptable to water-born poisons/desease, I developed a very simular pre-filter. I call it my "Fish Filter"... I don't need it much, and I do find that the carbon/charcoal makes my chemical mixed-oxidents treatment much less effective (carbon particulate get into my canteen)... so I leave out the carbon/charcoal now, and just use the poly-fill.... (carbon binds with chlorine and there's less chlorine for killing nasties)

  • I wonder how would one devise a filter that protects from heavy metals?

  • @beebop46n2, there are many filter media that remove or reduce heavy metals. KDF and ion-exchange resins are the 2 most widely used such media in water filters. Google them.

    Or, Reverse Osmosis and Distillation systems remove heavy metals as well.

  • instead of sand could i use dirt ? and if so. Could i run it through the dirt and then boil it?

  • @4491430 This filter does not use sand. I would definitely not use dirt.

  • @4491430 I think he is referring to the 20 oz water filter, grass, soil, charcoal, soil, grass, from the pathfinder series.

  • Nicely done-interesting idea-simple but effective.

  • filer za vodo ki ga je sam naredil

  • @lslavychecker Je mi ľúto, môj slovenský je veľmi slabá. Nechápem tento komentár

  • @Colhane he wasn't spealing slovak ;) very nice video!!! would you be willing to show us the whole process of filtering the water? what exactly did you use and was there any aftertaste?

  • i clicked on this thinking it was a how to make a fist tank water filter...lol.

  • @robom1337 lol That's where I got the idea.

  • @Colhane ugh what idea?lol

  • Great info and explained very well Thanks.

  • I was gonna seriously go out and buy a water filter until i saw this. you are a genius. thanks for the idea.

  • How many liters of water can it safely filter before you have to change the carbon and synthetic fiber?

  • @yellowmetalcyborg It really depends on what you're putting into it. I've put everything through it from rainwater collected off my hammock tarp to slime green frog pond water. I do carry extra fluff but you can rinse out the wad of fiber if you get access to cleaner water. I don't really have a scientific answer to the question.

  • @Colhane OK, thanks for replying.

  • I think teb0atoz is right... it will not remove any organism so the water is still unsafe to drink.

  • @413azol Like I said to him, I make that point in the video, you must use this filter with chemical means such as iodine or chlorine. This filter removes a great deal of garbage and improves the quality of water before treatment making treatment much more effective. Nowhere in this video do I say this is a one step process.

  • I'm willing to purchase water fliters once a month despite the price, so I will be fine, right ? It calims to get rid of all contamnations.

  • Great idea, but there is a bit of kit called a millbank bag, its a bag that's used as a prefilter before chmical filtering, failing that use a pocket pump type filter. Nice litte how to video all the same.

  • Boiling water releases (TMH) and that can cause cancer. the best way to kill bacteria is to treat it with iodine

  • How many gallons can be treated before the prefilter and the carbon need to be changed?

  • Keep on boiling or treating chemically because this filter will do nothing then remove some sedement from the water. It will NOT remove any organisms, bacteria or virus. But it is good as it removes the sediments and allow the chemicals to work better.

    But this will not do what the what the commerical filters do.

    Again this filter does NOT remove any organisms.

    Cheers

  • @teb0atoz I make that point in the video and in the info section... "This filter MUST be used with some chemical means of purification or boiling to make the water safe."

    This filter is intended to make the chemical means more effective.

  • @Colhane Okay that is basically what I said. It is a cool idea. And yes the chemical treatment will be better without any sediment... Oops im repeating myself. But it is a good idea.

    Cheers

  • @Colhane I need a good distiller but best one on amazon is almost $200! What do you recommend? Its not for portable use only at home.

  • You should set up an online store and sell these lol

  • @drothreign

    I'm into functional low tech. I came up with this to provide a low cost option to my survival course students here in Brazil. There's nothing new or patentable here.

  • nice tips, i might have to build somthing similar to that to keep in my bug-out-bag and keep one in the survival kit i'm building

  • I like the way you think Mr. Colhane..........Ingeneous idea.

