A media bed filter comprising: a reservoir having a raw liquid inlet and a filtered liquid outlet, wherein the raw liquid inlet is fluidly connected to a raw liquid source; stratified filtering media of varying size with a plurality of densities of granular material, characterized in that the media bed filter includes an upper layer of micromedia with an underlying granular material of increasing density with particle size so as to facilitate an air backwash of the micromedia without de-stratifying said media, and without requiring reclassification of the stratified media; a backwash fluid inlet for liquid and/or air and a backwash air distributor for injecting the air up through the filtering media a backwash drain and a controller for automatically controlling a liquid backwash and an air valve for injecting the air through the backwash fluid inlet; wherein the raw liquid inlet comprises at least one surface directed raw liquid distribution nozzle with a baffle to define a liquid skimmer, wherein the baffle is provided parallel and near the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media; wherein the surface directed nozzle is directed perpendicularly to the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media and adapted to direct a raw liquid inlet flow exiting the nozzle with the upper surface of the baffle along and over a portion of the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media to perform a skimming action and flush accumulations on the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media without dispersion of the micromedia; and wherein the backwash fluid inlet is by means of the controller fluidly connectable to the raw liquid distribution nozzle with the baffle to flush said accumulations on the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media without dispersion of the micromedia to remove said accumulations out through the backwash drain; wherein the micromedia has a density at least 1 g/mL less than a density of the underlying granular material; and wherein the stratified filtering media comprises an underlying granular material of diameter within the range of 2.5 to 6 mm, an intermediate layer of granular material of diameter within the range of 0.5 to 2 mm, and an upper layer of micromedia having an effective diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. a reservoir having a raw liquid inlet and a filtered liquid outlet, wherein the raw liquid inlet is fluidly connected to a raw liquid source; stratified filtering media of varying size with a plurality of densities of granular material, characterized in that the media bed filter includes an upper layer of micromedia with an underlying granular material of increasing density with particle size so as to facilitate an air backwash of the micromedia without de-stratifying said media, and without requiring reclassification of the stratified media; a backwash fluid inlet for liquid and/or air and a backwash air distributor for injecting the air up through the filtering media a backwash drain and a controller for automatically controlling a liquid backwash and an air valve for injecting the air through the backwash fluid inlet; wherein the raw liquid inlet comprises at least one surface directed raw liquid distribution nozzle with a baffle to define a liquid skimmer, wherein the baffle is provided parallel and near the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media; wherein the surface directed nozzle is directed perpendicularly to the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media and adapted to direct a raw liquid inlet flow exiting the nozzle with the upper surface of the baffle along and over a portion of the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media to perform a skimming action and flush accumulations on the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media without dispersion of the micromedia; and wherein the backwash fluid inlet is by means of the controller fluidly connectable to the raw liquid distribution nozzle with the baffle to flush said accumulations on the upper surface of the topmost layer of the filtering media without dispersion of the micromedia to remove said accumulations out through the backwash drain; wherein the micromedia has a density at least 1 g/mL less than a density of the underlying granular material; and wherein the stratified filtering media comprises an underlying granular material of diameter within the range of 2.5 to 6 mm, an intermediate layer of granular material of diameter within the range of 0.5 to 2 mm, and an upper layer of micromedia having an effective diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm.