Manufacturers:

Advantage Bead filters are manufactured by Sacramento Koi, based in Rocklin, California. Sacramento Koi President Steve Walker is also the designer of the Advantage Bead Filtration System. AlphaONE filters are manufactured by Oklahoma-based Grand Champion Technologies, commonly known as GCTek. In addition to designing the AlphaONE line of filters, Gary Cryer, President of GCTek, also designed the best-selling line of AquaBead filters.

Maximum pond size:

AlphaONE filters are available in a wide variety of sizes and are designed for Koi ponds up to 35,000 gallons. Advantage Bead Filters are available in three sizes and provide complete biological and mechanical filtration for Koi ponds up to 15,000 gallons. For ponds larger than 15,000 gallons, many Advantage owners choose to install multiple Advantage Bead Filters.

Prefilter Recommendations:

Because Advantage Bead filters do an amazing job at both mechanical and biological filtration, the manufacturer doesn’t think a pre-filter is necessary for most ponds. If you want to add a pre-filter to your Advantage Filter, Sacramento Koi recommends the Advantage Settlement Chamber. AlphaONE filters also work great as stand-alone filters and typically do not require a pre-filter. If a prefilter is desired; however, GCTek recommends the Vortek SS Deluxe.

Biomedia:

Advantage Bead filters use a patented Advantage biomedia, not offered with any other filter on the market. This media is not sold separately and is included with the purchase of any Advantage beaded filter. Due to its unique design, Advantage bio media provides exceptional mechanical filtration and fines removal while providing maximum surface area for the growth of beneficial bacteria. Advantage filter media also resists channeling. AlphaONE filters use proprietary AlphaONE biological media. This unique filter provides exceptional mechanical filtration while providing a large surface area for the growth of beneficial bacteria. Due to its unique shape, AlphaONE media produces less head resistance than comparable media types on the market, allowing for high flow rates.

Transparent Dome Lid:

Both Advantage Bead Filters and AlphaONE Filters feature a clear dome lid, allowing the pond owner to visually see when it is time to backwash the filter.

Media shaker:

AlphaONE filters include a powerful 1.5 HP media agitator, which aids in backwashing. The agitator included with Advantage Filters is actually 2 HP, making it the most powerful media agitator offered with any commercial bead filter system on the market today.

Head pressure:

Advantage bead filters and AlphaONE filters produce comparable levels of total dynamic head and can be used with today’s energy efficient pumps. For maximum performance, both respective manufacturers recommend that their filters be used with PerformancePro Artesian2 pumps.

Maintenance:

To ensure optimal water quality, it is recommended that both Advantage bead filters and AlphaONE filters be backwashed on a regular basis. In general, it is recommended to perform routine maintenance on a weekly basis. The actual maintenance process for both filter systems takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Available upgrades:

AlphaONE filters are available in low head versions, which allow you to achieve high flow rates while using a much smaller, more energy efficient pump. The low head version of Advantage Filters, commonly known as the Advantage Pro Series, has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available, making AlphaONE LH filters the only commercially available low head bead filter systems in the world. The USA.

All-in-one systems available:

Advantage Pearl Filters are available as part of Advantage Plug and Play, these complete all-in-one filtration systems include an Advantage Pearl Filter, PerformancePro Artesian2 Pumps and Emperor Aquatics SMART High Performance UV Sterilizer. AlphaONE filters are available as part of the AlphaONE Plus and Mashimizu Systems. AlphaONE systems include an AlphaONE filter, Pentair pump, and Zapp Pure UV sterilizer, one of the best ultraviolet clarifiers on the market today. The word Mashimizu means “clear water” in Japan. Mashimizu filters are quite popular with experienced koi keepers and include the AlphaONE Filter, WunderFlo Pump, Vortek SS Delux Pre-Filter and Zapp Pure UV Clarifier, all pre-installed in a durable all-weather pad.

Warranty:

Both Advantage Bead Biofilters and AlphaONE Pond Filtration are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty against defects. Sacramento Koi also offers an unconditional satisfaction guarantee on all Advantage Bead filters. This means you can buy an Advantage filter, install it in your pond, and use it for up to a year. If you’re not 100% satisfied, you can return your Advantage filter for a full refund and the manufacturer will even absorb the return shipping costs. No other filter manufacturer offers this unwavering guarantee of quality.

Shipping Cost:

Due to their size and weight, most Advantage and AlphaONE systems ship exclusively via common carrier. Shipping cost for AlphaONE filters is generally borne by distributors of AlphaONE units for orders within the contiguous US. Due to manufacturer restrictions; however, it is generally not possible to avoid shipping costs on Advantage systems.

Will-Call Collections:

California Ponds and Water Gardens, based in Victorville, CA, is the only storage distributor for Advantage Bead Filters in North America. Cal Ponds also maintains a stock inventory of AlphaONE filtration systems for local customers. At-will pickups for Advantage filters can also be arranged with the manufacturer in Rocklin, CA.

If you have been researching pressurized bead filters for your Koi pond, you have probably realized that there are two bead filters on the market that are a cut above the rest. The Advantage Bead filter, manufactured by Sacramento Koi, and the AlphaONE filter by GCTek, are often referred to as the “Lamborghini and Ferrari of the pond filtration industry” by experienced pond builders around the world. These high-quality pond filtration systems are renowned for offering superior performance and require significantly less maintenance time than competitive pond filters. This article is intended to provide pond owners with a high-level comparison of some of the key features that distinguish these filters to help them make an informed purchasing decision.