Best Bio Filter??

[BobinCA]

I posted this same question on the NI board, and would also like the opinions of this board.....

Which makes for the better bio filter, japanese matting vs. moving bed bio filter medium ie: kaldnes ??

Bob A

[dick benbow]

there are some issues with the newest kaldness, so let's just talk about k-1.
It's beauty is you can have a deep narrow footprint because the air that you place at the bottom of the container will roil up thru the depths, so you actually get more use from this amount of air then the shallower, wider surface area of the japanese matting. Should you decide to start another filter in series or separate, you can take a start from the established K-1 filter and get the new one started a lot easier.....I use j-mat and bakki shower for my inside pond, but only because it's established, not broke and I don't have to fix it. I have used each summer season k-1 and a BB for my outside pond and feel it does an equally fine job with 1/3 the air pumps.....

air is the key in any bio filter...the only think tricky about k-1 is that you want to use the air to have a good rolling mix in the revolution of the bio material and not so strong or too weak....

If I was starting over with what i know i would use k-1. The secret is to place it in your filter bed and roil it with a PP mixture for 2 days prior to use. Something about the Potasium Permanganade treatment helps the bacteria adhere better....to the surface. The blue mat unless you buy it cut to fit (you will pay for someone to do the work to cut it) is quite the job to cut the sheets to the proper length ,especially the spacers. K-i one is a lot easier to install.

will be interesting to get other's opinions.

[Bill D]

Ah well, I figure I am biased. Anyway... love my Nexus!

[jnorth]

Looking good Bill! I just installed a Nexus with k1 and I love it. I have not used j-mat. I am however happy with the Matala I have used.

[LizardBreath]

Is the Bio Wave Plus Filter comparable to the Nexus? I need a filter for my new pond. It will be 16x16 by 6 feet deep. I was looking at the Bio Wave Plus. Any suggestions? Hurry, they are starting the pond tomorrrow.
LizardB

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by LizardBreath Is the Bio Wave Plus Filter comparable to the Nexus? I need a filter for my new pond. It will be 16x16 by 6 feet deep. I was looking at the Bio Wave Plus. Any suggestions? Hurry, they are starting the pond tomorrrow. LizardB

No, the Bio Wave Plus is not at all comparable to the Nexus. The Nexus is an open system that can be used gravity flow with a pump after it or you can have the pump before it and let the water gravity flow back to the pump. The Nexus is a great filter, but you have to make sure that you size everything correctly to your pond and don't over stock, otherwise you will not get the results Bill D. has. The Bio wave Plus is a totally presurized system and if you are going with a pressurised sytem you absolutely can not beat an UltimaII filter from Aqua Ultra Violet. I beleive in them so much, that I will put my money where my mouth is. I will give you a better price on the equivalent size Ultima II, and if you are not happy with the results, I will refund your money. PM me if you are interested. Whatever filter you use, if you use a pressurized filter, you should also consider adding a seperate biological filter after it.

Russ

[marco]

I'm using now K1 for one year in my bothe filters (multichamber vortex and nexus), and it's amazing the work done by this media. The only problem could be the fragylity of the biomass during winter period and the slow maturation in spring. Some people suggest to feed the filter during winter with koï food, does anyone have the experience of the quantity of food that should be given ?
Marco

[dick benbow]

Let me say this...anytime you desire convenience you pay for it. If you understand the concept you can create it to get the same results without the cost. It's your choice.Meanwhile on the other board you mentioned..
I think, JR's answer was full of wisdom and common sense, you got the answer because of the difference in the way the question was asked. I would bet you would have gotten more feedback on NI had the same word for word question had been asked. I got a chance to talk with Steve Childers after the Spokane show judging and he had some good info to suggest about k-1 at a hobbyists pond there. ( the winner of the Spokane show has 3 nexus units to filter their 30,00 plus inside koi pond )

elizabth, I'm quessing the size of your pond was determined because of what space you had available? I always suggest you start first with the depth, then double for the width, then double for the length. 6X12X24....when you start getting past these dimensions you have catching issues with your resident koi. Long handled nets get cumbersome to use and you end up using a drag net to condense them in one end. I've observed that when a pond has length the koi seem to exercise differently than when the length and width is similar, they seem more to mill then race back and forth......,anyone else care to share what they've noticed?

[Bill D]

Quote: The Nexus is a great filter, but you have to make sure that you size everything correctly to your pond and don't over stock, otherwise you will not get the results Bill D. has.

Russell... actually, I think that statement is true with any "system", not just the Nexus, yes?

Kind Regards,
Bill

[PapaBear]

I'm a bit of a titewad so all of my filtration is cheapscate DIY, but I'm a pretty handy and innovative skinflint so my water is perfect . The only pricey products in my filtration are the pump and the lithaqua (thanks Russell, love the stuff )
If I had the bucks to do it I'd probably have a K1 moving bed and BS to go with it. I've just heard too many rave reviews from people who have them established.
As for me and my fishies, we get by with this.
The pump (wardley 8500gph) with strainer basket feeds the vortex which feeds the crossflow tub with matts and 1 bag lithaqua, which feeds the lower waterfall. App 40-50 gpm.
It feeds the other 90-100gpm to the trashcan showers full of bagged lavarock and lithaqua at the head of the stream.
Results??? Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate... 0.0 ph stable at 7.8-8.0 And no pea soup in spite of several rainshowers mingled with hot sunny days and a pond with no shade . And no, I don't have any UV or aerators running . The water is Oxygen rich from the sream and waterfalls.