filter cartridge is purple??

[atyler]

Hi so my tank’s filter cartridge is purple, which I have never had before. I’m not talking a brownish purple, this is like a magenta purple. I don’t know what could be causing it. Is it some sort of weird bacteria or something I should be worried about? I didn’t want to just go ahead and change the filter if it isn’t anything because I just put in a new one a few weeks ago. The tank has been a bit cloudy the past few days, but that’s about it.

 

[Colin_T]

can you post a picture of it?

if it is slimy and purple it is probably blue green algae (Cyanobacter bacteria). This is a photosynthetic bacteria that can be green, blue, black, brown, red, pink or purple in colour.

if it is not slimy then it could be staining from dead bacteria if the filter was turned off for a bit.

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If the water is milky cloudy then that is caused by uneaten fish food in the tank that is not being broken down by the filter. Your beneficial filter bacteria has died for some reason.
Reduce feeding to once every second day and do a 75% water change each day for a week.

Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels and if there is any reading do a 75% water change too.

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You should never change filter materials unless they fall apart. If you have to change filter materials, only replace half of it, then wait a month before doing the other half. But normally you should just wash filter materials/ sponges in a bucket of tank water then put them back in the filter.

If you have carbon in the filter, don't bother keeping it or replacing it with new carbon. Just use sponges.