How Long Do You Trust Your Test Kit?

[maidenfan]

after reading a few threads here and there it seems fairly common for nitrate tests to be seen as being un reliable at times.

as i've been using mine for ten months now and nearly empty i just wondered if these test kits have a shelf life after opening

any views on test kits in general welcome

 

[sianeds]

good question.

I don't have a clue what the answer is but I wish I did!!

Guess we'll have to wait till one of the clever dickies come on












I feel so thick on here sometimes am so glad you guys are here to help

 

[maidenfan]

mmmmmmmmmm i wonder who your on about

ski where are you

 

[sianeds]

OMG Maidenfan you're a mind reader!!!!!


Any chance of Saturday's lottery numbers? I'll share with you














By the way if anyone wants to subscribe to the Skifletch fanclub PM me LMAO

 

[maidenfan]

errrrr i think the lottery numbers will be ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... some combination of six numbers between 1-49

i'm already a fully paid up member of the fan club

 

[SkiFletch]

Guess we'll have to wait till one of the clever dickies come on

Professor Beaker, Mr Wizard, and now Clever Dickie? Gotta be a Brittish thing

I really dont have a good answer... I trust my test kit cause it always agrees with the ones my LFS uses. I typically take a water sample into the LFS once a month just to make sure I dont have any faulty kits. At 1 year old, my kit is still reading properly so I guess its still right. IMO you get what you pay for with test kits so spending the money on a Seachem or Salifert kits would definitely give you piece of mind for longevity of the kit. My biologics and pH are Seachem and my calc/alk/mg are salifert.

errrrr i think the lottery numbers will be ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... some combination of six numbers between 1-49

i'm already a fully paid up member of the fan club

Be it known that dues paid in full are simply an open invitation to beer, enjoying your tank, and crashing at any of your places ashould I ever come visit the UK

 

[sianeds]

Awwww thanks Ski....You always know don't you

Can I just ask.....How do you know all this stuff

 

[SkiFletch]

Wish I knew... I tend to remember things I really enjoy and care about like a sponge and forget everything else

 

[maidenfan]

your welcome to crash right here on my sofa next to my tank anytime mate sound advice as usual my api kit always reads higher than the seachem one at the lfs i also take a water sample once a month to my lfs

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, IMO API and Aquarium Pharmaceuticals are OK kits. Most of the reports of people having dodgy test kit readings after a while is from these so I guess subjectively they must age faster. You rarely hear someone complaining about their Seachem/Salifert kit

 

[Redstratplayer1]

Wish I knew... I tend to remember things I really enjoy and care about like a sponge and forget everything else

Me to. THings like this i just suck up but the important stuff(like appiontments)I totaly space out on

 

[andywg]

I trust my nitrate kit not at all. It tested 160ppm on RO (with a <5 TDS reading) + salt. Nowadays I just test the pre mixed RO+ salt and compare colours between that and the tank. This is API and it is the second nitrate kit to always read sky high, so I would not recommend it for accurate use.