special blend

[TRIGGERMAN]

I have been having some issues w/ one of my tanks as a lot of you know so I figured I might try special blend. I had some laying around so I figured it was worth a shot I have always heard good things. My question is, IS it supposed to smell like rotting death? Oh man it smelled like easter egg farts I felt like I was gonna puke! IT is stinking up the whole house also. Could it have gone bad? I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to smell good but it was pretty nasty.

I was also told by a friend about a product called Start Smart. I believe it's like the same type of thing as special blend has anyone used it? My friend said special blend was junk and that this was much better.

 

[brick-brothers]

I tried special blend. I threw it away after first use. It made my house smell too.

 

[blueink]

resorting to snake oil..
lol :biglaugh:

 

[Mattl22]

It's supposed to smell just use it quickly and re cap quickly then open windows lol
Im using it right now I'm not sure if it's working just yet but its been recommended by the totm mike


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[InfernoST]

It works well but stinks like hell, the odor will dissipate fairly quickly. Don't expect it to work on the first dose, follow the directions for your volume of water and give it about 2 to 3 weeks.

 

[jerl77]

i use it and love it it smells but it pisses my wife off so i like using it lol:tongue1:

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

It works well but stinks like hell, the odor will dissipate fairly quickly. Don't expect it to work on the first dose, follow the directions for your volume of water and give it about 2 to 3 weeks.

+1 works great

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

cool thanks guys! Has anyone ever used the other product I mentioned? TLC Start Smart I'm curious to know if it is really better or the same or what.

 

[picod]

I use it also. I originally used it to get rid of Cyano (which seemed to have worked), and have used it continuously since on the maintenance dose.

 

[midtownman]

What does it do for the tank?

 

[mellotang]

It gives the tank a little boost of nitrifying bacteria

Be careful not to use too much or you will have a spike in nitrIte!!!

 

[MIKE NY]

SB was recommended to me many years ago by Joe Burger (JBNY on RC) and never tried it becuase I don't believe in miricles in a bottle, but after a thread was put up by Jonathan (JBanks) and my cyno problem was getting to a point that I had to try something, I decided to try it....I saw results within a couple of weeks and rid about 99% after about 5-6 weeks..I'm a believer and I'm on a maintance scedule now. It's a live bacteria, hence the smell, which out competes the cyno bacteria for nutriants....if it doesn't smell bad don't use it....just open a window. With any product there are mixed reviews...

 

[Awibrandy]

I used it, followed directions carefully to the letter. It did nothing for either of my tanks. I went through 8 bottles.
Regular maintenance does wonders!

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Most of what ecolabs produces is pretty good stuff and has the research and tests to back their claims. Special Blend is just a boost to the natural biofilter you would find in your tank, like Mellotang said. It works if you need it or have something for it to consume, otherwise you're just dumping money into your tank for no reason.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

Well the tank I'm using it in is just a mess corals are dying and it just seems to get worse..I have been doing water changes running carbon it started w/ an acan falling apart in my tank and it destroyed my water quality everything was starting to get better then I noticed it got worse. I believe the reason was that I found an empty jar of fish pellets that was nearly full recently . I am guessing that inbetween my water change efforts my son must have dumped it in the tank. The zoos and duncans seem to be doing pretty good but my froggie is dead bunch of heads of hammer and very expensive acans. This really sucks because the tank has never had a problem before this and has been stable as anything for the year it has been running.

 

[InfernoST]

Sorry to hear that brother, about 2yrs ago my girls put something in the tank that took out all of my corals and could never figure it out what it was. I couldn't exactly blame them due to lack of proof (only had an empty juice container I found in front of the sump), so we had a family meeting and don't laugh, but intense training on the reef tank. It actually turned out good, haven't had an incident since and they tell either me or my wife if something in the tank doesn't look right and help me with all of the maintenance chores.
I hope you're able to save some of your corals.

 

[Alex]

i use it and love it it smells but it pisses my wife off so i like using it lol:tongue1:

You know jeremy I wouldn't annoy the wife too much, Ultimately in some strange ways they control the reef budget....LOL

InfernoSt, I don't know about family re-education, however a well liked hostage toy does wonders......:scratch::lol_large

 

[jerl77]

ya i am not to smart buddy but i love to watch her run around with the fabrezze yelling it smells so bad me and my little man get a kick out of it for some strange reason lol:banghead:

You know jeremy I wouldn't annoy the wife too much, Ultimately in some strange ways they control the reef budget....LOL

InfernoSt, I don't know about family re-education, however a well liked hostage toy does wonders......:scratch::lol_large

 

[InfernoST]

ya i am not to smart buddy but i love to watch her run around with the fabrezze yelling it smells so bad me and my little man get a kick out of it for some strange reason lol:banghead:

LOL. I get a kick out of, whenever I open the bottle she comes running down the stairs screaming what the F is that smell.

 

[motortrendz]

trig, y dont you set up a small 20g tank with a hob filter for now, remove all your corals and put them in there for a little while while you figure out you issues with your tank.. so you dont loose anymore in the mean time.. so you can do a "BIG" WC and maybe pull your LR to make sure theres nothing in there contaminating your system, clean out any large detrious buildups and basically start over...