White stuff shooting out of canister filter

[lines_michael]

I have a canister filter hooked up to my 75 gallon tank. I usually close the output on the canister when I feed to stop the water flow and then kick it back on after. Today I shut it off which usually allows some air to get in the filter and bubble a little in the tank where it draws out the water.

When I turned the power back on, little white chunks of something were pushed out of the canister and into my tank. It was pure white, fleshy looking small pieces, and a bunch of them. Is there something growing in my canister somewhere? I just cleaned it out about a week ago.

Any idea what this was?

[reefnetworth]

sounds like sponges to me, but without a pic its hard to say. did it have an open end and a closed end that looks like a foot? not a human foot but a small flat circular end. if so, it was just sponges, probably hitch-hichers on live rock.
john m...:smokin: :p

[lines_michael]

they were stringy looking. Sort of looked like extremely shreded chicken but only much, much smaller. It looked like dead tissue maybe? I wish I had a photo.

[PatMayo]

I would get hold of one and make sure it is soft. Are you dosing calcium and alklinity?

If it is hard it could be calcium precipitation.

If you are not dosing alk and calk then surely it is something else.

Regards,

Pat

[TekCat]

It could be a bacteria film that grew in pipes. I've had the same thing shooting out of my return pipe from sump whenever I restarted the return pump.

__ edit __

forgot to mention it is ugly looking but harmless

[lines_michael]

Is that a bad thing? I am very new to reefing.

[reefnetworth]

if its one of the above mentioned. turn off pumps and wait until it settles and siphon it out.
john m...:smokin: :p