What Is This Floating Around?

[adpgt]

As many of you have said, the carbon bag is useless after a week. I realized mine was in there for about 2 years so today, I go to remove it.

My filter has three stages. (Aqua Clear 110) It has a big sponge at the bottom, then the carbon bag, then a bag of tiny rocks. I took out the bag of rocks, as it was on top of the carbon bag, and then removed the carbon bag. I then put the bag of rocks back on.

When I look in the tank, there is a lot of white stuff just floating around. Some were as big as a quarter coin.

What is this and what should I do? Thanks

 

[Mikey1]

use two foam inserts in the filter, that is best, get rid of everything else

never change them at the same time, rotate them

 

[adpgt]

Does this mean my filters are dirty?

 

[Questions?]

its probaly calcium, that was in the water in the filter

 

[fluttermoth]

It could be a calcium deposit, or algae, or all sorts of 'gunk'. After two years, your filters probably are dirty. Take everything out, including the sponge, and give them a gentle wash in some old tank water; NOT under the tap!

 

[Zikofski]

hmm okay i dont get this? how often do you clean your filter? i have ceramic rings at bottom then 3 pieces of foam, then bio balls then foam and filter floss solid pieces don't get past my ceramic rings and my filter floss is always brown when i clean that out every so often i clean my filters once every month to 3 months depending on how dirty the tank is

like Question said it probably just calcium do you have a picture we could see?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I have something similar in my filter, I place mine in a big bowl of tank water and swish it around with a spoon, then dump and add more tank water and give it another swish before replacing it.