New Test Kits - WATCH OUT!!!

[djlen]

I have gotten into the habit, when I buy a new test kit, to run a test with it using water from the same tank that I've just run a test with the kit that I'm replacing it with. I do this to make sure the new one is working properly. If it is, the resulting color should come up very close if not exactly the same as the old kit.
I recently bought a Nitrate kit from American Pharmaceuticals to replace the one I've had but is running out. When I tested, the old one read 10ppm nitrate.....the new one read ZERO. I tried it again with water from another tank. Same result. I just wrote them a letter detailing what I've just written here. Hopefully they will make good on it.
BUT, the point is don't take for granted that every new kit you buy will perform as the previous one does. Run a test test to make sure before the old one runs out.
Len

 

[CrohnieBoy]

REPLY:

Interesting. Never thought about that possibility. Let us know if you get a response from them (and what they say of course).

 

[Vagabond]

Was it American Pharmaceuticals or Aquarium Pharmaceuticals? I ask because I recently had the same problem with my Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Nitrate test kits. They are the kind with the test tube and two bottles of test solution?

While I was doing a fishless cycle on my new tank I needed a new Nitrite test kit. The LFS didnt have any of the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals which I had been using so I bought a Jungle test kit, which were the test strips you dip in the water (easier to use but more expensive). The Jungle test strips test for both Nitrite and Nitrate. Once my tank was cycled and I had gotten fish for it I was testing for Nitrates with my Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Nitrate test kit. It tested 0 for Nitrate, which I thought was odd because with fish in there, there surely should be some Nitrates. So I tested with my Jungle Nitrite/Nitrate test strips, and it read 30ppm!!! I assumed my Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit was old, so I bought a new one. Guess what the new one read? Yup, 0 Nitrates, while my Jungle test strips were reading 30-40ppm. I wonder if somethings up with the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kits?

 

[valerie]

what are the expiration dates of your test kits? maybe the old one is expired? I always do the same thign with my test kits,test the old against the new just incase. I will be interested in hearing what they said. I wrote them about my nitrite test and were very helpful.

I also get no/low readings on my tanks for nitrates. I have the AP nitrate kit and it was only showing max 10ppm. Then i got a hagen test to make sure and it came out 5 ppm but that doesn't make sense since i was doing a fishless cycle at the time and should have had nitrate through the roof.

Why is there such problems with test kits? You think it wouldn't be that hard.

 

[nboylie]

I want to get some test kits for my new tank I will be getting soon hopefully, are the hagen kits good? I saw them at my LFS and if they are good I will just buy those ones

 

[a_free_bird73]

I live in Australia and recently bought a new one and have the same problem. I am getting zero reading and I don't believe it. I actually added nitrate salt to the test to see if it detects anything and still got 0...

 

[Aderynglas]

Hi,
I use the eSHa Quick test strip and find that the results are good compared with my lfs water tests (Hagen Master kit). Although they seem quite expensive they can be cut into 3 lengthwise to save money (or just because you can) and there are 5 tests on the strips - pH, KH,GH, nitrIte, nitrAte. They're great if you have young children as there are no chemicals.

 

[wetmanNY]

I time the shaking of the reagent with a clock. A minute of vigorous shaking before you begin testing, and the minute of shaking the test itself, can feel like hours.

Then there's the waiting for the color to develop...

 

[Vagabond]

Hagen test kits

After my bad experience with the AP Nitrate test kits I went out yesterday and bought a Hagen test kit. It seems to work well. I think I like it better than the AP kits. (especially since my AP kit wasnt working at all...)

Vagabond

 

[Rometiklan]

Crap....don't tell me I have to replace all my AP test kits??

It sucks to have a seed of doubt planted in my brain regarding AP test kits....kits which I thought had its full measure of reliability. I have been using AP test kits for years, and I never thought about verifying it's accuracy since AP has a reputation for quality products. But now, with my faith shaken somewhat, I think I should bring a water sample to my LFS to have them compare results. I happen to know they use the Tetra Master test kit. It's not the end of the world if these kits are proven to be worthless, but I just want the peace of mind that these kits are providing accurate results, which is really what we all want when we buy these things.