Is my test kit screwed?

[Biohazards]

I'm using Goldex Pure ammonia to cycle the tank, which is 5% ammonia. I added drops to my 75 gallon and tested, which came out to zero. I added more, same thing, tried again, same thing. So to test it I put just the ammonia in the vial and tested that. It read about .50ppm ?

I'm using API freshwater master test kit, and the codes on the bottle suggest it has not expired (last 4 digits are 0107)

:rant2: That can't be right...

 

[Weezer]

January of 2007.........

 

[Johnnyr]

My bottles say 0806, and they work fine....(tested water with a different test kit as well) So I don't think that is your problem.

The number is the date they were bottled, not the expiration date.

 

[jm1212]

if you add 1tbs of the product you have to the tank, onlt 5% of that will be ammoina. it is going to take a while to build up a significant ammoina reading.

 

[silentskream]

you're going to want closer to a cup or two of ammonia.

way more than just a few drops for a 75 gal. tank.

keep on adding til you get the right reading.. but instead of a drop at a time, try a tablespoon at a time.

 

[wataugachicken]

how old is the ammonia? has it been sealed properly the entire time you've had it, or has the cap maybe let some air go in and out? if it's kinda old, the ammonia may have simply diffused out over time.

 

[silentskream]

it was bottled in january of 2007