  • @Sunclief

    Cheap as the day is long, that's how I roll.

  • is there anyway i can make a home-made filter that produces high quality water like the store-bought filters or water that is safe to drink?

    i dont like the idea of being dependent on stores to refill my supply of chemicals (iodine etc) for water treatment when im in the bush (and there are only so many chemical water purifiers you can/want to carry with u at once when u r on long-term hikes or travels thru countries with bad water quality)...

    thx4 any ideas :)

  • you said it was pvc pipe but it looks to me like copper pipe. Is it plastic or copper? and how do you keep the fibre from falling through the pipe?

  • @moltenmike

    It is plastic water pipe, the same as was used in my house. There is a perforated plastic disk at the top and bottom of the section with the charcoal.

  • Filters don't remove fluoride which is rat poison, get a water distiller which gives you pure water. there only 100 bucks and you will pure water for life.

  • Arsonic is rat poison.

    Flouride is in beer and toothpaste.

    i thought this was a video of how to make a homemade pipe to smoke with lol.

  • @bearblaster420 - There is no fluoride in German beer!

  • @CodexAlimentarius1 Warfarin is used as a rat poison, and perhaps arsonic as well. Warfarin is used to make heart medications that save lives. Fluoride, in the right amounts, is beneficial to dental health. You silly.

  • @ jimbob3514 Your are kidding, i hope? first off, lead is poison and secondly zinc oxide should not be ingested. your comment was a week ago, if you have kept up doing what your doing...i'm afraid my comment will be in vain.

    ANYWAY, great little device you've made their mate! they would want $150 for that if it was made commercially, well done! i'm going to make one myself now, in an emergency, if you didn't have charcoal you could use fine sand instead i guess? very cool, thank U!

  • Comment removed

  • Should always use lead pipes on drinking water systems and the older the better, you should also add 1 litre of zinc oxide solution per 10 litres of drinking water. I have been doing it this way for about 8 hours now and mygod do i feel ill i have been sick 4 time and have lost 9Kg in weight any ideas why?

  • idiot...

  • You can use copper pipes and fitting instead.

  • PVC IS TOXIC, you fix one problem and yet you get one another

  • @ShadeofChaoS Yes PVC is toxic when you burn it ofcourse it's the fumes you should worry about.

  • I have 2 distillers.. 1 for the home "Entire home" customer built. and 1 for travel that can be used on a fire or stove, just get your water from where ever, river, ocean, lake and it will give you only H2O. The problem I had with filters was that when I used it in raw water bacteria can get trapped in the filter but later pass through and some bacteria are as small as 1 micron. If you use 1 micron filters on a carbon filter in raw water it clogs up too fast and required replacing too often.

  • This filter is for use in the bush during wilderness survival exercises and hiking trips. For home use here in Brazil we have an ozone system. We had a distiller here for a long time but they use a lot of energy.

  • Me and my family would be thrilled, thrilled, to know how you accomplished this yourself.

    Just recently we discovered the horrific full extent of the poison in our water system...

  • How often do you have to change the fiber and charcoal?

  • It really depends on the quality of the raw water. I carry extra fiber but you can rinse it out if you have clean water.

    The carbon lasts a long time. I change it after about two weeks of constant use on general principles, or after a trip with really bad water.

  • Thank you.  I enjoyed learning this lesson.

  • hanks finally an honest simple filtration design and using inexpensive materials! TRULY i thank you! i HAVE had water bourne parasites before and it takes months to get well after that. god bless

  • I normally filter and treat with Clor-In1 tablets sold here in Brazil for the past 30 years. For a week or so treating water in the bush I would rather have the security of the chlorine than rely on the filter alone. We have some nasty bugs in surface water here. At home we use a filter/ozone generator to purify our drinking water.

  • NE1 here in OK, USA? Have you noticed a change recently in the smell of the tap water? During a shower, I've noticed a very heavy chlorine smell. It's been very strong for a few days now. The tap water here smells & tastes nasty! Also, it's fluoridated, so our skin & bones won't get cavities, when we bathe & drink it.

