to the drawings fig1 represents the filter apparatus 10 according to the present invention which includes a tank 12 open to atmospheric pressure which receives liquid to be filtered from a system requiring the return of the filtered liquid for reuse in the system the tank 12 may be provided with suitable covers 14 shielding 16 bottom reinforcements 18 and supported on legs 19 to be positioned spaced above a supporting surface the tank 12 has a perforated plate 20 supported over a major region of the tank floor 21 defining a vacuum box 22 into which filtered liquid is drawn after passing through a segment of filter media overlying the perforated plate 20 the filter media takes the form of an endless permanent media belt 24 arranged to recirculate down the inside of the tank entrance wall 26 at the left of fig1 across the perforated plate 20 up the inclined exit wall 28 at the right out of the tank 12 and back across the space below the tank and back up the entrance wall prior to reentry into the tank 12 the permanent media belt is supported on idler pulleys 30 along its recirculation path to be freely movable therealong the permanent media belt 24 is frictionally driven by a powered flight conveyor loop 32 comprised of two endless chain loops 34 located.