Learn about our Media! K+/K1 & K1Micro Filter Media
K+Media: Evolution Aqua’s Advanced Filtration media: 
Plastic media, for use in biological pond filters – specifically in moving bed bio reactors, was pioneered by Evolution Aqua, some 20 years ago. In recent years, other plastic media have come onto the market, usually with the aim of trying to get more and more surface area. However, one drawback to using plastic media has always been the time it takes to establish a stable biofilm – essential for good filtration. After many years of research, Evolution Aqua have now developed a new media that not only gives class leading surface area, but also overcomes the problem of long maturation times.
Class leading surface area
K+Media is designed and manufactured in the UK by Evolution Aqua. This advanced media, with its innovative design, and class leading surface area provides enhanced biological and mechanical filtration. As Evolution Aqua extrude K+Media, Minerals and Enzymes are added to the raw material. The result of this process, unique to Evolution Aqua, is a filtration media that not only outperforms most of its competitors due to its large protected surface area, but also answers the problem of how to speed up the time taken to mature your filter.
Minerals added for faster filter maturation
During the extrusion process, Evolution Aqua add a range of minerals, along with magnesium, calcium, enzymes and salt to the raw material that is used to manufacture K+Media. The result means that K+Media will mature much faster than many other types of media.
– The addition of these minerals creates a rough surface on the media. This textured surface has a microscopic honeycomb of peaks and craters that allow waste particles to collect, and nitrifying bacteria to form.
– The minerals act as a food source for the bacteria, helping the bacteria to develop and multiply at a faster rate, further improving maturation times.
– Calcium alone has proven advantages for developing and maintaining effective bio-films.
– The enzymes that are added also help to make the media “sticky” so waste particles can adhere to media easier.
– Salt is added during the extrusion process, which is dissolved during the cooling process, leaving a rough surface on which bio-film can easily adhere.
Increased surface area
With a new shape and profile, K+Media has also been designed to have an increased and class leading surface area, meaning an overall surface area of 411.48ft2 per ft3. More importantly for biological filtration, the protected surface area of K+Media is 312.42ft2 per ft3. This allows a stable bio-film to form and remain intact when used in moving bed biological filtration, as in the new Nexus+.
Stable bio-film development
The shape of K+Media optimizes the amount of “quiet zones” within the media where a stable bio-film can develop. Whilst K+Media keeps the integral profile of K1 Media at its core, there is an extra layer of cells and fins around the outside of each piece that enable microscopic organisms such as Rotifers and Vorticella to thrive. This is an additional benefit as competitor media do not have such “quiet zones” that would allow these higher lifeforms of filter feeders to develop. The bacteria and organisms that form within the bio-film ensure the media delivers optimum levels of biological filtration in the moving bed, which has been proven filtration technology for many years in the fishkeeping hobby.
Applications
K+Media is incorporated into the Evolution Aqua filtration systems and is available for purchase separately. It is used in ponds and in many other applications around the world including use in the wastewater treatment industry. It can be used to upgrade the efficiency of other types of pressurized pond filtration systems as a replacement media and is available in a floating and sinking version. It can also be used to upgrade the efficiency of waterfall box filters by placing it inside a mesh bag and placing it beneath the filter pads. It is available in 25 liter (.88 cubic feet), 50 liter (1.77 cubic feet), as well as in bulk for larger applications. Whatever the filtration project is, we have the quantity available for you.
Other Types of Evolution Aqua’s Award Winning Filtration Media:
Evolution Aqua revolutionized the Koi market when it brought ground breaking moving bed filtration technology to a koi filter, with Nexus. The K1 Media:
• 152.4ft2 per ft3 Protected Surface Area
• Dramatically increases the efficiency of filter systems
• Provides a large surface area for bacteria to colonize
• Provides mechanical and biological filtration
• Use in static and moving bed filter systems
Award winning filtration media K1 Micro borrows from the twenty years of extensive research and development by Evolution Aqua into moving bed filter technology and offers an improvement on existing K1.
• 289.56ft2 per ft3 Protected Surface Area
• Provides a large surface area for bacteria to colonize
• Increased protection for the bio-film
• Provides mechanical and biological filtration
• Reduces back pressure on pumps
• Improved solids handling
• Increased flow rate
• Ideal for use in bead filters, conventional pond filters, marine and freshwater aquarium filters
• Improved cleaning