General Care Discussion :: What should test results be?

[marisa]

Two fish people I talked to thought that the chemicals would be good even after a year, depending on storage conditions (they both said they use them until they're gone). The individual testing kits I have are well over a year and give the same results as those in the Master Kit, which is about 5 months old (I wipe off the residue on them).

I also have a few of Nutrifin's testing kits, and even though they were more expensive and allow for fewer tests, one of the reasons I decided to buy them is because they do have definite expiration dates on them.

[SpotsMama]

Interesting. I'll look for the Nutrifin test. How far into the future are the expiration dates on the nutrifin tests?

Some of the bottles in my kit have November 2005 lot dates. Others have 2006 dates. I did a partial water change last night and before the change I did a set of four tests. The nitrate test looked real odd - said the level was 5 ppm - I don't believe it. Probably I did something wrong though the bottles had 2005 dates and gunk around the edges.

When I get a new kit I'll compare the results to the old kit results.

[marisa]

I try to keep gunk from collecting because it gets crusty and I'm always thinking that if some of it falls into the test tube it will affect the results.

Make that Nutrafin, not Nutrifin. As for the expiration dates, you have to check. The newer/longer expiration dates seem to be near the back of the stock, with the older tests up front so they can be sold more quickly. Most people fail to read dates, which always amazes me. When I bought the Nitrate test, I brought a box to the clerk that had an expiration date that was well over a year old...

[SpotsMama]

Thanks. I'll clean up my bottles!

[Rickiew04]

So what do you do if you find that you have too much ammonia, nitrates, etc...? Do they kits come with additives to neutralize these things?

[steve]

I've seen expiration dates on the stick-type water test kits but not on the liquid kind - unless I've missed some small print.

Rickiew04, partial water changes on a regular basis is what I would recommend. Some bio media in your filter (if it can hold it) can help too.

[Rickiew04]

I have the fluval 4plus ( I know its not the greatest filter) with the carbon insert, and I use biotize in the water. Should that be enough?