Test kit life span

[m_lacom99]

Hey all. I would like to know if a test kit can "go bad", meaning not reading correctly. I use the Hagen master test kit (i know not the best but...) witch i bought a long time ago... like 4 years or so maybe more, cant remember. i still have some tests left since i use to have a FOWLR so i didnt test everything at that time plus i was out of the hobby for a couple years after that. So all and all its an old test kit. Im starting to doubt the results cause i bought a new seachem PH test kit witch reads 8.2 and my hagen is at 8.8. So im guessing either the hagen test kit sucks or that its getting old and the results arent good. Theres no expiration date on my hagen so i just dont know. Do they expire or are they always "good" but just suck?

Thanks for any input.

Marc.

[Birdlady]

Yes, the reagents go bad. A rep from aquarium pharmaceuticals came to talk to our reef club, and was regaling us with a tale from college days. He was doing a study with LaMotte test kits. They made their own reference samples in the chem lab. The results were not coming out right with the kits. They were correct with other kits tho. After much ado..(trying to keep it short here) he called LaMotte and they said the reagents are only good for about 6 months.

All that money for that brand, go figure. I am not sure of the shelf life of other brands, but surely they can all go bad at some point. If you are getting inaccurate readings, I would verify the results with a third party and toss it if need be!

[Gresham]

6 months after openning, or just 6 months after manufacturing? Most regeants only last like 6m to a year after openning. I typically only give all test kits 6 months before discounting it's readings.

[Gresham]

So lemme get this straight, a rep from a company that makes hobbyist test kits, was refutting a scientific companies test kits? How long do his test kits last Sounds like propoganda to me

[Birdlady]

Well, yes I know * but he wasn't really refuting them, just giving info on the fact that all reagents, even the pricey ones, expire.....he was also giving credit where it was due as to all the companies that had given him free goods for his research and it was before he worked for AP. I always consider the source...that is why I gave it

He was of course, touting the good of his own product
but supposedly, if you call LaMotte, they will tell you 6 months . *I have not verified that, of course

He did say, of course, LaMotte makes an excellent product!!! but he even stated that their own (Aquarium Pharm) should be discarded after being opened about a year. *And, they are supposedly the only ones that stamp a manufacture date on their product.

I was just trying to keep the story short... and my point being the same as yours

I take it you are not thrilled with their stuff? *He gave us a bunch of free stuff and the dKH test kit runs the same results as my Salifert and Seachem kits. (which are NOT LaMotte, I know!) *

[m_lacom99]

Ok thats what i tought... So i have to buy new tests kits now. Im guessing i should go with salifert or seachem right? How about aqua pharm. they are allot cheaper but are they any good?

Thanks.

Marc.

[dx7fd2]

I've been using Aqua Pharm for Nitrate, nitrite and ammonia testing, and Salifert for calc, alk and magnesium.

The first three I think are a fairly easy test and it would be hard to get a bad reading using any kit as long as the reagents have not been open too long (6 months). I'm sure there are more accurate tests but it is pretty simple, usually if your nitrates are pretty low (below 5 or preferably 0) it means the bacteria is doing its job and turning the ammonia into nitrite and the nitrite into nitrate, and that you probably have a substrate that is doing its job of breaking down the nitrate(that's assuming your water supply has no or very low nitrate content). If the nitrate tests high I check the other two.

I use meters for PH and Salinity. Both these meters are worth it and will pay for themselves in a year or so.

Drew