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hey guys i was just wondering i have black spots and it looks like there is white stuff that looks like mold in the pipes of my XP3 filter.

is this normal? or should i be warned? can i clean it or is it a good ting that thats there?

has this happen to anyone else?

I get a tannish build-up that I clean out with paper towels. Others report a gunky build-up as well, not sure what color, but it would break apart and disappear. When was the last time you cleaned? Black spots/mold definitely doesn't sound good.

Also, do not post the same question across multiple areas. Ask a moderator to move a topic for you if you feel it had been posted to the wrong area.

Darkish spots also eventually collect in my XP3's tubes (and some areas sometimes appear greenish), but I don't think it's mold. I do clean eventually, but I've found if I don't have the time and let them go for a while, the build-up will eventually be eliminated by the force of the water going through the tubes. (I do partial water changes weekly to maintain the water quality.) The build-up has had no negative effect on my RES.

Marisa, how long does it take for those dark spots to appear? My XP3 gets it's tubes cleaned every couple of months and I'm puzzled at what those dark spots could be.

For me, the dark spots eventually spread to cover more of the surface of the tubes (not really spots anymore), and the time it takes for them to form can vary. I'm thinking it has something to do with dissolved vegetable matter. When I do clean the tubes, the build-up surprisingly doesn't have a bad odor, it has a kind of woodsy scent.