The reason for the success is due to the large volumes of oxygen pumped into the vortex chamber. This creates a lot of turbulence. The conversion of ammonia in a biofilter needs plenty of oxygen, biomedia with a high surface area and turbulent water. Turbulence allows for excellent mass transfer by maximizing the concentration differences, thereby allowing ammonia to be converted into nitrite and nitrate at an optimum rate.
Japanese matting allows for an extremely large surface area on which beneficial Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacteria can colonize. These nitrifying bacteria are responsible for converting ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate in your fish pond.
Vortex filters and Japanese matting work so well together because the Japanese matting isn't situated in the primary vortex chamber so there is no way for organic pollutants (fish faeces, leaves etc) to contaminate the Japanese matting or block the openings. Japanese matting which is flat and rigid can be easily cut into smaller pieces that are easily slotted into place inside the vortex filter.
How Does A Vortex Koi Pond Filter Work?
Pond water containing ammonia and other particulate matter is pumped into the primary vortex chamber where the swirling action of the water (vortex) causes the solids to settle at the bottom of the vortex chamber, where it can be easily flushed away by simply opening a purge valve.
Vortex Koi pond filters are an extremely effective biological and mechanical pond filter combination that are capable of removing up to 80% of the particulate matter that passes through it.
For many pond keepers a vortex style pond filter with Japanese matting pond filter media is over kill, expensive and can be difficult to install properly. If you have a small to medium sized garden pond then a viable option for you would be pressurized pond filter from the likes of Fishmate, Oase or Hozelock Cyprio. These pond filters are compact, relatively cheap and reliable and can be located away from the pond.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-japanesematting.html, where you will find this and other water gardening articles and pond keeping resources.
