Quick Question

mlsmith1234

New Member
Do test kits go bad? The only reason I ask I have been testing my tank for over a month and I get the same exact results every time except for Magnesium, Calcium, Salinity, and Specific Gravity. Thanks for your help!
 

btldreef

Moderator
Yes they do.
that being said, Calcium and salinity readings are likely to change more so than others. Your alkalinity (carbonate hardness) isn't changing?
 

deejeff442

Active Member
yes just ask flower she had a bad kit and kept getting crazy high nitrates .until she bought another kit .
you have to check the expiration dates on these things
 

deejeff442

Active Member
right back at ya.cant sleep tonight alot of really bad stuff going on at my firestation long story but its hard to be stuck in the middle of a soap opera.
 

mlsmith1234

New Member
I have the salt water master liquid test kit and an api test kit ( these kits are definetly two years old)
Ammonia .00ppm
nitrate .00ppm
nitrite .00ppm
ph 7.8
phosphate .00ppm
kh 6dkh
refractoneter
35 ppt
sg 1.025
 

btldreef

Moderator
Test kits are only good for one year after they're opened. And they do have expiration dates as well. I forget how to read the API ones, but if you google it, I know it's available online.
 

mlsmith1234

New Member
So basically I need to buy a new test kit and these are false reading. Great I just stocked this tank! I'm not a newbie I knew things were to good to be true.
 

btldreef

Moderator
Sorry :-( Test kits are usually only good for a year after opening... The little things that we find out as we go along :-(
 

btldreef

Moderator
Before you run out and spend tons of money on new test kits, you might want to have an LFS double check your readings.
As a general rule, test kits are bad after a year, but it's worth it to double check what you have, some might be okay, so you can stagger your stocking of new kits, instead of the big expense all at once.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlsmith1234 http:///forum/thread/387240/quick-question#post_3405781
So basically I need to buy a new test kit and these are false reading. Great I just stocked this tank! I'm not a newbie I knew things were to good to be true.
LOL...test kits, like milk and bread....it has an expiration date, that does not mean that the date means you toss it in the garbage. Like bread and milk, there is a little time (not 3 years) that it's still good after the date.
I have purchased kits from the LFS already expired by three years. I like the Seachem tests, because they come with a way to double check that the readings are still accurate
. My API tests that were giving me high readings on nitrates, had the numbers 2008 stamped on every bottle, even the kit I had just opened. It's 2011 no wonder my readings were so off.
To be honest, the only time you drive yourself crazy testing is when you first establish the tank. I can see by the way the corals look and the fish act if there is a problem, then I do a test and see what it might be. Trying to get/keep those perfect numbers will drive you crazy.
 

firekat96

New Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/387240/quick-question#post_3405767
right back at ya.cant sleep tonight alot of really bad stuff going on at my firestation long story but its hard to be stuck in the middle of a soap opera.
I just can't beleive that a firehouse has a soap opera going on, lol. Just kidding I'm a fulltime firefighter myself and it seems like thats all it is anymore!!!
 
Top