Microblift Special Blend

[Djbetterly]

I was having an issue with my tank right after cycling was complete, ammonia and nitrites were zero, I added some fish and I got a spike of nitrites and ammonia that didn't seem to disappear. Per a recommendation I started using special blend, it cleared up the mini cycle immediately..it was great and since I haven't had any issues. One thing I noticed though after three weeks of using the special blend are these chunks of white bacteria on the rocks in my sump. Is that normal? Safe? Should I keep using?

On a side note, I'm in the middle of the initial diatom bloom as well which I hope ends soon.

 

[lnevo]

Sounds like it wasnt a mini cycle....

I would continue using it if you are still seeing ammonia. Otherwise keep up with water changes and go slow on the livestock until your cycle is really done.

 

[jackson6745]

I never saw "white bacteria chunks" from using it. Are you sure this isn't sponge? A pic would be helpful. Not only would I continue to use it, I would use in conjunction with Nite out II

 

[ChrisB]

I had same thing it looked like white hair algae covering everything. I felt I might have over dosed the special blend.

 

[Djbetterly]

I'll try and get a picture...it almost looks like chunks of white silicone and when you touch it, it breaks up super easily.

My ammonia and nitrites were zero for about 10 days before I added livestock. As soon as I added two clowns, then the ammonia and nitrites re-spawned. I haven't had a trace since my first dose of special blend.

I'm going to use up the bottle and maybe it will help with this initial diatom bloom as well.

In the mean time I'll see if I can get a picture.

 

[jackson6745]

Interesting. What dosage on what total water volume?

 

[Djbetterly]

Total volume is probably around 60 gallons. I've just been following the directions on the bottle.

 

[jackson6745]

You added 50% more for saltwater as suggested on bottle?

 

[Djbetterly]

No, I only add the directed amount, as it states "for faster results add 25%-50% more." I don't like to speed anything up as I usually get worse results when I try to push things.

 

[jackson6745]

It also states that saltwater slows the bacterial production on the same note. I doubt you are over dosing in that case. I have been using this product for years with the 25%-50% added dose and never saw white bacteria settling. I guess anything is possible though.

 

[mshur]

You cant over dose this product. I have been using for years with great results and i always dose 50% plus for salt water.
You can call
costumer service , they very good

 

[winsbxnyc]

i love that stuff smells horrible tho lol

 

[Djbetterly]

Horrible doesn't do it justice!!

 

[Tonyscoots84]

are you dosing anything else? vinegar, vodka, sugar or any other bacterial supp.

 

[Djbetterly]

nope just that at the moment. I don't have any corals in there yet, just fish.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Ok lets start with this after your tank had "cycled" how long did you wait to add fish. How many and which fish did you add to your cycled tank. To me it just seems that you just made a bunch of bacteria by adding the special blend which is what you are seeing by that white stuff. Pretty much the bacteria has nothing to eat and it died off...

 

[Djbetterly]

When I had zero readings, I let the tank be for about another 10 days, but I fed the tank a bit of food every other day. After that 10 days, I was still reading zero ammonia and nitrites and about 20 on nitrates. At that point I added two small Wyoming clowns. About two days later they were acting a bit funny, so I ran a complete set of tests again and found that ammonia and nitrites had started to come back. To double check, I took a sample to manhattan aquariums, and they confirmed it. They advised that I do another large water change and use special blend. I followed the directions and within two days ammonia and nitrites were at zero. I continued to dose according to the directions and then started to notice the white chunks on the rocks in the sump. I would notice some snotty stuff on left over food in the display tank, but that would go away quite quickly - a day at most it lasted. I looked today to see if I could see any more of that white stuff and I couldn't find any. I did just rearrange the sump so I may have broken it all loose also.

Currently my basic numbers are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5 nitrates, 1.026SG and 8.05pH.

I haven't run any tests for calc, alk or mag since I don't have any corals or inverts yet. Inverts come next week, I wanted to make sure my nitrates were lower.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

i would cut your dosage of special blend by at least half. Do a nice sized water change while sucking out most of the white stuff.

 

[Djbetterly]

Done and Done..I kind of felt the same way.

 

[Djbetterly]

What are your thoughts on prodibio bioclean vs special blend?