Pond filter
 

My personal trainer clients run their business out of their house. They endeavor to maintain a charming and inviting ambience to offer their customers.

It's in a secluded neighborhood but just over a nearby hill is I-280. There's a bit of a soft roar and to mask it they put in a faux waterfall on their sloped front yard, about 15 - 20 feet long, going into a pond with a sump near the bottom of the falls, a round hole in the concrete 20" dia. and 3 feet deep.

I'm redoing the filter setup, the details aren't important, I'm getting into TMI as it is, at any rate, I can't find the material that the pond maker used and he's unavailable, cannot be reached. It looks sort of like coarse steel wool only its made of plastic. It's similar to the washable furnace filters, only more dense. I make break down and use two layers of the furnace filter material.

I've tried nurseries, fountain shops, a large rock dealer, pool shops, Home Depot - no one has it. No doubt someone here knows exactly what it is.

http://s20.postimg.org/qeympzv4t/toilet_004.jpg

http://s20.postimg.org/5jcceqyxp/toilet_005.jpg

I don't know what it actually is but it looks like a Green Scouring Pad. Of course the one you use on Pans are only about 1/4" Thick.

I can't tell from the pic if the Color is from what was filtered or the natural color of the Material.

If it is actually a thick Scouring Pad a Restaurant Supply store, McMaster Carr or the name escapes Me but there is another Company like McMaster Carr.
Maybe Janitorial stores?

Floor buffer pads

I believe The stuff you have is similar to 'Jap Mat'. I use it in my Eheim canister filter for my aquarium.

Aside from collecting gunk, it also is a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria.

To clean, simply shake it around in pond water..tap water contains chlorine which kills the good bacteria.

You can try a well stocked aquarium out let...they should have the material. (maybe call around)

I agree, there's all different grades of them and I'm sure one of them would be correct.

When I used to have a pond a few years ago, I found that stuff in a monster aquarium store here in houston. They were the only ones who had it.

I saw something very similar earlier this week in a Home Despot. The cut of the product they have is designed to fill rain gutters so that leaves and such would not settle to the bottom of the gutter.

I believe it's called Bio-mat. an utterly pain in the ass material. you can find it at most pond shops or special order. if you cannot find it locally I can find it here. but, i'd suggest converting the setup to a bio-ball type. More surface area... Used to do aquariums...ponds etc....

Excellent feedback. I'm impressed. The floor buffing pad is a good idea but all of them I could find online have a hole in the middle, and I need a 20" dia disc of it with a hole offset.

This site is encouraging but they need a large minimum order:

111 Bio Filter Media Japanese Bio Filter Mat, View Bio filter mat, LANLING Product Details from Guangzhou Lanling Aquaculture Equipment Co., Ltd. on Alibaba.com

Found this on Amazon, while doing a search for the product just above:

Amazon.com: Puro-KleenTM Fish Safe Pond, Water Garden & Aquarium Filter Media- 24"x72" Mat 1.5" thick: Patio, Lawn & Garden

The 'Bio-mat' series of syllables seems to be key.

Wow. Check this cornucopia of images out:

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&aq=&oq=&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS505US505&q=Bio+Filter+Media+Japanese+Bio+Filter+Mat&tbm=isch