
Maturing the Kaldnes bio-media is important because a delicate eco-system is naturally developing for the bacteria involved in the nitrification process. Kaldnes media provides the maximum active surface area for the bacteria to colonize, more than other types of static media. It is this process which removes harmful ammonia and nitrite from the water.
As the Kaldnes media moves within the filter, it causes the old dead bacteria on the outside to be displaced. This makes space for younger, heavier feeding bacteria to rapidly colonize. Within the wheel is a protected surface, which enables colonies of bacteria to naturally follow their lifecycle of maturing, dying and then fueling the latter stages of the nitrification cycle. Kaldnes has been designed to provide the best possible habitat for both young and mature beneficial bacterial colonies.
Unlike foam, matting, or other forms of static filtration media, the Kaldnes K1/K3 media is designed to move freely within your filter. The constant chaotic movement of the air causes the media to self-clean and thus requires no maintenance. This allows the filter to reach optimum effectiveness without the disturbance of periodic cleaning, avoiding unnecessary loss of bacteria within the filter.