Algea/detritus issue

[gliebig]

I've had this 125 setup at my office. I neglected it for years and it was actually doing quite well....until I decided to give it an overhaul and clean it. I am now getting this weird algae/detritus all over the bottom. I've never seen anything like it before and have no idea where it's coming from. It's fluffy and can be easily siphoned, but it keeps coming back.
Any ideas what it is/causing it?

 

[jonclark96]

Are you talking about the brown on the substrate? Looks like wood-eating pleco poo to me.

 

[Becca]

Do you have increased filter flow now that it's cleaned out, or did you add a powerhead? It might mean this stuff is getting blown to one place.. It does look like fish waste/mulm.

 

[gliebig]

Plecos poo that much?

 

[Goonie]

I have a 6-7 inch rhino, I've seen him with a 2 foot trailer. So yes they poo that much.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Plecos poo that much?

If they have enough food they will never stop. I will take a couple 2 inch plecos and put in a 10 gallon tank with algae on sides. In 12 hours the algae is gone but you can’t see the bottom for all the poo.

 

[Pat Kelly]

So yes. Just like me that are full of it. Lol