SPECIAL BLEND Water care bacteria

One of the ingredients in Special Blend is purple sulphur bacteria – an active agent ensuring that dangerous hydrogen sulphide (which forms in the substrate) is broken down in the aquarium. This is why Special Blend has its unmistakable sulphur-like odour – although any smell disappears completely after dosing in the water.

Important: If the smell changes to one reminiscent of burnt rubber, Special Blend should no longer be used.

Nonsulfur purple bacteria (Photosynthetic bacteria):
Rhodopseudomonas sp. – Break down partially toxic halogenated carboxylic acids.
Rhodospirillum rubrum – Fix the nitrogen that comes from nitrate degradation and thus compete against cyanobacteria, which can also fix nitrogen. Very good for preventing red cyano deposits on the substrate and furnishings.

Purple sulfur bacteria (Photosynthetic bacteria):
Thiobacillus thiooxidans – Convert the dreaded and toxic hydrogen sulfide into the less dangerous sulfuric acid, which is no longer a problem if the carbonate hardness in the aquarium is sufficient.
Thiobacillus denitrificans – Reduce nitrate resulting from nitrification to molecular nitrogen (gas). This, in combination with the above Nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum created a cycle that makes it difficult for the cyanobacteria to get any nitrogen source.
Thiobacillus thioparus – Break down dangerous organic sulfur compounds such as carbon disulphide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide before they can form toxic hydrogen sulphide gas from any acids in the aquarium.

Pseudomonas: Pseudomonas citronellolis - Breaks down fats, phospholipids, oils and other toxic hydrocarbon compounds. Plasticizers are also partly converted into less dangerous compounds. Phosphates are temporarily bound in the bacteria and thus partially removed from the aquarium system.

Alcaligenes: Alcaligenes Obligat aerob - Break down nitrate under anaerobic conditions.

Flavobacterium: Flavobacter aquatile Flavobacter oceanosedimentum - Come from the oceanic sedimentary layer. Need nitrogen compounds for their growth.

Nitrobacter: Nitrobacter winogradski - Oxidize nitrite to nitrate. Classic nitrifier.

Nitrosomonas: Nitrosomonas europaea - Oxidize ammonium to nitrite. Classic nitrifier.

Nitrococcus: Nitrococcus mobilis - Oxidize nitrite to nitrate. Classic nitrifier.

Comamonas: Comamonas testosterona - Acts as a stimulant in water purification (see Bioaugmentation) Bioaugmentation is used to convert chlorinated ethenes to ethylenes and chlorides, which are harmless.

Bacillus: Bacillus pumilus - Protect plants and animals in the aquarium from fungus. Effectively break down plant residues before they can become a threat to plants and fish in the aquarium as fungal foci.

Clostridia: Clostridium nitrophenolicum - Specifically break down phenols (e.g. yellow substances) and nitrophenols. This makes the water much clearer (almost as if it were filtered with activated carbon).

Thanks to its unique composition, Special Blend forms its own biological ecosystem in the bottle – which is why it must only be kept in the original bottle and not decanted. 

The suspended matter contained in the bottle as well as the particles adhering to the bottle wall are completely natural and harmless (biofilm). They can be safely dosed into the aquarium.

There may also be variations in the colour, smell and appearance of the bottles – but this doesn’t affect the high quality standard.

Among other ingredients, Special Blend contains photosynthetic bacteria cultures, which are also present in nature in every body of water. This makes sure the aquarium is as close to nature as possible. 

Plants and corals need light for their growth and optimal health – but they can only utilise part of the light spectrum provided by aquarium lighting. 

The photosynthetic bacteria in Special Blend help the plants and corals to absorb a very large part of the remaining and normally unused light spectrum. 

Besides this, Special Blend also ensures that plants can better utilise fertiliser. This leads to significantly improved, healthy growth and more magnificent plants and corals. 

MICROBE-LIFT^® Special Blend – ‘Nitrate reducer and cyano-killer’

This product deals with the first and last stage of nitrification. It contains microorganisms that break down coarse waste materials such as proteins, fats, detritus to make it easier for the traditional filter bacteria (Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrobacter sp. and Nitrospira sp.) to break down these substances. It allows them to work much more effectively. It also contains facultative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that primarily break down nitrate into harmless nitrogen in oxygen-poor zones – particularly effective in DSB systems, but also in normal aquarium systems with living rocks. Furthermore, it contains photosynthetically activated purple sulphur bacteria, which are mainly used in the initial phase after dosing to suppress cyanobacteria.

