AFM – Tara Filters

Products / AFM®

AFM®

Activated Filter Media — Dryden Aqua

AFM® is manufactured from recycled green and brown container glass using a unique three-stage activation process that creates a biofouling-resistant surface and provides outstanding filtration performance. According to independent verification by IFTS, AFM® doubles the performance of sand filters without requiring additional investment in infrastructure.

>1 μm Nominal Filtration

Up to 98% Particle Removal

Up to 50% Less Backwash Water

>10 Years Service Life

52,50 € 25 kg Bag

Self-Sterilising

Prevents biological growth within the filter media.

Bio-Resistant

Highly resistant to bacteria and biofilm formation.

FILTRATION DOWN TO 1 μm

Captures particles down to 1 micron for outstanding water clarity.

Water Savings

Reduces backwash water consumption and operating costs.

TWO TYPES OF AFM®

AFM® ng and AFM® s

AFM® ng — Hydrophobic Surface

Next Generation. Superior filtration and organic matter removal.

Hydrophobic and non-polar
Resistant to biofouling
Filters 95% of all particles >1 μm
Ideal for organic matter removal
Adsorbs oils, hydrocarbons and microplastics
Effective in both hard and soft water
Not suitable for backwashing with air scour

AFM® s — High Negative Surface Charge

Standard. The preferred choice for heavy metal removal.

Hydrophilic and polar
Resistant to biofouling
Filters 95% of all particles >1 μm
Ideal for heavy metal removal
Adsorbs cationic flocs and dipolar molecules
Effective oil removal in the oil and gas industry
Suitable for backwashing with air scour

Biofouling-Resistant Surface

Does not support bacterial growth, helping prevent filter media agglomeration and channelling
Reduces backwash water consumption by up to 50% and lowers operating costs (OPEX)
The activated surface enhances catalytic reactions and generates free radicals that inhibit biofouling
Suitable for single- and dual-media filtration, gravity filters and pressure filters

Increased Specific Surface Area

AFM® Grade 1: 50,000 m² / 1,000 kg — quartz sand 0.4–0.8 mm: 3,000 m² / 1,000 kg
The larger surface area improves mechanical filtration and adsorption of fine particles
Consistent particle size distribution, shape, sphericity, effective size and uniformity coefficient
Nominal filtration >1 μm with up to 98% efficiency and a service life of >10 years

PERFORMANCE

AFM® Compared with Sand

Removal Efficiency at 20 m/h, Without Flocculation

AFM® s Grade 0 — 98% of particles >1 μm
AFM® ng Grade 1 — 95% of particles >1 μm
AFM® s Grade 1 — 95% of particles >4 μm
High-quality quartz sand — 95% of particles >20 μm

AFM® bridges the gap between conventional media filtration and ultrafiltration. The results have been independently verified by IFTS.

PRODUCT RANGE

AFM® Grades

Grade	Type	Grain size (mm)	Function	Package quantity	Pallet quantity	Price
Grade 0	AFM® s	0.25–0.5	Extra fine filtration	Bags of 25 kg	40 on CP-1	€52.50
Grade 1	AFM® s / ng	0.4–0.8	Main filtration layer	Bags of 25 kg	40 on CP-1	€52.50
DIN Grade	AFM® s	0.7–1.2	Media for high TSS loads	Bags of 25 kg	40 on CP-1	€52.50
Grade 2	AFM® s / ng	0.7–2.0	Support and filtration (ng) layer	Bags of 25 kg	40 on CP-1	€52.50
Grade 3	AFM® s	2.0–4.0	Support layer	Bags of 25 kg	40 on CP-1	€52.50

Gross prices excluding VAT. For TSS >30 ppm or turbidity >10 NTU, a layer of anthracite above the AFM® media bed is recommended. AFM® DIN Grade can also be used as the sole filtration medium in DynaSand® filters.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA BEDS

AFM® Media Quantities by Filter Series

* Above laterals. AFM® and anthracite quantities are approximate; the stated layer heights always take precedence. TC – sight glass height; TD – distribution system height; LH – lateral height. Densities: AFM® 1350 kg/m³, anthracite AC 500 kg/m³ (DIN/TN, TL), anthracite N 720 kg/m³ (TH).

CERTIFICATIONS

Approved for Drinking Water Applications

Compliant with EN 17978 — glass granulates for the treatment of water intended for human consumption
Compliant with Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption
Approved in the United Kingdom under Regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016
Certified by WQA according to NSF/ANSI/CAN 50, 61 and 372
Approved in Switzerland under the Drinking Water Ordinance (TBDV), Annex 4
Manufactured according to certified HACCP principles for the food industry
Manufacturer certified according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001

DOWNLOADS

AFM® Resources

PDF

2027 Catalogue & Price List

Complete overview of all series, including technical specifications, dimension tables and prices.

PDF

AFM® Instructions

Recommended AFM® media layers for each TARA filter series.

How much AFM® media does your filter require?

Our engineering team calculates the required media bed, layer by layer and grade by grade, based on the filter series and diameter.