Waterlife BacterLife is superior to many of its competitors as it contains two types of bacteria. Almost all bacteria products sold worldwide contain heterotrophic bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for digesting and breaking down solid organic waste in the aquarium. The breakdown of solid waste results in the production of ammonia, and other compounds such as soluble nitrogen, which can then be dissolved by the filtration system. Products containing ONLY heterotrophic bacteria will increase ammonia levels before they begin to decrease.