Do test kits expire?

[daddycadi]

Got a nice test kit from years ago. Ammonia nitrate nitrite and ph. Do any or all of these have a shelf life? Will they read accurately?

 

[dadyoj21]

yes they do but are usually good a while past the exp date.

I do not sample any of that, except for nitrates and I only do nitrates a few times a year.

now this is my preference and everyone has thier own opinions

I sample for calcium, kh, weekly and sample magnesium and nitrates every couple of months or so. I only use salifert kits now. After using other kits over the years I have found salifert to be the easiest to read and they have been reliable for me.

I feel if your kh is good your ph is what it is. and as far as amonia and nitrites go that really only comes into play during cycling of the system or if you have some strange problem like die off or sand bed crash.

 

[daddycadi]

Yea I'm not much of a tester. If everybody looks and acts healthy I roll with it. However I have started cycling my new tank and just wanted to track the ammonia thru nitrate process. Hate to go buy a new kit when I'll probably never use it again. Especially when I already have this old one. Probably will just get one to be safe tho

 

[Spar]

API says their testkits have shelf lives of 2-3 years depending on the type. Just for reference purposes to what I what would expect others to last for as well.


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[daddycadi]

Wow Texas. Thanks for the info. Mine is at least 10 yes old so I guess it's time for the big black can

 

[Spar]

Ha, ya 10 years may be a tad over the limit

I went back and checked my statement, and was actually wrong, it is 3-5 years that they last, not 2-3...

here is the link to the post that this comes from:
http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=88216
from it:

I contacted API to find out the expiration of their test kits as I can only find Lot #'s printed on the bottles. Here is the response I got back - very helpful!

"Thank you very much for contacting us regarding our products. All of your comments and questions are valuable. We use your feedback to create the most effective line of aquarium and pond products available.

Candace in response to your question, each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on the top front of the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0110. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of 2010. PondCare Wide Range pH, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Ammonia, PondCare Ammonia, Nitrite, PondCare Nitrite, Nitrate, High Range pH, KH, Freshwater pH(low range) and PondCare Salt Level will last for five years. I would not use or trust these kits after they have expired."

 

[seafood luver]

Most test kits should have an exp date on either the bottles or package. If you don't want to buy a new test kit you can always go to your flfs and have them run a test for free or some might charge a small fee for a full range test.