Jap matting to Kaldness media               Return to Articles Index Page.

This article explains how to convert a Standard Japanese matting Biological Vortex system to K1 Kaldness media.

This photo shows the original Japanese Matting cartridge.
The cleaned vortex, showing the drain in the bottom.

This drain has to be covered, otherwise when the drain is purged, the media will be washed out to the drain.
This photo shows the components required to convert the vortex to K1 Kaldness media.

They can all be home made. The drain cover in this instance is cut from a sheet of GRP, but any type of plastic is suitable.
To supply adequate air to the media needs a strong supply. I recommend 20ltr per chamber.

Air is supplied through a 1/2" pipe in the design shown.

The pipe is joined together with  tee piece, 1/16" holes are drilled every 1/2" around the pipe, then the whole affair is tie wrapped onto the drain cover.
The drain cover complete with air line is then held in place by a few blobs of aquarium grade silicone. 
The inlet to the vortex needs a screen fixing over it.

This will stop the media back siphoning into the settlement chamber when the system is shut down for maintenance.

In this instance, stainless steel screws are used to secure the plate holding the nylon mesh. A blob of silicone is used on each screw to stop leakage.
The transfer port pipe (outlet to next chamber or to the pump) is best made from a length of pipe with slits cut.

The area of the slits totaled together exceeds the standard open area of the 4" tube. This stops the media from being sucked to the pipe and allows for easy water flow. 
This photo shows the complete setup.

In this configuration a cap was fitted to the bottom of the 4" transfer pipe. This stops the media being sucked up.

Also because in this system the outlet pipe to next chamber is high level in the vortex and the transfer pipe faces down towards the bottom, it was necessary to drill a small bleed hole in the highest point of the pipe, this lets air escape when the system is filled with water. A stainless steel screw is fitted finger tight, this is removed during maintenance and replaced when the system is back up and running.

hen the media is first placed in the water it floats. Over a few hours it will start to sink and become neutrally buoyant.

 

 

 

 

  As the media ages over a couple of weeks, it takes on a slight brown appearance. This gives good footage for the nitrifying bacteria to grow.

This photo shows mature media that at the time of the shot had been in use for 4 months.

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR FULL SIZE PICTURE
   

Copyright Maurice Cox  2002                                                                                             Return to Articles Index Page.