  • Yeah my water stinks aswell, I think it's time that I got a water filter.

  • fluoride has never actually been proven to do anything besides poison us severely. Do yourself a favor and look it up.

  • question? , when chlorine reacts with bacteria does it turn into a carcinogen ?

  • Sorry that's above my pay grade.

  • @colhane what do you mean by that ?>

  • I really don't know what happens when chlorine kills a bacteria other then the bacteria in the water are dead and therefore harmless.

  • Actually what he used was PVC pipe... the same stuff you use at home (PVC "plastic" wrap- or stretch wrap) to cover your food, sandwiches and such. So far I have not heard of it harming you.

    it is what most countries use to channel their water anyway. not in colder regions of North America cause it is not resistant to the cold weather.

  • The pipe used in this filter was left over from my home construction. All of my plumbing is made of it.

  • :-)

  • peguefogo I live in Canada and we use pvc dumbass. Another youtuber pretending that they know something but actually don't have a clue

  • I am sorry you have gotten so offended about a simple comment.

    I live in Brazil and have traveled to many different countries. (I am originally from Cleveland Ohio). I was only stating what I KNOW.

    I have no intention to be disrespectful and do not know what Canadians use for plumbing.

    This is the last I will say on this matter.

  • peguefogo Well obviously you were stating something you DON"T KNOW because Canada is a colder region of North America and we very much use PVC pipe.

  • @ROTTIMAN31 might be quite awhile later but there are parts of Canada that get just as warm as Illinois and some that get warmer. Maybe where you live but Canada is the second LARGEST country in the world. I mean its like a third of North America.

  • I have recently learned that in Northern parts of North america they do use PVC outside as long as it is buried more than 18" underground.

  • well yes some of the climbing he does is not safe, but come on man he drank his own urine, he ate raw zebra meat which could have been rotting for who knows how long, I mean I could go on and on. I just don't like the fact that he is a role model to kids who are impressionable, and will most likely attemp some of his stunts.

    Jake Wilson

    Wilson's Wilderness

  • Bear Grylls is a hack, he may have some knowledge but most of what he does will get someone badly hurt or killed!!

    Jake Wilson

    Wilson's Wilderness

  • I gather from the comments people leave that you need to remind people in your vids that you are talking about survival and not making filer to hook up to your tap.

    The one guy talking about poison and such. hahaha.

    your videos are very good Mac!

  • @peguefogo ....I was about to say this prior to reading your comment: "Ithought they found CVPC was ok for water and the CVP was not any longer healthy" LOL

  • Yes, this is a filter intended to use in the bush with surface water. For home use we have a filter/ozone generator that works very well.

  • Thanks for sharing yr idea ... I've been in the water filtration for 20 tears and have patented my own water filtration system.

    Thought I'd share with you my thoughts on using it at point of user to remove the poisonous chlorine prior to drinking. A little turbidity is not harmful compared to bleach.

    Put fish in the chlorinated water you drink and see how long they live. So why would you drink a poison that will all fish and living organisms when you have a filter to remove it.

  • I'm going to attempt to make one of these. I was very impressed with your neck knife kit, this is just plain awesome.

  • brilliant video my friend 5/5

  • After viewing hundreds of videos yours is the the one thats provides the best solution. The beauty of it is the simplicity and sensibility that only comes through experience. Many thanks

  • Thanks. You must be a patient man. All I did was substitute pipe for bamboo and make a permanent version of a field expedient filter. It's an aquarium filter in a tube.

  • Oh, forgot to mention, if you add a layer of sand under the foam/sponge/cloth and a layer of lightly bruised sphagnum moss (contains iodine) under that, then the charcoal, you get a safer product. :o)

  • I find most of your vids to be very informative, but tthis one gave me a caffeine rush despite knowing beforehand how to do this. I think a picture would have saved a thousand words, so to speak. Keep up the good work, but maybe cut down on coffee. :o)

  • Osmosis(steaming) is the only way to rid of fluoride that I know of.

    Another great video David,glad you're back where you belong.

