Steachem Stability or another bottled bacteria?

[Aneamals]

I had a problem with a 3 gallon cycled tank that killed my fish. I cycled the 3 gallon and the 29 gallon with a raw shrimp. But now I've replaced the 3 gallon for a 10 gallon and it's currently cycling with raw shrimp.

But never mind that anymore. I now want to try out bottled bacteria because my mom keeps nagging me to do so, and 2 experienced lfs emplyees recommended those to me. I was specifically recommeneded Seachem Stailiity by one of them. Does anyone have experience with this? One of the lfs eployees told me she had been using that for 27 years and had great success every time.

Is there any other bottled bacteria that works or is better? What I've seen sold around me that I remember are: API QuickStart, Tetra SafeStart (yellow cap, but I read somewhere that green cap was the good one), Marineland Aquarium Bacteria I think, and the already mentioned Seachem Stability.

 

[dalto]

Dr Tims is the only one I would recommend.

There is too much controversy surrounding Seachem stability for me.

 

[aqua_holic]

Dr Tim's one and only is shipped directly from their facility, so the chances of getting a dead bottle are significantly reduced. Too, Dr Tim developed bio spira, which was the first bottled bacteria to work, and is now known as tetras safestart. The man knows his bacteria

 

[Aneamals]

Dr Tim's one and only is shipped directly from their facility, so the chances of getting a dead bottle are significantly reduced. Too, Dr Tim developed bio spira, which was the first bottled bacteria to work, and is now known as tetras safestart. The man knows his bacteria

So does that mean Tetra SafeStart is good? Is it the green capped bottle? I've only ever seen the yellow capped bottle, and I don't think they both work the same.

 

[dalto]

So does that mean Tetra SafeStart is good? Is it the green capped bottle? I've only ever seen the yellow capped bottle, and I don't think they both work the same.

I have tried Tetra Safestart and it absolutely did nothing for me. The problem with those types of products is that you never know how they were handled before they got to you.

 

[Aneamals]

I have tried Tetra Safestart and it absolutely did nothing for me. The problem with those types of products is that you never know how they were handled before they got to you.

Well poop. I hope I can get Dr.Tim's One and Only shipped to me, if I decide on that one.

 

[trennamw]

If you can't, maybe you can beg some bacteria off someone else who has an established tank? A snippet of dirty filter media or some gravel in a pantyhose sock. Then you know the bacteria are alive.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[lovecatfish]

To be honest, seachem stability worked for me, but at the start of dosing, do not put all the live stock in the first time, slowly add the live stock to give the bacteria some time to reproduce, if that is done, the product works. At least it was based on my experience and it may differ with your set up since our tank sizes and animals are different, thus take it with a pinch of salt.

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[PB_Smith]

One of the lfs eployees told me she had been using that for 27 years and had great success every time.

she is mistaken or lying, Seachem as company has only been around for 30 years and Stability I believe has only been around for about ten years.

Bottled bacteria has a pretty short shelf life and I would NOT purchase it from a lfs, if you must try it, mail order it direct, like Dr. Tim's so it is fresher, as others already mentioned.

What happened to the filter material/substrate from the 3 gallon?
Why not use that to seed the ten or use material from the 29 gallon?
When you have cultured media available, why are you mucking around with dead shrimp and bottled bacteria???

 

[Aneamals]

she is mistaken or lying, Seachem as company has only been around for 30 years and Stability I believe has only been around for about ten years.

Bottled bacteria has a pretty short shelf life and I would NOT purchase it from a lfs, if you must try it, mail order it direct, like Dr. Tim's so it is fresher, as others already mentioned.

What happened to the filter material/substrate from the 3 gallon?
Why not use that to seed the ten or use material from the 29 gallon?
When you have cultured media available, why are you mucking around with dead shrimp and bottled bacteria???

Hmm, maybe what she meant was that she has 27 years of fish caring experience, but that Seachem Stability, whatever years she had been using it, worked every time.

The filter from the 3 gallon was moved to the 29 gallon, as a second filter, because I bought another filter for the 29. The filter that was in the 29 originally, was moved to the new 10 gallon.
So the filter from the 29 gallon is seeding the new 10 gallon. But the 29 gallon was cycled with raw shrimp, and never had any fish, so I don't think it had a lot of bacteria to work with. I also moved the decor from the old 3 gallon to the 10 gallon for seeding.
I'm using raw shrimp as a source of ammonia because I'm fishless cycling. But even with seeded media (probably only lightly seeded though), it's been 3 weeks and I still have ammonia. And my mom is driving me crazy, so I'm considering bottled bacteria to speed things up.

 

[PB_Smith]

Hmm, maybe what she meant was that she has 27 years of fish caring experience, but that Seachem Stability, whatever years she had been using it, worked every time.

The filter from the 3 gallon was moved to the 29 gallon, as a second filter, because I bought another filter for the 29. The filter that was in the 29 originally, was moved to the new 10 gallon.
So the filter from the 29 gallon is seeding the new 10 gallon. But the 29 gallon was cycled with raw shrimp, and never had any fish, so I don't think it had a lot of bacteria to work with. I also moved the decor from the old 3 gallon to the 10 gallon for seeding.
I'm using raw shrimp as a source of ammonia because I'm fishless cycling. But even with seeded media (probably only lightly seeded though), it's been 3 weeks and I still have ammonia. And my mom is driving me crazy, so I'm considering bottled bacteria to speed things up.

at this point you should consider doing a fish-in cycle.
How high is the ammonia testing at?

 

[Delapool]

I thought API QuickStart sped the cycle up. I've tried it a few times and it seemed to have helped however no testing to back that up.

 

[Aneamals]

I thought API QuickStart sped the cycle up. I've tried it a few times and it seemed to have helped however no testing to back that up.

Ok, it's good to know I have that option.

 

[Aneamals]

at this point you should consider doing a fish-in cycle.
How high is the ammonia testing at?

The highest I've tested so far is 4ppm. The last time I tested, which was Sunday I think, it was at about 2ppm. So I think it's working, but really slowly, and as you know, my mother has no patience. Neither does she believe in the raw shrimp cycling method. Even though it perfectly cycled the big 29 gallon tank.

 

[Delapool]

Ok, it's good to know I have that option.

One day I intend to run 10gal tanks side by side and see if they do work but never seem to find the time.

 

[Delapool]

The highest I've tested so far is 4ppm. The last time I tested, which was Sunday I think, it was at about 2ppm. So I think it's working, but really slowly, and as you know, my mother has no patience. Neither does she believe in the raw shrimp cycling method. Even though it perfectly cycled the big 29 gallon tank.

Do you get much smell with that?

 

[lovecatfish]

Still. I go with stability. It cycled my 15gal Tanganyika tank instantly. But that is just me. The sand was from another tank, so maybe it was "live". However that's just my opinion. Seachem however, claims that the bacteria used is in a dormant form. Thus have longer shelf lives... Wonder if that true. But I only buy stability that is within 6 months of the manufacture date.

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[Delapool]

The problem I've always thought is eventual lack of oxygen rather than food source - I guess they would have to be dormant somehow if they are to survive.

 

[jetajockey]

That in itself is why I dont recommend it. The gist is that ot uses a different type of bacteria for nitrification.

Sent from Peabody's rabbit hole.

 

[dalto]

That in itself is why I dont recommend it. The gist is that ot uses a different type of bacteria for nitrification.

There have just been too many reports of instant cycle than complete cycle crash and restart.