My Water Test

[BiorbGuy]

I'm not so much a newbie but certainly not an expert.

I added 5 very small Neon Tetra to my 30l BiOrb yesterday and today the results from my API test kit are:

Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 10
pH 7

I've just done a 20% change using Stress Coat and Ammo-lock (haven't retested since water change).

My test kit is probably as old as the tank so 7 or 8 years old. I've scoured the box but there's no sign of an expiry date, will it still be good??

Also, I've always added Stress Zyme on a weekly basis, is this good practice or not (planning on changing to the Seachem range when I replace my products)?

Thanks

 

[Miah002]

I thought test kits expired after a year.

You need do more water canges as your ammonia is tooo high.

Do a 30% water change.

If you ever want to modify your biorb pm me.

 

[Truck]

your test kit is deemed useless, if you didnt cycle which you didnt, you shouldnt have a nitrite reading after one day

 

[Miah002]

So i'm right. They run out after a year thet's what it says on my test kits.

 

[Truck]

stress zyme is a gimick too, so dont buy any more! bacteria in a bottle? its possible but not for the bacteria we wish to keep.

 

[Miah002]

What do you put into your tank when your weekly maintenance truck?

 

[Truck]

dechlor and that is it with new water

 

[Miah002]

What about the stuff in the nutrafin bottle?

 

[Truck]

What about the stuff in the nutrafin bottle?

theres no need for it, in a cycled tank, and its not going to do much for an uncycled tank either

 

[BiorbGuy]

your test kit is deemed useless, if you didnt cycle which you didnt, you shouldnt have a nitrite reading after one day

Thanks for the reply but the aquarium is already established, albeit with only two fish (see my sig). It used to be fully stocked and I planned on running it down as no one wanted to rehome a couple of old timers, I had a change of heart this week and decided to restock it though.

I'll order a new API kit. No sign of a date or shelf life on mine anywhere but I seriously expected it's time might be up.

I appreciate my water isn't top quality atm but I'll work on it and bring it round.

 

[Essjay]

Here's how to find the expiry date on the API test kit - I emailed them to find out.




....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 # 28A0108. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of 2008. Wide Range pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH (low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years. I would not use or trust these kits after they have expired.

 

[pammy172]

Here's how to find the expiry date on the API test kit - I emailed them to find out.

....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 # 28A0108. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of 2008. Wide Range pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH (low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years. I would not use or trust these kits after they have expired.

That's really interesting - thanks . I bought an API kit off Ebay about a month ago. Am most displeased to find it was manufactured in August 06 so most will expire this August !! OK - the rate we're going through it will have run out by then - but that's not the point So there's a word of warning here - check the dates on the stuff you buy!

 

[BiorbGuy]

Here's how to find the expiry date on the API test kit - I emailed them to find out.


....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 # 28A0108. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of 2008. Wide Range pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH (low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years. I would not use or trust these kits after they have expired.

Thanks for that, mine are all batched in 2003 so I'm well out of date As posted earlier I'll get a new kit this week but in the meantime I'll carry on with partial water changes every day.

 

[BiorbGuy]

My new API kit arrived this morning (manufactured 03 & 04/2008):

Ammonia 1.5 (between shades on chart)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I'm doing small twice daily water changes so hopefully getting the water round now.

Fresh water prepared using Stress Coat (untill Seachem Prime arrives in post) and Tap water Conditioner, not using the Ammo lock now.

Before ordering my API kit off eBay I asked a couple of sellers for the lot number. One obliged but the other said he wasn't prepared to break the seal so I'd have to take the chance!!! What rubbish when you can read the lot number through the lid for every bottle.

I've also ordered a Salifert Ammonia test now as I've heard they're bolder colours and might be easier for those of us with a degree of colour blindness. If it's better I'll get the Nitrite and Nitrate tests too.

 

[waterdrop]

If you have ammonia or nitrite above 0.25ppm, then the emergency this causes for your fish *trumps* all other considerations related to percentage water changes. By not immediately doing a large enough series of water changes to reduce either of these toxins to below 0.25ppm, you leave your fish at greater risk than would be caused by any negative effect of a large change. When you see a number as large as 1, you should do a 50% to 70% and you can do another just as large as soon as an hour later.

~~waterdrop~~