Biological Filter Starter for Marine Aquariums New aquariums need time for the 'friendly' bacteria to establish themselves and start working to remove deadly ammonia and nitrite from the water. Live Filter Bacteria work straight from the bottle allowing the aquarium to be stocked right from the start. Live Filter Bacteria is a suspension of bacteria designed work instantly to get the filter going and remove nitrite and ammonia and maintain a safe environment for all aquarium livestock. Use when starting a new aquarium new filter after cleaning the filter elements or whenever there is a measurable nitrite level in the water.