Aqua Ultima II - Pressurized Bead Filter - 4000 Model - 1.5" Valve - A50003

The Ultima II 4000 was designed for bodies of water from 2000 - 4000 gallons.

Optimal flow rate: 4,000 GPH @ 10' of head height.
Direct drive self priming pumps are recommended such as external pumps.

Minimum flow rate: 2000 GPH and a maximum flow of 4,500 GPH

The high flow rate allows you to circulate your pond once every hour, giving you the optimal turn over rate to keep your fish healthy and your pond clear.

Bead filters use raw pellets
Bead filter manufactures just take these inexpensive pellets and load them into a filter body as is. The wax based plastic and smooth shape encourages clumping which is an inherent problem in bead filters. Some bead filter owners have been forced to backwash every day to prevent this clumping.  When the beads stick together, water and waste pass around the large mass making much of the beads surface inaccessible. This allows untreated ammonia and solids to pass right through and return to the pond.

Ultima Media is specifically designed to support aquatic life
Using non wax based plastic Aqua Ultraviolet extrudes a patented media with the highest surface area of any on the market. The small tubular design has ridges on the outside and a cross section on the inside increasing bio surface area and preventing clumping. The ridged design helps to create a dense bed for superior trapping of solids that is easily separated during the backwash.

How can the  Ultima II filters be smaller than bead filters and handle more fish
The Ultima II patented media design has 800 cubic feet of surface area per square foot. This is the highest surface area of any product on the market. The high surface area means less volume of media is needed so the filter itself can be smaller.