Does MICROBE-LIFT Special Blend also help against cyanobacteria? And if so, why?

Cyanobacteria have a negative impact by destroying the settlement area for filter bacteria and inhibiting their growth. In order for sand grains and surfaces of the living rock to be re-colonised with filter bacteria, the cyanobacteria must first be eliminated. This is accomplished by the purple sulphur bacteria. They disappear after some time and thus make room for filter bacteria, which are added a few days later by the second MICROBE-LIFT product: Nite-Out II. As purple sulphur bacteria live photosynthetically, they are a serious competitor to cyanobacteria, especially during the day, and inhibit them until filter bacteria have grown back. They do not compete with filter bacteria because they carry out photosynthesis like zooxanthellae.

MICROBE-LIFT^® Nite-Out II – ‘The traditional filter bacteria’

This product supplies the traditional filter bacteria (Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrobacter sp., Nitrospira sp.). It contains additional subspecies of these strains and has been designed to promote growth of natural filter bacterial grass, which guarantees fast decomposition of ammonium and nitrite. This helps considerably shorten the start-up phase of a newly set-up aquarium or to reduce fish losses during transport and aquarium relocation or conversion measures. Works immediately and reliably! Remains active down to 4 °C! (optimum temperature from 13 °C). Therefore, also suitable for cold water aquariums (Atlantic, Mediterranean, etc.).

The bacteria act immediately when used without first ‘waking up’ – unlike products based on trace elements. It is odourless and safe to use.

It is also important to test the pH value first and whether there is enough carbonate hardness. The CH value must always be at least 3 dH°. This is extremely important because the nitrifying bacteria consume it as fuel. Seven parts carbonate hardness are consumed for one part ammonium! Without good CH values, nitrification is also not possible! To increase the CH value, you can use the MICROBE-LIFT CH-Booster until you reach a value of at least 3–6 dH°.

MICROBE-LIFT Substrate Cleaner – ‘Silt, Detritus and PO4 Removal’

Contains natural brackish water silt from mangrove zones, which contains natural cellulose, mud, phosphate-binding iron oxides and special detritus-degrading and PO4-binding filter bacteria. The mud component is somewhat related to Miracle Mud in terms of consistency. With proper dosing, the water in the aquarium immediately becomes dark brown and turbid, then light brown and clear. The next day (at the latest, however, on the third day), it turns crystal clear and usually contains much less PO4. Coarser substrate becomes cleaner and detritus gradually disappears – especially in the gamma corners.

Recommended for use with all other MICROBE-LIFT bacteria and enzyme products.

MICROBE-LIFT Thera P – ‘therapeutic fish agent’

MICROBE-LIFT Thera P stimulates the immune system of the fish through probiotic bacterial strains which settle in the intestinal tract of the fish and thus ensure a healthy intestinal flora. Freshly imported fish (especially surgeonfish and some sensitive gobies), which are often weakened by the long transport route and/or have a severely damaged intestinal flora due to antibiotics, can be treated successfully with MICROBE-LIFT Thera P. Reduces downtimes to a minimum. Moreover, the entire aquarium environment is biologically stabilised, as it still contains approx. 50% of the product MICROBE-LIFT Special Blend, which reduces waste products, food residues and nitrate. It has long been a product used in fish farming in the USA. In this country it is recommended by seahorse and discus breeders. Due to the dual mode of action, it is especially recommended for breeding or retailer tanks, where many animals collide in a short time in a confined space. It also contains an herbal anti-stress agent and other selected bacteria, which in turn eat pathogenic germs or inhibit their reproduction.

Note: As it also contains a little bit of ‘Special Blend’, it may smell a little like hydrogen sulphide. It can be used prophylactically to prevent many diseases. Some aquarium enthusiasts have treated powder-blue surgeonfish with it for a week during their acclimatisation in their reef aquarium. The surgeonfish have now been in the aquariums for a year without ever having had any spots or other complaints. They are well fed. No UV system or ozone was used during the acclimatisation or later. This is quite a remarkable result for us, as most of these surgeonfish in the retailer’s tank were known to have had spots – despite UV exposure.

