Advice To All - Nitrate Test Kit

Hally · Apr 10, 2005

Hi all I have put posts in here at this site & another about my 6x2x2 tank getting high nitrates even 3 days after a third water change ... Well, I'm here to tell you all that your test kit might be old or shonky like mine was... Explanation A few said to me to check my chemicals & I did but it only has a number, no date of expiry ... but anyway I was going on the fact my daughter brought me a whole Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate & pH kit for me only a week before hand. So I couldn't consider that it was old ... Anyway I got a new Nitrate kit & I was amazed after doing several Nitrate tests on all my 3 tanks with both the old & new test kits ....
Results were plain as day all the old test kit were "High" & all my new test kits were 10-20ppm I'm so happy now :thm: ...
So everyone if you suspect your reading are high & shouldn't be, get a newer kit like me ...
So the test kit maybe sat on a shelf for who knows could be a couple of years .. Thanks

funatnight · Apr 10, 2005

I had a similar experiance with a Gh test. I sent an email to A.P. and this was their response:

In response to your question, each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of 2002. Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate, and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH and Salt Level test are good for 5 years. I would not trust these kits after they have expired.

^Now you know (at least from A.P.)

Bmeasure · Apr 11, 2005

Excellent info Funatnight! Thanks for posting that.

Kasakato · Apr 11, 2005

AP tests are the only ones that have the LOT #. Well there are other ones but they are a lot of $$$$.

funatnight · Apr 11, 2005

I think that I would stick with AP just for that reason. I purchased a GH & KH kit from the LFS which is generally a really good store. It turned out that my kit was from 2000 and when the owner and I checked the others he had, they were also very old. I am now in the habit of opening every box to make sure that it is a new date. On the GH kit, the liquid had actually changed from green to orange due to either heat or the age.

I guess a fresh test kit is the best test kit!


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Advice To All - Nitrate Test Kit

Hally

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funatnight

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Bmeasure

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Kasakato

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funatnight

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