MICROBE-LIFT SBHG1 Special Blend Aquarium and Fish Tank Cleaner for Freshwater and Saltwater, 128 Ounces

(This is the same review for the Special Blend since I am doing as recommended and using both together)Alright so this just came today. Will update as my cycle goes on after adding it (today).(Special Blend)The smell. Oh my god the smell. I read the reviews opened outside and was confused why I didn’t smell anything. So I took a whiff. Then I fetched for awhile. It smells what I imagine rotting corpses on a high way smell like. The smell is legit. Why I gave it 4 stars. I’ll be using this with Nite Out II also since everything I read says they go hand in hand.It says that if you put in with live animals make sure you have a TON of oxygen going in the tank. So definitely make sure you use a few air stones in your tank as I assume this sort of lowers the oxygen levels. Thus why people have killed their stock using it.I’ll report back in a few days what my tests read. I’m in the middle of cycling now (low ammonia high nitrites and nitrates) fishless cycling. I have 4 tanks going atm. However one has my axoltol so I didn’t use it in that tank.(Nite Out II)Doesnt smell, does much like what all the others are supposedly doing. Im gonna try and follow every day and read the tanks reading. RIght now I am only testing for Ammonia and nitrItes instead of nitrates, as because im cycling, it doesnt matter how high they get - yet.(Pictures added of three tanks from yesterday before adding anything)Day 1: (next day after putting Special Blend and Nite Out II in)Tank 1 (20gallon tall): BEFORE adding I had 0ppm Ammonia, and 1.0 of nitrites. AFTER: No changeTank 2 (5 gallon): BEFORE: .50ppm Ammonia and 1.0 NitrItes. AFTER: No ChangeTank 3 (10 gallon): BEFORE: 0 Ammonia ppm and 2.0 nitrites AFTER: No changeTank 4 (20 gallon long with an axolotl in): BEFORE: 1.0ppm Ammonia 2.0 nitrites AFTER: .50ppm Ammonia 2.0 nitritesSo, for day 1: Not much has changed. Remember, I was in the middle of cycling previously of adding too and were about around 0 ammonia for almost everything but the one tank that had a living creature in it.

I have been using this item since I started my tank a few months ago. It was suggested by my LFS as a way to maintain water quality without having to change water. We have a 36-gallon with guppies, farlowella catfish, some dory catfish, and a variety of plants. This is what we use, in combination with the Seachem neutral regulator and discus buffer (powder form), to avoid ever having to perform water change.Initial one-time setup (the cycle phase, before you put any fish in): fill the tank with tap water straight out of faucet. Add two teaspoons each of the powder for every 20 gallon of water. Dose microbe-lift ( one capful) each night, for four weeks.Once the tank is setup and fish added in, perform the routine maintenance by: Add one capful of the microbe-lift each week. Replenish evaporated water by using tap water conditioned by the two powders mentioned above, as needed.I do my routine maintenance on a weekend night after the lights are off in the tank, per the suggestions on the instructions. I don’t do exact measurements now and just add two squeezes of the microbe-lift to my tank ( I don’t peel the entire foil seal off; I just dig a hole with a chopstick). The fish have been fine for the past year with no water change.We are in Northern California. You may need to adjust the setup slightly depending on your fish type and local water quality.

I like Microbe-Lift's products. I use Special Blend along with Nite-Out II in my freshwater aquarium, and I'm quite a believer in how well these products work. I had trouble getting my 30 gallon tank to establish a nitrogen cycle, with wild swings in water quality evident in my frequent testing. With the addition of Special Blend (and then a follow up with Nite Out II), my tank soon hit the sweet spot. Now with diligent maintenance (weekly partial water changes followed by Special Blend & Nite Out II) and sensible feeding, my water quality is better than water I test from the pet store, and I think Microbe-Lift's products help me keep this happy balance. My aquatic allies are long lived and healthy. [I wrote an identical review for Nite Out II, since I use them together].

I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but I have used the smaller bottle of microbe lift for years with great success. I thought it would be cheaper ordering a larger bottle but this smelled completely wrong. Microbe lift has a very distinct unpleasant smell but this smelled completely rancid. I returned it for a refund

Magic for fresh water aquariums. I don’t have to worry about changing my water every week and my fish are super happy. Saves money in the long run especially when you have a 90 gallon tank.Smells freeken terrible but once it hits the water the scent goes away, keep the bottle in a ziplock to prevent the smell.

been using it for almost a month now and so far so good. I haven't had any issues. I have a small 4 gal planted nano tank. I use only 5ml during my weekly water changes...Just got Nite Out II also. I do two partial water changes per week. I do only the Nite Out II during the mid week change and both Nite Out II and Special Blend together when I do the weekend water change.

I use this during every change, does it smell, yes. Does it work it seems to for me. In aquarium I have a two foot Tiger Shovelnose and an 18 inch Black Arrowana. Keeps ammonia at bay. I purchase every two weeks, half a bottle every week.

I tried everything to reduce nitrate in my tank. The only thing that was effective was water changes and even at that, by the end of the week nitrates would be above 40ppm. Using this product for one month has reduced my nitrates to 10ppm. IT WORKS.

This seemed like a fake version of the actual special blend by Microbe-Lift. Compared to the one I purchased from a Maidenhead Aquatics store, this one was very watered down and funnily enough did not smell as bad. It just didn't seem right. I won't be purchasing from here again.

Works perfect but smels likeS.h.i.t...Stabilize and improve fast good level of good bacteria in your aquarium.Improve water quality also clear water in tank after regular water changes topped up with small amount of product.

1 star is one too many. Nearly killed my fish. Still cycling it out, but slowly getting there.Talk about toxic.

Excellence

Great stuff makes life so much easier. great for the fish.