Directions:

1. Obtain clean, dry quart-sized jar with resealable lid.
2. Obtain roughly 7 ounces (volume) of chemical-free grass clippings and place in quart jar.
3. Obtain about 3 ounces (volume) of chemical-free bark chunks and place in quart jar.
4. Obtain about 1/2 ounce of chemical-free dead grasshoppers or 1/4 ounce of commercal shrimp pellets for freshwater fish and place in  quart jar.
5. Obtain 1/2 ounce of chemical-free soil and place in the quart jar.
6. Fill remaining volume of quart jar with hot water (100-135 degrees F).
7. Seal the jar and let is set in a warm (70-85 degrees F) environment for about two to five weeks. (Solution is ready when it turns a dark, soupy brown.)
8. After the two to five weeks, strain the large particulate matter from the solution. However, be careful that the solution contains plenty of floating debris 1/4 of an inch in diameter or less.
9. Return the solution to the quart jar and return it to warm environment for storage.
10. Every two weeks, leave the lid open for four hours (don't leave it open in your house or your house will stink) and exchange two tablespoons of water off the top (don't stir the solution or anything like that, just remove the water and replace it with tap water).
11. Do not keep longer than 18 months.

Now you have the Type 1 bacterial starter. This solution will contain small populations of beneficial bacteria and will have a fairly large portion of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. This solution will not contain the density of beneficial bacteria that many commercial products will have, but it is actually better than some of the commercial bacteria starters in that it contains the bacteria and their food source. This will help reduce the time required to cycle the aquarium and can be added until the tank starts to produce nitrates on its own.

DOSAGE: (After shaking contents vigorously) One tablespoon per five gallons for initial dose; one tablespoon per 15 gallons per week for the remainder of cycling.

"Tears aren't a sign of weakness, they're a sign of poor plumbing."

--Dead Men's Lies

If life gives you lemons, squeeze them into people's eyes and run away!

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"Tears aren't a sign of weakness, they're a sign of poor plumbing."

--Dead Men's Lies

I strongly encourage folks to use the new, liquid, bacteria starters that are on the market, especially the ones by the big name manufacturers. They really do work, and IMHO it is money well spent.

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Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
                                                                                                  Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.

"Tears aren't a sign of weakness, they're a sign of poor plumbing."

--Dead Men's Lies

"Tears aren't a sign of weakness, they're a sign of poor plumbing."

--Dead Men's Lies