Seahorse breeders are amazed at the low loss rate of their seahorse youngsters when they are using MICROBE-LIFT Thera P.

In principle, Special Blend and TheraP can also be dosed at the same time, but it is also the same when adding bacteria as is always the case in the aquarium: Anything that is more constant is gentler. We therefore recommend leaving a gap of 2-3 days between the starting doses and when you have reached the maintenance doses (every 14 days) of both products, simply alternate dosing on a weekly basis.

Special Blend can be dosed at any time of the day. However, if you want to make the start in your aquarium a little easier for the bacteria in Special Blend, we recommend dosing in the morning, as this allows the photosynthetic bacteria contained to use the full light phase straight away.

No, as both products are "ecosystems in a bottle" and everything that is in the bottle or stuck to the inside of the bottle is important for effectiveness and shelf life. Therefore, Special Blend and TheraP may only be dosed from the original bottles or gallons.

This can be determined relatively easily by the smell of the two products. If a bottle has the familiar sulphur-like odor or no odor, it is acceptable. If a bottle takes on an odor reminiscent of burnt rubber, it should no longer be used.

You will find information on starting dosages and maintenance dosages on both products. The starting dosages refer to the first doses of the respective product. These should also be dosed first in running aquariums so that there is a sufficient base of the beneficial bacteria contained in the aquarium.

Since both products contain a large number of different beneficial bacterial cultures in a ratio that has been perfected over decades, it is important to adjust this ratio again and again by means of maintenance dosages every 14 days. This ensures that there is always an optimal number of useful bacterial cultures in the aquarium.

The color of the liquid is not a quality feature and therefore has no effect on it. Special Blend contains i.a. photosynthetic bacteria that use light. If Special Blend is stored in a dark place or in the cardboard packaging, the color of the liquid may lighten and become clearer as the photosynthetic bacteria slow down their activity in the dark. However, as soon as you bring the liquid to a light source or dose it into your aquarium, the bacteria immediately become active and fully productive again.

Since Special Blend takes care of the optimal water biology and TheraP the optimal animal biology in every saltwater and freshwater aquarium, both products together form the ideal biological basis for every aquarium.

In general, you should stick to the dosage information for our products. Since the tip on Special Blend says that you can calculate the specified dosage up to x1.5 in saltwater aquariums, it can happen that you dose a milliliter or two more. A slight overdose shouldn't normally be a problem and just isn't necessary as the amounts in our dosages are perfectly adequate.

If you significantly overdose on Special Blend, the only thing that can happen is that you will trigger a bacterial bloom in the aquarium. However, this can usually be remedied quickly with a large water change and a UV clarifier.

Use directly in the aquarium according to the dosage instructions.

MICROBE-LIFT^® is 100% harmless to humans, animals and plants. It is neither toxic nor pathogenic (disease-causing).

Unopened, you can store any of our MICROBE-LIFT bacterial products at room temperature. Only our product MICROBE-LIFT Nite-Out II should be stored in the refrigerator after opening.

Our MICROBE-LIFT bacterial products can be kept for at least one year without refrigeration if stored properly (except for Nite-Out II, which must be placed in the refrigerator after opening).

In principle, there is nothing wrong with dosing the MICROBE-LIFT bacterial products with a dosing pump. However, this should have a back suction so that no residues remain in the corresponding hoses. Furthermore, it also applies here that you should only dose Special Blend, Thera P and Nite-Out II from the original bottle.

Yes, heavy metals in saltwater and freshwater aquariums ensure that bacteria almost completely stop important biological processes such as nitrification (conversion of ammonium/ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate) and denitrification (conversion of nitrate into nitrogen).

The MICROBE-LIFT^® products do not work if pesticides or chemical algae killers are used. Please turn off UV lamps and ozone devices for 3 to 5 days for best results.

No. Shake the MICROBE-LIFT^® products before use and simply pour it into your aquarium.

When using the MICROBE-LIFT system, we recommend a weekly water change of 10 - 20%.