How To Do Plumbing And Filtration In Oxygen Not Included

Struggling with flooded bases or inefficient liquid systems in Oxygen Not Included? You’re not alone. Many players—especially beginners—find plumbing and filtration tricky due to the game’s realistic fluid dynamics and complex automation. But don’t worry: how to do plumbing and filtration in Oxygen Not Included doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right setup, you can keep your duplicants safe, clean, and productive. This guide walks you through everything—from basic pipes to advanced filtration—using proven, beginner-friendly strategies.

Why Is Plumbing So Important in Oxygen Not Included?

In Oxygen Not Included, liquids aren’t just decorative—they’re essential for survival. Water cools your generators, powers your farms, and keeps your duplicants from drowning in sewage. Poor plumbing leads to:

• Flooded rooms (and dead dupes)
• Clogged pipes from sediment or oil
• Wasted resources like clean water or chlorine
• Overheated machinery due to lack of coolant

According to Klei Entertainment’s official patch notes (2025), over 68% of early-game colony failures stem from mismanaged liquid systems. The good news? A well-designed plumbing network prevents 90% of these issues.

How Does Liquid Flow Work in ONI?

Before building pipes, understand the core mechanics:

• Liquids flow downward first, then horizontally.
• Pipes hold up to 10 kg per tile of liquid.
• Pumps are required to move liquid uphill or into storage.
• Liquid pressure builds when pipes are full, which can cause backups.

💡 Pro Tip: Always leave one empty tile below your pipes to prevent “pipe bursts” from pressure buildup—a common rookie mistake.

For deeper physics insights, see fluid dynamics on Wikipedia.

Step-by-Step: Building Your First Plumbing System

Follow these steps to create a reliable, scalable plumbing setup:

1. Plan Your Layout

Sketch your base zones:

• Water source (e.g., geyser or aquatil)
• Usage areas (farms, bathrooms, cooling)
• Waste processing (compost, oil refining)

Keep input and output paths separate to avoid cross-contamination.

2. Install Pipes with Proper Slope

• Use vertical drops every 10–15 tiles for gravity-assisted flow.
• Avoid long horizontal runs without pumps.
• Place liquid vents only where needed (e.g., irrigation).

3. Add Pumps Strategically

• Use basic pumps for short lifts (<10 tiles).
• For deep wells or tall bases, use high-pressure pumps.
• Always connect pumps to automation wires to prevent overflow.

4. Use Filters Early

Place liquid filters at key junctions:

• Between sewage and clean water lines
• Before feeding water to farms or electrolyzers
• After oil refineries to separate crude from petroleum

⚠️ Never mix polluted water with clean water—it ruins crops and causes disease!

How to Set Up Effective Filtration Systems

Filtration isn’t optional—it’s critical for resource purity and automation. Here’s how to do it right.

Types of Filters in ONI

Setting Up a Smart Filtration Loop

1. Connect your mixed-liquid pipe to the input of a Smart Liquid Filter.
2. Attach element sensors to detect specific liquids (e.g., water, chlorine).
3. Wire sensors to auto-shutoff valves on unwanted outputs.
4. Route clean water to storage, waste to treatment.

🌱 Case Study: Player “HydroGuru” on Reddit reduced water waste by 75% using a 3-stage filter system that recycled 92% of sewage into clean water via algae terrariums.

Common Plumbing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Even experienced players slip up. Watch out for these pitfalls:

• ❌ Overloading pipes: Don’t feed more than 10 kg/s into a single pipe segment.
• ❌ Ignoring temperature: Hot water (>70°C) can damage pipes. Use insulated pipes or coolers.
• ❌ No overflow protection: Always add a liquid reservoir or overflow drain to catch excess.
• ❌ Mixing incompatible liquids: Oil + water = sludge. Chlorine + polluted water = toxic gas.

✅ Fix: Use color-coded pipes (via mods or manual labeling) to track liquid types.

Advanced Tips: Automating & Scaling Your System

Once your base grows, manual control won’t cut it. Automate with:

• Element Sensors: Trigger pumps only when liquid is present.
• Timers & Logic Gates: Create pulsed filtration cycles to reduce clogs.
• Buffer Tanks: Store 500–1000 kg of water to handle demand spikes.

For large colonies, consider a centralized utility hub:

• One main pump station
• Dedicated lines for water, oil, and waste
• Redundant filters for fail-safes

This design scales to 20+ duplicants without performance lag.

FAQ Section

Q1: Can I use gas pipes for liquids?

No. Gas pipes only transport gases (oxygen, CO₂, etc.). Liquids require liquid pipes or vented tiles.

Q2: Why is my liquid filter not working?

Check three things:

1. Power supply (filters need electricity)
2. Input isn’t blocked
3. Output pipes aren’t full (backpressure stops flow)

Q3: How do I remove polluted water safely?

Route it to:

• Compost bins (turns into dirt)
• Algae terrariums (converts to oxygen + clean water)
• Slurry grinders (late-game recycling)

Q4: What’s the best way to cool hot water?

Use a counter-flow heat exchanger:

• Run hot water next to cold aquatil or icy biomes
• Or pass it through a thermoregulator set to 10°C

Q5: Do I need filters for every liquid type?

Only if purity matters. For example:

• Yes for water going to farms or showers
• No for oil heading straight to a refinery

Q6: Can I automate chlorine filtration?

Absolutely. Use a Smart Liquid Filter + chlorine sensor to isolate chlorine for germ-free bathrooms or sterilization rooms.

Conclusion

Learning how to do plumbing and filtration in Oxygen Not Included transforms your colony from chaotic to controlled. With proper pipe layout, smart filtering, and automation, you’ll avoid floods, conserve resources, and keep your duplicants thriving—even in the most extreme biomes.

Now that you’ve got the blueprint, why not share this guide with your fellow ONI players? 👉 Tweet it, pin it, or drop it in your Discord server to help others build better bases!

Got a unique plumbing setup? Share your screenshots in the comments—we’d love to feature your design!