Seachem Stability, Does It Work?

[garrym1983]

Been made aware of a product called seachem stability, says it can help cycle a tank, whats the feeling out there as to whether it does what it says on the tin. Thanks

 

[Caprichoso]

Hi,

I posed this question on the bacteria starter experiment thread.

I have used this product to set up my last 5 tanks. I did all of them as a fish in cycle. I didn't have any ammonia spikes and didn't suffer any fish loss or have illness either. I used the product at the recommended dosage for about 10 days. I also did large weekly water changes of 50%. I have always had many plants in my tanks as well.

I tested the water for ammonia and nitrite every few days and it stayed at 0.

I have always added about 10-20% of my ideal stocking right at the beginning of the set up. Then I add more fish after about 4 weeks.

All tanks have had different filters but I really cram the bio media in there.

This is just what has worked for me.

EDIT to add: whether it was the product that worked or my weekly regiment combined with the plants and careful stocking, I have no idea.

 

[Geoff-]

I think it helps, but my experience is statistically insignificant

 

[Crossfire]

When an ich epidemic made me use meds which wiped out my filter bacteria, i had to quickly restore the bacteria or lose my beloved kuhli loaches to ammonia poisoning. Sped off to Petsmart, and saw Stability. Bought and I did overdose and cheat a little...every day i'd do a 60% water change and use the dosage they recommend for the first day for all 10 days. No more fish died, though they did look very stressed. Stability saved my baby loaches, and i'd recommend it to anyone. One issue with it though, the bacteria in Stability are not the water-based bacteria needed for the aquatic nitrogen cycle. In theory, Seachem tries to have these bacteria eat up ammonia enough to let fish live while at the same time leaving enough ammonia for the bacteria you want to start to colonize your filter. Because these Stability bacteria are land and not water based, they eat ammonia for a while and then die off, which is why they tell you to dose for ten days. For my instance, after the 10 days were up I went back to PetSmart and bought "Tetra SafeStart" with BioExtract use the whole bottle for up to 30 gallons. Tetra is a better product, but much more expensive, because it has live, actual aquatic nitrifying bacteria in it. It's one of the 1% of bacteria startes that aren't so called snake skin oils. IMO and IME Stability and/or a combination of Stability and SafeStart should kick start any filter