  • Does it get rid of fluoride in the water? If not, do you know how to get rid of fluoride?

  • Sorry, I wouldn't know. I only use this filter in the bush with natural water.

  • That's awsome. I will make a larger scale of that with 5" x 5' long pvc pipe for my rain water useage. Thanks dude! Very informative. :0)

  • For going large scale you want to make a sand/charcoal filter. Do a google search for "UNICEF Upflow filter".

  • Water purification is becoming such an important topic! I am doing a series on water that really adds to what you are saying. Surf on over!

  • hm looks like need a fire after all for the carbon.

    Great vid!

  • what type of rubber do you use on the nozzle there? i was thinking of surgical tubing rolled up and stuck on the inside, but then i watched this again, and noticed your ruber tube was on the outside, and was black, not the standard surgical tube tan...

  • That rubber was from a very narrow bike inner tube. Wash it first.

  • ok. thanks man.

  • good

    I use stif plastic jug, water, gatorade, pop bottle, etc poke smallest pin holes in the top by the cap put sideways in water source so holes r under water. Squeeze out the air(or let it fill naturally) in the bottle. pour out , feed a tube in2 get clarified water out

    contaminants remain outside of the bottle u using.

    A straw with a tube connected seems 2 be same thing & can be hooked 2 bottle or wicking pump 2 lift the water up; further filtering it.

    great idea

  • great video. simplicity is best.

  • Hey Dave,

    This is a great bit of kit, so easy to make and use... great idea.

    I live and work in Vietnam, water here isn't the best when out in the bush, so Im always looking for better ways to clean my water up...

    Great videos mate..

    Safe Trails.

  • i think it's great that you spent time to make such an informative video. Much appreciated!

  • does it remove fluoride?

  • I have never run fluoridated water through it. I don't really know. This is really for cleaning up raw water from streams and rivers. It does a great job with your average frog pond.

  • Those water filters at camping stores, MSR and Katadyn, are ridiculously expensive considering it costs them about $15 to make.

    Theses companies are such rip off artists.

  • Hey Dave, very nice filter. I watch an Indian in the jungle one day cut a piece of bamboo, and pack some fibrous cottony-wood in one end before scooping up a handful of chunks of carbon from the fire pit and then add more fiber to hold that in. We also got a good clean source of river water in our canteens. I treat everything with iodine tabs. I really like your idea, and will have one in my ruck later this month when I am in the Amazon jungle.

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

    Newt

  • I got this idea from making an improvised bamboo filter. The pipe is just a "high tech" substitute for bamboo. I used to pack it with crushed charcoal from my fires but a while back I bought a big carton of pellets and haven't used them up yet.

    It hardly needs saying but have fun in the Amazon.

  • How does the carbon stay in place? :)

  • There are two perforated plastic screens above and below the pellets that held in place with the pipe fittings.

  • Another great vid. Thanks, man.

    Later,

    Iz

  • Thank you Colhane keep it coming Sir

  • You may want to consider using a stainless steel pipe. Use the PVC pipe for an extended period of time and you'll probably end up with cancer or some other horrible ailment.

  • I say "PVC" out of ignorance. This was the same water pipe used in my home construction.

  • Pffft, this isn't going to give you cancer, most water pipe now-a-days are made from PVC. (to anonaMysst)

  • The fiber ball does get mucked up pretty bad but you can rinse it out or carry extra. It weighs next to nothing and packs down tight. I replace the carbon every few trips but you can also use crushed charcoal from a fire if it gets too bad in the field.

    I am a Baptist Missionary in Brazil. My wife grew up there and I taught school there for two years prior to making the move full time in 1999.

  • Hi, do you have to regularly replace the synthetic fiber ball and/or charcoal pieces?

    Seems like they'd get a bit gross (particularly the fiber).

    & I'm curious how/why you got to Brazil.... I have an insane amount of envy for that.

  • I'm makin my own water filter too! I found some charcoal used for filtering the water for fish, all I really need now is fine grain sand! I jest cant find any in stores! Pls help and suggest.

