Tub faucet water problem

[Netlogik]

I have a diverter type tub spout with a small knob on top that is lifted to turn the shower function on. I released it one day and noticed a black hairy looking substance come out of the tub faucet. I've tested the shower head by plugging the drain, letting the water run out of the shower head and nothing appeared. When I run the water out of the tub faucet alone it seems to be fine. But if I raise and lower the faucet/shower head valve the substance begins to appear in the water. Different size chunks yet it all looks the same. Best I can discribe it is a black hairy/stringy thin substance that floats. Any ideas on what this could be?

Netlogik

[LazyPup]

Without seeing the material it is very difficult to even venture a guess. We would need to know the approximate size, quantity and consistancy of the material but here are a couple possiblilies that come to mind.

Have you by chance installed a new shower head recently, and if so, does the new shower head have any plastic body components? Some shower heads have plastic bodies that have machine threaded components and what you may be seeing is bits plastic cuttings from the threading process that were trapped inside during assembly.

Could also be bits of a neoprene gasket.

Do you by chance have a whole house water filter that has a processed activated charcoal canister? It could be a minor rupture in the canister wall and bits of the process charcoal are being carried into the water supply.