Weird tank growth- algae or sludge?

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Kbell77

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 23, 2021
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2
Hi guys,
New member here, so forgive me if I posted this in the wrong section I just couldn’t really find a good section to put it in. I’ve had my tank set up for a couple years now, nothing out of the ordinary. I have not been great here lately about doing water changes but my numbers have been within acceptable parameters. However, I had to get rid of my moss balls because they started having a white growth on the tips of them (cleaned then but it grew back). I also have this weird brown sludge\algae growing\ sitting on the other plants(will post a pic of some I removed ). Today, I did a total clean out and changed about 50% of the water and cleaned the remaining plants, plus added 3 more (ordered nee moss balls too). I have a 10 gallon tank, with 4 corys, a bristle nose pleco, and a betta. Does anyone know what this is? It is in large clumps and honestly looks like my corys sometimes.
 

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Another pic (has white sand in it btw).
 

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I don't know what it could be, but I would wipe down everything/bump up the gravel vac/water change frequency for a couple weeks. General test kits don't have reagents for organics, which can be a source of food for bacteria and fungal growth.

I've also measured wide ranges of ammonia and nitrate from my tap, some days they are high, some none, and I can only imagine what else is getting through.
 
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