Filter Pipe Gunk

[AquaAndy]

After cleaning my fluval external filter I get a lot of gunk coming out of the filter pipe coming back into the tank. This gunk must be coming from the pipes rather than the filter. The gunk looks like bit of white skin, but there is a lot of it and the fish seem to like eating it. What is it? Is this protein?

 

[LyndaB]

Welcome to the forum.

It may not be in your pipes, but rather the filter housing. When I do my water changes, I also rinse out the filter media in tap water, but rinse out the filter housing in the tub where I can get the water through all the various parts of the filter.

Can't say if it's any type of protein, probably just residue. Do you overfeed by chance?

 

[Darklight]

I get this sometimes too. Not much of it and doesnt bother the fish. Would get sucked up quickly anyway. You could put a small fine mesh fish net under the out flow to catch it.

 

[Lifeoffroad]

I get this sometimes too. Not much of it and doesnt bother the fish. Would get sucked up quickly anyway. You could put a small fine mesh fish net under the out flow to catch it.

I get this to and its not from the pipes as I cleaned mine out and still got it. However, it does help reduce it. I agree with the post I quoted. I just put my net over the outflow pipe. It catches most or it.