Marineland emperor power filter with bio-wheel

[reefermadness55]

Marineland Emperor 400 Filter Power Bio-Wheel Emperor Bio Wheel Filter
So I believe this is the filter I have in my tank, I'm not so sure about it. I probably don't clean it enough but still, when I got it, we had activated carbon running in it, and after a while this nasty pink and reddish whiteish stuff kept coming out of it in like long strings and would sick to everything, I don't have pictures right now, but I should be able to tomorrow. It gets cleaned, but a month ago or soo put a bag of chemi pure in it instead of all the carbon, cleaned out completely when I did so. And now the pink stuff is coming out again? does this happen with any filter that's just dirty?
I wasn't to know what everyone does for their filter maintenance, how often, what you have for filters, etc.

 

[Jimbo662]

It could be that the filter cartridge is becoming a nitrate factory and the stuff you're seeing is algae growing and feeding off the nitrates. I thought I've seen where everyone recomends not to use the cartridges if you're going to be using HOB filters.

 

[reefermadness55]

That's what I thought, but then I switched out the cartridges for chemipure in a bag, and just have the bag sitting in the back. All was well for a couple weeks, then it started happening again