I’ve been helping to assemble the new size EricMat cartridge blocks this week and I must confess it’s quite therapeutic – just as long as you don’t let your mind wander and forget to place washers before the next sheet is positioned.

I think I’ve had to start again from scratch on five blocks simply because I failed to put a washer or two in some of them!

After each one is completed it is checked to see that the twelve sheets are ‘sitting correctly’ by having an open water channel 25mm wide separating each one.

Bearing in mind that the EricMat is now raised slightly off the base of the box and that all 24 sides of the sheets are now fully exposed, the oncoming horizontal block of water has no choice but to come into contact with the surfaces before it gets buffeted again before and after passing through each block.

It’s only that by holding one of these blocks in your hands that you can easily see the capabilities of them supporting truly colossal areas of biomass.

These modest 20” wide by 20” deep by 7.5” long blocks really do make a mockery of the days when Koi keepers were advised to have filter systems at least 25% of the area taken up by the pond!

In biological pond filtration, it is not the ‘size’ of the surfaces within the box that is of importance but the efficiency of the water flow in constantly supplying ALL these useable surfaces within the box that is the key.

These new EricMat blocks, used as they are within the box can and do support more biomass than media beds ten times larger simply because of the water-flow management involved.

Have had a gentleman with me from California for the last three days to see and learn about Eric systems with a view to distributing them in the USA. Subject to freight costs it seems likely that the units will be available there soon after Christmas. In view of the number of hits the website is getting from the USA this could be very welcome news, will keep you informed.

Waddy.