R-Matala, the perfect "drop in" media for Vortex filters and barrel filters. R-Matala has the same qualities as the sheets of Matala but formed into a coiled pre-cut cartridge. Simply select the diameter roll and the density you need for your round tank and drop it in. R-Matala coils are not designed to be un-rolled. They are pre-cut to fit your tank. Custom sizes can be special ordered. COARSE DENSITY BLACK Black Matala is the least dense of the four densities. It should be used for filtering the largest dirt particles. The Black R-Matala is 6 inches thick so it is surprising how much dirt it can really trap. The Black Matala filter media can be used as a support grate for other layers of media due to it’s very sturdy and open design. In a settling chamber the Black will slow down and trap very large particles and hair algae. The Black R-Matala will function a s a prefilter to the biological section. The Black media can remove dirt particles before they reach the biological section. As a bonus, the Black Matala can also function as a biological filter due to it's available surface area for bacteria attachment. It is very versatile. R-Matala will naturally wedge in place without any need for support. However, you must measure the inside diameter of your tank and order the coil size which fits tight. If the coil fits too loose then the water will flow around the pads instead of through them. Four sequential densities can be perfectly employed to achieve maximum solids / bio-filtration. Each roll is 6 inches thick with a tremendous potential to trap dirt and yet is super easy to clean. Simply drain the waste out your bottom drain and gently pour pond water over the R-Matala If you use the Black or Green Matala filter mats for solids filtering you may use the garden hose to spray them clean. The dirt falls off very easily. Matala media works perfectly with upflow filter designs. The ideal upflow configuration would be the Black or Green R-Matala at the bottom of filter to capture the large particles. The next layer should be the Blue R-Matala to act as a biological filter and will filter out a medium size particle. The final layer will be the Gray R-Matala for high surface area biological filtration and fine particle removal. If you only have room for three layers of R-Matala, we suggest you use the Black on the bottom followed by the Blue and the Gray. To clean an upflow filter with R-Matala you can pour pond water from the top down and flush out the waste down the bottom drain of the filter tank. If your filter tank does not have a bottom drain you may have to remove the layers of Matala to clean them. Routine "top down flushing" with pond water will prevent sludgy build up on the bottom layer. Occasionally you will need to remove the layers to inspect the bottom coil for clogging. Available In: 22 Inch Diameter 27 Inch Diameter
