jsalemi

I know there's been some discussions about Stability here, so I wanted to start giving a report on my experience with it. My 56g was pretty much cycled when I started adding fish (I used a filter cartridge from the 10g to seed it) -- ammonia 0, nitrites <.25ppm, almost 0, nitrates around 10ppm. Unfortunately, my serpae tetras came down with a bad case of ich, and in spite of raising the temp to 83 degrees and using the API Super Ich Cure, 5 of them died while I was away for Thanksgiving. And the nitrites had spiked up to over 2ppm (ammonia still 0, nitrates down to <5ppm), probably from the decaying bodies.

I got some Stability from PetSmart and started using it that night (Sunday) with a full dose. By the next night, the nitrites were down to around 1.5ppm, and the nitrates up to 5ppm (still no ammonia). Using half doses every night (per instructions for 7 consecutive days), my reading last night were: ammonia 0, nitrites .25, nitrates 10ppm. The surviving tetra the the 5 panda cories are active and healthy, showing no signs of distress at all.

So while it may not work as fast as Bio-Spira, I think that there may be something to Stability after all (as opposed to other 'bacteria solutions' like Stress Zyme), at least when the tank goes into a full-blown mini-cycle.

I'll update the readings when I finish the 7 day treatment. But so far, looking very good, and I should be able to add fish again this weekend.

jsalemi

Tonights numbers: ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10, and still 3 more days of treatment with Stability to go. I'm sold -- Stability works.

neverendingninja

Hasn't worked for me. I'm on my 3rd week of using it and I still have no nitrite or nitrate Granted, my pH is below 6 which I've heard can cause inactivity in the nitrifying bacteria, but plenty of people have low pH and still have a cycle. I'm not sure what to do. All my fish seem fine, and even bred in these conditions, but I'm still a bit uncomfortable knowing there is nothing in place to absorb a spike in ammonia.