Api Test Kit

[Rubyuk]

Hi Guys

I've been waiting an eternity for an online shop to deliver one of the API test kits as everyone on here seems to rate them the best and I wanted to compare its ease of use and colour charts to the Nutrafin kit i've been using.

Its finally come today but unlike my nutrafin kit where the use by date is clearly visible I cannot find any such use by/expiry date on the API test. I may have missed it but thought the guys using it on here (which I assume could be hundreds ) could tell me where to look.

I was wanting to make sure that the cracking deal I think I got on price was not because the kits expiry date was weeks away etc.

The online company assure me they get them new with a good 18 months use left but I cannot see any dates on the box,packaging or on the test containers etc

 

[Truck]

look at the serial number on each bottle, the last for digits show the date for example 0904530109 the '0109' would mean jan 2009, and most of them, last three years

 

[Rubyuk]

look at the serial number on each bottle, the last for digits show the date for example 0904530109 the '0109' would mean jan 2009, and most of them, last three years

Whoops!!

If thats the case I think i've been done?

I can see that all the test bottles have Lot No on them and my full number are as follows

26a1007
27a1107
84a1207
83a1107
18a0108
17a1007
28c1007

Surely that cannot be right that I can be sold a kit that was mostly out of date in 2007?


Do you know if there's a number/body to contact to check this out/report this company to?

I won't name them on here yet as i'm not sure if it breaks any forum rules or laws of the land?

I'm well annoyed if they've sold me an out of date kit,yet they've been waiting 3 weeks for them to come in and i've been chasing ever since so would have thought this was a brand new kit unless of course they got sick of my complaining and sent an old one out but even then I cannot see they'd have one left in stock from 2007 expiry date stock?

Is there anything I can do?

 

[Truck]

that doesnt mean theyre out of date, you need to add 3 years to that, and bear in mind some last longer (Cant remeber which ones)

 

[hollanda88]

look at the serial number on each bottle, the last for digits show the date for example 0904530109 the '0109' would mean jan 2009, and most of them, last three years

Whoops!!

If thats the case I think i've been done?

I can see that all the test bottles have Lot No on them and my full number are as follows

26a1007
27a1107
84a1207
83a1107
18a0108
17a1007
28c1007

Surely that cannot be right that I can be sold a kit that was mostly out of date in 2007?


Do you know if there's a number/body to contact to check this out/report this company to?

I won't name them on here yet as i'm not sure if it breaks any forum rules or laws of the land?

I'm well annoyed if they've sold me an out of date kit,yet they've been waiting 3 weeks for them to come in and i've been chasing ever since so would have thought this was a brand new kit unless of course they got sick of my complaining and sent an old one out but even then I cannot see they'd have one left in stock from 2007 expiry date stock?

Is there anything I can do?

I work at pets at home and i just looked at my api test kit as i was intrigued. Mine all run out in 06

are you sure thas how you date them, we get them in 3 times a week from a supplier at work

andrew

 

[keenonfish]

look at the serial number on each bottle, the last for digits show the date for example 0904530109 the '0109' would mean jan 2009, and most of them, last three years

Whoops!!

If thats the case I think i've been done?

I can see that all the test bottles have Lot No on them and my full number are as follows

26a1007
27a1107
84a1207
83a1107
18a0108
17a1007
28c1007

Surely that cannot be right that I can be sold a kit that was mostly out of date in 2007?


Do you know if there's a number/body to contact to check this out/report this company to?

I won't name them on here yet as i'm not sure if it breaks any forum rules or laws of the land?

I'm well annoyed if they've sold me an out of date kit,yet they've been waiting 3 weeks for them to come in and i've been chasing ever since so would have thought this was a brand new kit unless of course they got sick of my complaining and sent an old one out but even then I cannot see they'd have one left in stock from 2007 expiry date stock?

Is there anything I can do?

Those are the dates the chemicals were produced. I think the problem chemical is Nitrate solution 2 you might want to contact API to be sure....

