Fluval 305 spews Brown Junk?

[mrg02d]

Hello all,
When I clean my filter (once a week) I start it back up and get a CLOUD of this strange, light brown junk spraying out of the tubing.

What is this junk? It must be defeating the purpose completely of cleaning the filter. Is this some kind of algae?

Im planning on buying more of the fluval tubing, but am suspicious that the ribbing is catching something nasty. How on earth is this coming out of the "clean" end of the filter anyway?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Etunes]

I would say there is a part of the filter your not completely cleaning. And when you clean your filter it comes out. You might also want to try cleaning out the outake tubing.

 

[mfdrookie516]

if you turn it back on fast, it will do that. when i clean my two fluvals, i use the hoses to fill the bucket. the water coming out fast helps clean them. then once im done, i slowly turn the valves back on and it doesnt do that. it will do it if i open the valves real quick

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

 

[WhiteDevil]

backflush the hoses, all filters with hoses get this junk in it. just MULM. can be highly toxic.

 

[cabezon]

If rinsing it out real well, stretching it, doesn't do it. You could bleach it. or, switch the intake and output hoses.

 

[mrg02d]

Highly toxic? YIPES!
I wonder if I could close the value partially before turn on to limit the flow and then slowly open the valve?

Although, I still hate the idea of that crud just being there. Maybe I will just detach them and clean them in the bathtub really well.

Matt

 

[WhiteDevil]

it can be, not always, its the same stuff that builds up under the ever so hated UGF plate, and its hated because of this reason.

when the power goes off then kicks back on the canister reverse sucks then sucks normally, this loosens mulm in the return line and spews it into the tank, even low levels can be toxic to some fish.

I am converting to wet/dry in a week or so(got the stuff just want to get the 210 up and going before I tear into another build) because of this reason.

 

[David S]

It's definately in the hoses I get this sometimes,you need to rinse all the hoses as well to eliminate this

 

[mfdrookie516]

I wonder if I could close the value partially before turn on to limit the flow and then slowly open the valve?

thats what i do. leave them off, turn it on, then slowly open the valves... one way i've found to help clear the junk is when doing a water change, open the valve fast, close it, open it fast... not sure how the pump feels about that, but it does clean alot of that junk out

 

[mrg02d]

Yuck, mulm.
Maybe I ought to just clean the filter out and sell it. I only have it for running carbon and sucking out debris. If its going to create this mulm, then it seems that its creating more harm than good.

How often does this mulm build up? I just got done cleaning out the hose. What a pain! Its not as easy as I thought. The stuff just kept coming and coming.

Matt

 

[mfdrookie516]

if its not in the filter, then its going to be in the tank anyways... it doesnt just make it, you know what i mean?

 

[mrg02d]

if its not in the filter, then its going to be in the tank anyways... it doesnt just make it, you know what i mean?

My reasoning is that the filter may be creating an environment for it to flourish beyond what it may under other circumstances.

I guess I will look into easier ways to clean the tubing out when I clean the filter. Maybe a cleaning snake of some sort?

I wonder why Fluval doesnt mention mulm buildup and how to deal with it?

Matt

 

[mfdrookie516]

because all filters do this. my eheim does the same thing... my aquaclear does the same thing. all filters do it, its just more noticeable when starting up canisters

 

[jsoong]

Even my wet dry does this! Starting up the return pump can spew out a cloud of particles.

This is a film that grows in the tubing. I have clear tubing & can see the stuff growing (usu. over a few months.) I take the tubing apart & clean it with a long brush. Something like this:
Eheim Cleaning Brush 594 Long - Parts - Canister/Eheim at BigalsOnline

They make them up to 2 foot long, so you can really clean out the hoses & get rid of the crud.

 

[mrg02d]

I was able to blast it out in the shower. Gross looking stuff! I wonder what it is exactly? Debris shouldnt be making into the output hose, should it? Thats past the pads and floss. It must be some other kind of nasty critter. Its pretty uniform in size, shape, and color.

Thanks for the tips!
MAtt

 

[jsoong]

I suspect it is some kind of bacteria, or maybe algae or diatoms. It is actually growing in my return tubing, which is behind my pump filter ... plus MULM should have settled out totally in the wet-dry.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

The fluvals are the worst. They use those tubes that are notched the entire length giving the mulm alot of space to settle inside the tube during normal operation. Then, when you start the pump, the rush of water shoots the stuff everywhere in the display.

Mine used to do it all the time, and I see no ill affects.

On a side note, why are you cleaning it every week? That seems excessive for a 305 on a 55 gallon.