  • try play sand at your major hardware stores

  • if you want reallllllly fine sand, try to find some blotters sand online, for writing with a quill, that stuff is like flour almost (i dont know if you wanted some that fine, but yeah)

  • The parts aren't hard to figure out if you have a bin of PVC parts in front of you.

    2 twenty mm pipe sections about 4 inches long

    1 twenty mm pipe joint

    1 twenty mm reducer. This part narrows the water flow

    2 perforated plastic discs or screens to sit above and below the activated charcoal. You can make these out of soft plastic.

    Activated charcoal pellets

    Synthetic wadding

    Hope this helped.

  • looks like a great bit of kit, thanks for sharing! could you possibly share a rough parts list? particularly, what is the coupler and reducer referred to at the hardware store?

  • Hey I like your videos and I am now a subscriber. I think this filter would work great! Do you recommend Iodine or Chlorine? I am leaning toward Cl because it can dissapate over time. Any advantages to either?

  • There are pro's and con's to both. I can't really comment on the long term health effects of either. I haven't noticed any. You should know how to use both.

    Iodine - Tastes funny, reacts with starches. Taste and reactivity can be eliminated with ascorbic acid. Stains water bladders. It is very common and easy to find as a 2% solution. Very inexpensive.

  • Chlorine - Tastes better doesn't react to food, dissipates over time, won't stain water bladders. In liquid form it will leave white spots on clothes and gear if you're not careful.

    I use Chlorine tablets personally (Clor-In 1, made in Brazil) but when I teach survival I teach the 2% Iodine method because they will be able to buy it in any pharmacy in Brazil for about $1.50.

  • cool

  • How smart is that !

    Outstanding info !

  • Indeed. Got my project for tomorrow.

  • Yep thanks for sending it along my friend pretty good stuff... just like he said a fish tank filter in a tube.... cool!!

  • Interesting! ...what is activated charcoal? and I'm curious about the chemicals. Are you okay with ingesting chlorine? ...and how does adding chlorine make water taste better?

    I'm curious about the iodine pellets too. I understand iodine is added to salt for heath reasons (I've forgotten exactly why; it prevents something?!?) anyways could one ingest too much iodine? I am concerned with the additives of municiplal water and want to know if your filter system would remove them.

    thanks!

  • This filter is intended to be used in the bush for cleaning up drinking water before chemical treatment. I don't think it will remove a significant amount of chlorine.

    I suppose there is a harmful dose of iodine but in the concentrations used for purifying drinking water it is not a problem. Iodine has been used for this for a very long time.

    2% Tincture of iodine - 5 drops per quart/liter - wait half an hour. This dose can be doubled for very dirty water.

  • thank you! ...I'm still curious about what activated charcoal is : )

  • "thank you! ...I'm still curious about what activated charcoal is : ) "

    Chunks of relatively pure carbon that have a huge surface area relative to its volume. Think: little bits of carbon sponge, where contaminants (through various processes) gets stuck to the surface. Formed through heating carbonaceous compounds (say, moldy grain) in an oxygen free atmosphere.

    In a pinch, use the black that forms on a burnt log. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

  • thank you so much for replying to my curiosity re: activated charcoal!

    Dry charcoal (sterile and porous) is ready to do its work of filtering. Perhaps that is what is meant by activated or is it that the carbon must be commercially produced to be called activated charcoal.

    I'm fascinated by this statement "Formed through heating carbonaceous compounds (say, moldy grain) in an oxygen free atmosphere". Is this product black? ...and what kind of heating is oxygen free? Thanks

  • Dry charcoal sounds perfect ....Oxygen free heating might not be possible on your own ... but that how its made commercially. Think: Giant pressure cooker filled with, oh ... ground up corn stalks ... that you raise to 1000 degrees without allowing oxygen into it. Water, hydrogen, etc. gets released, but thanks to the original organic matrix, the carbon is left in a spongy matrix ... lots and lots of surface area.

  • Thank you!

    I understand "Giant pressure cooker"

    the concept is clearer now : )