Api master test kit
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
There is an expiry date, it should be printed somewhere on the packaging. One of the advantages of buying in store is the ability of looking at the expiry dates and buying one that has a few years left on it.
How long do they last? Depends on how long it was sat on the shelf before you bought it. Old stock might have already expired or have less than a few months. Newer stock should have 2 to 3 years on it. From what I understand the kit you reference leaves the manufacturer with 3 years on it. Some of the individual tests leave the manufacturer with 4 years. The nitrite test will last longer than the nitrate test for instance.
Should it be thrown out? They will become more unreliable the older they get. No guarantee that a test kit within the expiry date is going to be reliable, especially if it's not been stored in suitable conditions. It's a home test kit, not laboratory testing. If you are doing a single test and you have no reason to suspect anything is wrong, but just want some surety, I wouldn't buy a whole new test kit. If you have reason to think something is wrong, but your test kit says there is nothing wrong, you might want to get a new kit to make sure. If you are regularly testing I would always use an in date test kit.
How long do they last? Depends on how long it was sat on the shelf before you bought it. Old stock might have already expired or have less than a few months. Newer stock should have 2 to 3 years on it. From what I understand the kit you reference leaves the manufacturer with 3 years on it. Some of the individual tests leave the manufacturer with 4 years. The nitrite test will last longer than the nitrate test for instance.
Should it be thrown out? They will become more unreliable the older they get. No guarantee that a test kit within the expiry date is going to be reliable, especially if it's not been stored in suitable conditions. It's a home test kit, not laboratory testing. If you are doing a single test and you have no reason to suspect anything is wrong, but just want some surety, I wouldn't buy a whole new test kit. If you have reason to think something is wrong, but your test kit says there is nothing wrong, you might want to get a new kit to make sure. If you are regularly testing I would always use an in date test kit.
Thanks for that , if there's a kit you recommend please feel free to share also is this stuff any good to have or use
Interpet Aquarium Fish Tank Ammonia Remover, Removes Chloramine, 125 ml, Treats 625 Litre of Aquarium Water
Interpet Aquarium Fish Tank Ammonia Remover, Removes Chloramine, 125 ml, Treats 625 Litre of Aquarium Water
The test kit you reference is the one I use.
As for the Interpet product, it doesn't remove ammonia. It doesn't remove chloramine. At best it will detoxify ammonia by binding it in a non toxic state for a day or so. But the ammonia will still be there, and will go back to being toxic as soon as the ammonia "remover" wears off.
It's stupidly expensive. £5 from Pets at Home for that product to treat 675 litres. And you have to buy the dechlorinator separately. £20 for a bottle of Seachem Prime treats 20000 litres, and does the job of both dechlorinating and ammonia detoxifing.
I wouldn't use Interpet products. They aren't very good and overly expensive.
Just do your water changes.
As for the Interpet product, it doesn't remove ammonia. It doesn't remove chloramine. At best it will detoxify ammonia by binding it in a non toxic state for a day or so. But the ammonia will still be there, and will go back to being toxic as soon as the ammonia "remover" wears off.
It's stupidly expensive. £5 from Pets at Home for that product to treat 675 litres. And you have to buy the dechlorinator separately. £20 for a bottle of Seachem Prime treats 20000 litres, and does the job of both dechlorinating and ammonia detoxifing.
I wouldn't use Interpet products. They aren't very good and overly expensive.
Just do your water changes.
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