# Special Blend



## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

Greetings, I just set up a 29 Gallon. I left it run for 24hrs with the filter and heater on. I added Special Blend bacteria starter. My question is, how long should I wait till I begin to add some plants and a few starter fish? Also, what starter fish would you suggest?:lol: Thanks, Kevin


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Kevin Beard said:


> Greetings, I just set up a 29 Gallon. I left it run for 24hrs with the filter and heater on. I added Special Blend bacteria starter. My question is, how long should I wait till I begin to add some plants and a few starter fish? Also, what starter fish would you suggest?:lol: Thanks, Kevin


I've never used that brand, nor have I ever heard of it, but tanks need an ammonia source in order to cycle, whether it be fish or pure ammonia. If it has been in more than 4 hours without fish, your bacteria has likely died off and I suggest you plant what you want, go get your fish, and get a large bottle of Tetra SafeStart if you want to go that route. You need to dump the entire bottle in the tank, rinse it out with tank water, and dump it again a few more times.

If you want to go the more preferred route for hobbyists, plant the tank and start dosing 4ppm of ammonia every time it drops. You can cycle the tank without fish this way and it is much easier on the stock when you do add them, to come into a cycled tank. It's a long process but worth it in the long run.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Special Blend is Microbe-Lift's version of Seachem Stability. It helps control ammonia, breaks up sludge, unclogs filters and sets up a decent biofilm for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize. But, like Stability, it does not contain the actual nitrifying bacteria that performs the nitrogen cycle. It just prepares the way. 

Microbe-Lift's Nite-Out II contains those nitrifying bacteria. So does Tetra Safestart, and API Quickstart, ATM Colony, Dr Tim's One-and-Only and others (nitrosomonas and nitrospira are the magic ingredients). These _live_-bacteria products work fine as long as they haven't been frozen, over-heated or left on the shelf more than 6-months.

You don't need starter fish. Just stock about half what you're planning. Then shake the shake out of it and pour in the whole bottle the next day. Monitor daily and be prepared to do a large water change (just in case). 

To play off of Flint's suggestion, you can use it for a fast fishless cycle by using "pure" ammonium hydroxide as your ammonia source. Keepers I know have successfully cycled their tanks in 5 to 10 days with TSS, Quickstart, and NO II. As long as two weeks with Dr. Tim's.

If you go this route, please log your progress and tell me all about it. I track this stuff. Thanks


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

I'll add that the benefit to going to liquid ammonia route is you can add all of you stock once your tank is cycled.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Right. Any combination of livestock that produces more than 4ppm ammonia in a day is definitely overstocked.


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*Starter fish*

:roll:


Kevin Beard said:


> Greetings, I just set up a 29 Gallon. I left it run for 24hrs with the filter and heater on. I added Special Blend bacteria starter. My question is, how long should I wait till I begin to add some plants and a few starter fish? Also, what starter fish would you suggest?:lol: Thanks, Kevin


What starter fish for freshwater 29G would you recommend? I want to do a community tank. Thanks


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

What bottom feeders would be ok with gravel substrate? Thanks


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## Diver Down (Jan 28, 2014)

You may want to consider your water parameters - pH and GH - and select fish whose natural habitats have similar attributes. That way, way you avoid the complexity of recreating that environment and the pitfalls of managing it. The good news is that many freshwater tropical species can adapt to a relatively wide range of pH and hardness. There are resources on this website and elsewhere where you can learn the profiles of the fish you are considering.


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*Cycling Help Please!*

Greetings once again, 
My tank has been up for a week. The temp is 76-77f, I put 2 types of plants in a few days ago and 2 platys. This was after 1/2 of a week w/ the special blend. Petco told me they use it to cycle their tanks. Today it has been a week. My readings are : PH 7.6 Ammonia .25ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm.
my question is Where should these readings be at? What else can I do at this point. ? Thanks :roll:


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Did you have an ammonia source to feed the special blend? Fish in the tank or pure ammonia?


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*answer*



Flint said:


> Did you have an ammonia source to feed the special blend? Fish in the tank or pure ammonia?


 Flint, I have 2 platy fish in it. Petco told me I did not need anything else to go w/ the special blend. Someone on tropical said to use Nightout 2 w/ it. I mention it to Petco they said I did not hve to do that.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Were they in at the time that you added the special blend? If you added the special blend and didn't add fish or ammonia within 2-4 hours, your bacteria died and you are doing a regular fish-in cycle.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Actually, that product does not contain any bacteria, it just provides food for the bacteria. If you want a "quick cycle" additive with live bacteria in it, Tetra SafeStart is what you should use.


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*Answer for cycling*



Flint said:


> Were they in at the time that you added the special blend? If you added the special blend and didn't add fish or ammonia within 2-4 hours, your bacteria died and you are doing a regular fish-in cycle.


 Flint, no I was told to wait 3-4 days after I added the special blend. I have 2 platys in and 2 plants live- My question is- should I add the special blend again now that I have both fish and live plants in the tank?


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

No, but you will be doing a fish-in cycle. The special blend doesn't cycle your tank like TSS does. It isn't bottled bacteria.


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*Tetra Safe Start*



Flint said:


> No, but you will be doing a fish-in cycle. The special blend doesn't cycle your tank like TSS does. It isn't bottled bacteria.


Flint, So should I add TSS now with the fish in the tank? if so, what is the est. time for it to be cycled? Do I have to do a water change after the TSS is added? If I just go w/ it the way it is w/ fish in, what should I do next? How long would you say a fish in cycle would take?


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

Kevin Beard said:


> Flint, So should I add TSS now with the fish in the tank? if so, what is the est. time for it to be cycled? Do I have to do a water change after the TSS is added? If I just go w/ it the way it is w/ fish in, what should I do next? How long would you say a fish in cycle would take?


or could I do a water change and add more Special Blend ?


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Add an entire large bottle of TSS and the cycle will take 2 weeks. I cannot speak for how long a cycle will take with a cycle aid, which is what special blend is but a normal cycle takes 4-6 weeks.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Kevin, please re-read this entire thread. The advice you want has already been given.

The people at Petco may or may not know what they're talking about. Petshop advice is always suspect around here. This forum contains the accumulated wisdom of hundreds of experienced aquarists. Do you really thin some kid at PetcoSmart knows more?

Get a bottle of Tetra Safestart or Micobelift Niteout II. Go to Microbeligft's (or tetra's) website and read about how to use it and what it does. Follow their instructions and then, please, come back here and tell us how it worked for you.


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## Kevin Beard (Feb 6, 2014)

*Result of Special Blend*



Hallyx said:


> Special Blend is Microbe-Lift's version of Seachem Stability. It helps control ammonia, breaks up sludge, unclogs filters and sets up a decent biofilm for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize. But, like Stability, it does not contain the actual nitrifying bacteria that performs the nitrogen cycle. It just prepares the way.
> 
> Microbe-Lift's Nite-Out II contains those nitrifying bacteria. So does Tetra Safestart, and API Quickstart, ATM Colony, Dr Tim's One-and-Only and others (nitrosomonas and nitrospira are the magic ingredients). These _live_-bacteria products work fine as long as they haven't been frozen, over-heated or left on the shelf more than 6-months.
> 
> ...


 
Here is my progress after using Special Blend. I set up the tank on Feb 7. I put in 30ml of the Special Blend and a small amount of food. On Tuesday the 11th 2 platy s were added along w/ some live plants. I believe it was the 16th I added a small bottle of Tetra Safe Start. I did a water change on Sat. the 22nd. Today Feb 24 the ammonia Is reading 0, nitrite and nitrate are 0 too.


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