Paper-like flakes in filter hose?

vitesse

AC Members
Oct 7, 2005
38
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6
Woodbridge, VA
Ok, so I just got over a near tank crash last week, now I am noticing that my Eheim 2215 (only about 2.5 months old) hoses and return tube are coated with a patchy, hairy, paper-like substance that breaks off when I touch the hose and flows into the tank.

The stuff looks like small pinky fingernail-sized flakes of thin white paper that is slightly fuzzy or hairy on one side. It almost looks like bleached plant debris. When I do water changes I do my best not to touch my hoses because otherwise this stuff comes flowing in about 10-20 pieces at a time through my return tube.

Also, the return tube holes are about 20% blocked because of this stuff. When I touch the tube or shake it, pieces come flowing out.

Any ideas what this is or how/wheter I should treat it? Otherwise, I might shut the filter down and try to rinse the hoses out within the next couple of days.
 
new hoses

New hoses tend to do that, I think that is why they say to run carbon for the first week.

My suggestion is to backwash the hoses when you clean the filter. After you disconnect the hoses, get a bucket and open the valve of each hose and shoot water into that bucket (have a towel handy). that water will have most of those flakes, use that water to clean the filter media if you were going to do that anyhow.
 
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