Difference Between Good Bacteria and Sludge?

[cnicole995]

So in my 10 gallon tank that holds my black moor while a larger tank is cycling, there is a lot of brown "goo" built up on the lip of the filter and also all over the fake plant I have in there.

Is this safe to remove or should I leave it? I'm not too sure whether it is good bacteria or something else.

Also, in my filter there are two parts, the filter cartidge that can be changed and the black "sponge" sort of thing.
The sponge is covered with this brown goo as well and seems to cause the filter to run slower, but I have heard that this is the good bacteria and should not be cleaned.

I'm rather confused on what should be cleaned and what shouldn't.

 

[fort384]

You can clean all of it. Just use an old toothbrush on the fake plants and the lip of the filter. For the sponge, squeeze it out in a bucket of old tank water when you do a water change. I'd not change the filter cartridges. You don't need to run carbon anyway. Just do the same with it and wave it around to rinse it out in an old bucket of tank water when doing a water change. Yes some of the beneficial bacteria resides here, but if your tank is established, cleaning things up in the manner I described isn't going to cause any issues. Regular maintenance/cleaning is important to maintaining a healthy aquarium.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

The benifical bactiera is mircoscopic. You can get rid of all the built up stuff with no worries.