Pond aquarium filter filtration medium helix moving bed

This media is a form of biological media used in the filtration process for pond / aquarium water. Its usefull as a moving bio bed and it will serve as housing for good bacteria.

The material you will use will determine if it will be a floating or a sinking media.

Density

PP =  0.9kg/liter (floats)

PETG = 1.27kg/liter (sink)

PLA = 1.24kg/liter (sinks)

Personal preference is size Medium Lite or Medium_v002 (best looking vs highest mm2 per gram of filament)

I really tried to optimise the surface area by making tapered extrusions, also small gaps between the layers will be beneficial to the surface area (but that its unmeasurable)

There are 5 sizes in this model:

4x for 0.4 mm nozzle:

Small  = Ø10 mm 

• 0.75 grams per printed model
• 1282 mm2 surface area

Medium_v002 = Ø15 mm 

• 1.17 grams per printed model
• 2928 mm2 surface area

Medium - Lite = Ø15 mm 

• 0.75 grams per printed model
• 2328 mm2 surface area

Large = Ø20 mm 

• 1.57 grams per printed model
• 4144m2 surface area

(sizes are outer diameter, the height for all 3 models is 10 mm).

Small_0.2 nozzle  = Ø10 mm 

• Height 10.2mm
• 0.47 grams per printed model
• 2022 mm2 surface area

For reference on surface area:

Similar media like K1 has 950m2 per M3. That's around 0.95 meter per liter. 

Printed media (medium_v002) is around 1.66m2 per liter. 

Best to print in PP or PETG since PLA is biodegradable and will have to be replaced over time