My pool pump / filter motor finally died as I opened my pool this year. As a double whammy, it was green for the first time ever. As I wait for the replacement parts for the new motor, I came up with this makeshift pool filter so that the water wasn't standing. The bill of materials is as follows:


(1) 1" PVC pipe
(1) 1" end cap for PVC pipe
(1) 5 gallon bucket
(1) bucket lid
(1) bag of pond pebbles
(1) bag of all-purpose sand (pre-washed)
(25) charcoal briquets
(1) hose coupler



I took the PVC pipe and cut it to fit so it stuck out about 1 foot from bucket. I drilled about 12 holes along the top to allow the water to seep in and run out the front. I washed the charcoal and pond pebbles in a separate bucket, then placed the charcoal on the bottom of the bucket. I put the end cap on the PVC pipe, pushed it through a hole I drilled in the side of the bucket, then covered the pipe and charcoal with the pond pebbles.


I cut a piece of mesh screen in the shape of a circle to the inner dimensions of the bucket, and put that on top of the pond pebbles. I then covered this with sand (about 2 inches all the way around).


Cut a 2nd circle of mesh screen, put that on top of the sand. Then put another course of sand on top of that.


I drilled a hole in the lid, right in the middle. Fitted the coupling and then sealed it. Ran the hose into the coupling, the other end of the hose was attached to a small pump I submerged in the deep end of my pool. Plugged it in and it worked.


The pump does about 120 GPH, so approx. 3,000 gallons in a 24 hour period. Not great, but the idea is to keep the water moving rather than full filter. I put shock in the pool and algaecide later on.


This was a fun project!

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