test kit bad?

[kaylo]

I was testing my water today and noticed a skunky smell comming from the nitrate bottle #1 (API). Does this mean it has gone bad? I have never noticed this smell before when testing.

I did 2 big waterchanges in a week to try and get nitrates down and it is reading the same. I find it hard to believe my nitrates didn't go down even a little.

 

[anthamm93]

I have the same prob I have same test kit and my nitrates never seem to go down even with water change and dosing with prime

 

[sedor]

My nitrate bottle 1 smells real funky too. I think its just the chemical. API kits aren't the "most" accurate when it comes to NO3. They are not bad, but your water changes are probably changing the numbers so slightly that its not changing the test kit.

 

[kaylo]

Thanks, I don't remember smelling anything ever out of that bottle, so I was worried the bottle went bad.

I had some gracilaria with chaeto in my fuge and I think the gracilaria went sexual and caused a spike in my nitrates. I have since removed it leaving only the cheato. Still can't get my nitrates down from 20 and they were around 0 for the longest time.

I'll just keep an eye on it now that I know the kit should still be good.

Thanks everyone.