Bad test kits???

pro99line

New member
I have two Salifert test kits that I just used for the first time in like 6 months. They were both stored in my utility room with all my other aquarium items. Temp stays 74. I have not tested my tank in months because everything was doing so well. I took some water to the LFS out of curiosity to test. Alk showed 6 on their Salifert and 5.6 on their ELOS. Calcium showed 420 on their Salifert and 400 on their ELOS. I come home and decide to use my kits for comparison. I measured Alk at 9.0 and Calcium at 270. I figured maybe I messed up so I did it again with pretty much the same results. I took my kits to the LFS and let him use them and he tested Alk at 6.0 and Calcium at 350. This makes me wonder if my kits are bad. I know for a fact that they were reading correctly back in September 08. Is it possible my kits are bad? What options so I have if they are bad?

Alkalinity - Salifert, exp. 07-2010, batch 0605-B
Calcium - Salifert, exp. 12-2009, batch 0412-A
 
If they're bad, the only option is to change them. From the date they seem to be OK. I'm leaning towards a testing error although it might not be the case. Did you shake the reagents?
 
The calcium kit might have gone bad, depending on the storage conditions, such as temperature, etc. The alkalinity seems to be fine, if I understand the numbers you're giving.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14789806#post14789806 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mat167
If they're bad, the only option is to change them. From the date they seem to be OK. I'm leaning towards a testing error although it might not be the case. Did you shake the reagents?

Yeah I shook the reagents well after the first test showed off. I thought maybe something settled in them. Both reagents are only about 1/4 full. They were very accurate until now. They were stored for 6 months in my utility room which is inside my home. It never gets above 74 in there, i never have humidity issues or anything inside the home. Also no light gets in that room.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14790600#post14790600 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
The calcium kit might have gone bad, depending on the storage conditions, such as temperature, etc. The alkalinity seems to be fine, if I understand the numbers you're giving.

Alk showed 6 on their Salifert and 5.6 on their ELOS. I measured Alk at 9.0 with my kit. LFS used my kit and measured 8.6. Sorry I mistyped in my post when I said they measured 6.
 
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