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Mulm
From The Aquarium Wiki
Mulm (also called Detritus) is the organic debris that builds up in the aquarium substrate.
Mulm is usually the unattractive dark brown or black material that settles on the substrate of a tank. It is caused by the waste material ejected by the aquarium animals and left over food and decomposing plants.
In a tank this mulm is slowly digested over the months up by the bacteria living there and is broken apart into useful chemicals that plants and other life living in the gravel can absorb.
Whilst non-planted tanks owners often remove this material to keep their tanks clean, it is rich in essential chemicals for plants. So planted tanks owners rarely need to remove it.
It is often said that Mulm causes a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and fungus. But by a process called competitive exclusion, this can be greatly reduced. By providing vast quantities of safe 'Waste control' bacteria in bottles that out-compete other bacteria for this food source and so the pathogenic bacteria never get a chance to grow to serious amounts.
- See also Detritus.
