Pond Filter Media » Evolution Aqua Filter Media

Developed by Professor Halvard Odergard at Trondheim University of Science and Technology the Kaldnes Moving Bed™ bio film process has been designed specifically to create the most effective environment for the nitrification process to take place. The media is engineered in a wheel shape and is slightly positively buoyant, allowing a small amount of water flow (created by adding air to the process) to circulate the media throughout the vessel.

Oxygen and food (Ammonia and Nitrites) gives the bacteria the means to grow, whilst the Kaldnes media provides maximum surface area for the bacteria to colonise and produce bio film. It is this process, which removes harmful ammonia and nitrite from the water.

As the Kaldnes media chaotically circulates within the bio tank, it causes old dead bacteria/bio film on the outside, to be removed making space for new younger heavier feeding bacteria/bio films to colonise. Within the wheel, is a protected surface, which enables colonies of bacteria to naturally follow their life cycle, maturing and dying, in turn fuelling the latter stages of the nitrification conversion process. It also assists in the breakdown of any small particles passing through from the mechanical stage. Therefore, the Kaldnes media maintains both a young bio film and a maturing bio film providing a more consistent filter performance, whilst improving water quality, encouraging healthier Koi and aiding in reducing green water and blanket weed.

Kaldnes K3 media is similar in application to Kaldnes K1 media, in that the constant chaotic movement of the air from your pump causes the media to self-clean and thus requires no maintenance. K3 media is different than K1 media, as it is designed to be used in the retrofitting of existing filters bays as the slightly larger media size allow for easier configuration and control.

Since the development of the Kaldnes Moving Bed process and its successful introduction into the waste water treatment industry in 1991, Kaldnes K1 media has become the industry standard throughout the world. However Kaldnes have not been idle and they have continued their extensive Research and Development programme to further improve the efficiency of their process over the last 12 years.

The Bio Chip is the result of this programme and is much more than just a different shaped media. Although the total protected surface area is more than 2.4 times higher than K1 - this is only part of the story.

The main difference to K1/K3 is that the protected area or quiet zone in Bio Chip, is designed to be the perfect environment for micro animals, not just bacteria. The extremely quiet zones created by the hydrophilic layer protecting every cavity in the Bio Chip, is critical to allow these micro animals to flourish. With other types of media they will be flushed out.

These micro animals feed on small particles such as, fish waste, dead bacteria and algae. There are many different types of these micro animals that will colonize the media. Consider that Vortecilia are filtering 10,000 times their own volume per hour, and are feeding on particles up to 5 microns in size. It is these small particles that are always difficult to remove by mechanical means and make our water cloudy !