 

[Truck]

thats the date produced not expire

 

[Rubyuk]

that doesnt mean theyre out of date, you need to add 3 years to that, and bear in mind some last longer (Cant remeber which ones)

Sorry

I thought you meant that the last four digits WERE the expiry date meaning mine were all done 2007/08?

Why would API put an expiry date on the bottle that was not the true expiry date ie add 3 years onto the date on the bottle?

My Nutrafin kit that i've just added to as well has a clear use by date of 2012 which is nice and simple.

I'm confused and worried now as is Andrew at Pets at Home as to whether I have an out of date API test kit which if I do will not provide accurate results I assume?

 

[Truck]

that doesnt mean theyre out of date, you need to add 3 years to that, and bear in mind some last longer (Cant remeber which ones)

Sorry

I thought you meant that the last four digits WERE the expiry date meaning mine were all done 2007/08?

Why would API put an expiry date on the bottle that was not the true expiry date ie add 3 years onto the date on the bottle?

My Nutrafin kit that i've just added to as well has a clear use by date of 2012 which is nice and simple.

I'm confused and worried now as is Andrew at Pets at Home as to whether I have an out of date API test kit which if I do will not provide accurate results I assume?

you kit isnt out of date, the 4 digits at the end, is the date produced. most of the reagents last 3 years some of them last more i cant remember which, email API and ask them

 

[Rubyuk]

thats the date produced not expire

Surely though dont consumer laws mean that all such perishable (SP) products need to display a use by/expiry date on them?

 

[rdd1952]

See post 2 here.

Not certain about the laws. I know a large number of products have an "encrypted" code on it that sales reps from the company can read but the average comsumer wouldn't know what it meant. Similar to the API kits they can look at them and tell you when it was manufactured or when it should be pulled.

I guess it would really depend on the product and it's potential for harm after that date as to whether an expiration date would be required by law. Obviously, things like medications (speaking human medications here but I'm sure the same would apply to meds for our tanks) can be dangerous after expiration. Some lose potency while other gain potency thus making them potentially dangerous.

 

[Rubyuk]

I've sent an email to API with all my bottle serial numbers so i'll let you know if they come back with anything

 

[rdd1952]

They are generally pretty good about replying. It may take a few days as I think this is starting to get into their busy season.

 

[Rubyuk]

As promised.

Comprehensive and speedy reply from Gary Jones corporate and scientific affairs manager for Mars Fishcare

''Your question is one that we always welcome. All test kits have a shelf life in which the chemicals degrade. No competitor can say that a test kit will read correctly forever.

Mars Fishcare is the industry leader in testing without exception. Many of our solutions are used for both freshwater and saltwater testing while some are designed exclusively for freshwater. Many of our reagent bottles are used in various kits under API and PondCare brands. In some situations you will notice that two color charts are provided one for freshwater and one for saltwater while other kits have one color chart for both. The need for two color charts is based on chemistry. However you can read the lot number on any kit and determine the manufacturing date. The last four digits represent the month and year of production. So 26a1007 would be produced in October 2007.

Our determined expiration dates are established under extreme conditions. The test kits expiration dates are first established under constant conditions of 40 degree Celsius with 75% humidity for an extended period of time. Our retention samples, which we have for five years of every batch of every product that we make, are also kept in a room with elevated temperatures. This ensures that if the test kits or water conditioners are kept under less extreme conditions that they may exceed our established expiration dating but we suggest following the recommended expiration dating listed below. Some retailers feel using worst case conditions are too conservative, we do not. Some retailers and distributors of our products continue to insist that expiration dates not be placed on the product for this reason. We continue to evaluate this and requests like yours helps us to guide our decisions in the future, for this I thank you.

Test Solutions Expiration Date

PondCare Wide Range pH Test Solution - 3 Years
Ammonia Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Ammonia Test Solution # 2 - 3 Years
High Range pH Indicator Solution - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 2 - 3 years
GH Test Solution - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Copper Test Solution - 3 Years
KH Test Solution - 4 Years
Nitrite Test Solution - 4 Years
Fresh Water pH Indicator Solution - 5 Years

 

[rdd1952]

They really are great aboout responding which is more than I can say for some other companies I've emailed.