THey can really cost you. Generally if off, they read too low. Or at least these three are prone to.
If alk is off---you can pour enough buffer in (incorrectly) to calcify just about everything including your pumps and pipes.
If mg is expired, you can hype mg too high. You can kinda tell [if your alk is holding steady] that this kit may be 'off' because without a reading of 1200, the alk will start to drop after a few days.
If cal is expired, I don't know what may it may do, but if you read the cautions on the jar, it probably isn't good.
One of the really nice things Salifert does is put a nice little tag atop the box that gives you an expiration date. If your kit doesn't give you that info, at least write the approximate purchase date on the kit in indelible marker, so that you have a clue.
This is also a good thing with T5 bulbs and other purchases that may have a tricky expiration, ie, not obvious except by failure to perform. Just write the purchase date on the bulb. If you don't know exactly, just guess. It'll save you wondering when you note that you've got a nice blush of cyano and don't remember how old your lights are.
If alk is off---you can pour enough buffer in (incorrectly) to calcify just about everything including your pumps and pipes.
If mg is expired, you can hype mg too high. You can kinda tell [if your alk is holding steady] that this kit may be 'off' because without a reading of 1200, the alk will start to drop after a few days.
If cal is expired, I don't know what may it may do, but if you read the cautions on the jar, it probably isn't good.
One of the really nice things Salifert does is put a nice little tag atop the box that gives you an expiration date. If your kit doesn't give you that info, at least write the approximate purchase date on the kit in indelible marker, so that you have a clue.
This is also a good thing with T5 bulbs and other purchases that may have a tricky expiration, ie, not obvious except by failure to perform. Just write the purchase date on the bulb. If you don't know exactly, just guess. It'll save you wondering when you note that you've got a nice blush of cyano and don't remember how old your lights are.
