How Embarrasing

[Gooner]

Don't forget that the water company is supplying drinking water and as such will have very expensive, calibrated test devices. We, on the other hand, are buying very cheap test kits (about a tenner for a kit?) and as such cannot expect anywhere near the accuracy.

Andy,

Yes, you are correct, the kit was all computerized.

Have sent Aquarium Pharmaceuticals an E-mail as to what they recommend for "Expiary Dates" for unopened and opened bottles.
Not expecting a reply until at least Monday as I doubt they work weekends.

 

[Gooner]

Just received this, better late than never, as they say.

This is what I sent

I am currently using an API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT (Liquid Test) and believe I am getting false readings from the Nitrate test.

Mine has a Lot No. 17B0506 for bottle 1 and 18A0806 for bottle 2. I believe the last four digits are matufacture dates i.e. 0506 being May 2006.

If this is correct, are there any recomendations for a "Shelf Life" or "Use by Date", Unopened or Opened.

Kind Regards,

This was Returned

Thank you very much for contacting us regarding our products. All of your comments and questions are valuable. We use your feedback to create the most effective line of aquarium and pond products available.

Gary the kit should still be good as the nitrate test is good for 3 years so the expiration will be 2009. Make sure to vigorously shake bottle #2 as the reactive reagent in the bottle tends to settle out to the bottom of the bottle and must be shook so it becomes spread throughout the reagent bottle.

If you have any other questions or wish to discuss this further, please email back or give us a call at 1-800-847-0659.

Best Regards,

Nathan Fekula
Technical Service and Research
Mars Fishcare

50 EAST HAMILTON ST
PO BOX 218
CHALFONT, PA 18914-0218

So, there you go, good for up to 3 years.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

aye, nitrate test kits are wildly inaccurate, take the results as an indicative reading at best! As andy said, they're kit is significantly more expensive, you can't expect the same level of accuracy.

however thankfully nitrate is one of the less harmful things in your water. If it is really at 100ppm then yes it's not good and should be reduced, but most fish can take it for a short while at least. Not like if ammonia or nitrite were anywhere near that.

 

[Gooner]

And then another appeared in the inbox...........

Thanks for contacting us with your question.

All of our kits are good for a minimum of three years past the date of manufacture. The last four digits of the lot number show that date, so those bottles would still be fine. A common error in reading the nitrate test is to wait at least five minutes, rather than exactly five minutes. Any time over five minutes will cause the kit to give a higher reading.

Thanks and best regards,

DAVE SCHAEFFER
TECHNICAL SERVICES
Mars Fishcare

50 EAST HAMILTON ST
PO BOX 218
CHALFONT, PA 19814-0218

A common error....leave the test to stand 5 minutes...no longer...no less!!!

 

[waterdrop]

And then another appeared in the inbox...........

Thanks for contacting us with your question.

All of our kits are good for a minimum of three years past the date of manufacture. The last four digits of the lot number show that date, so those bottles would still be fine. A common error in reading the nitrate test is to wait at least five minutes, rather than exactly five minutes. Any time over five minutes will cause the kit to give a higher reading.

Thanks and best regards,

DAVE SCHAEFFER
TECHNICAL SERVICES
Mars Fishcare

50 EAST HAMILTON ST
PO BOX 218
CHALFONT, PA 19814-0218

A common error....leave the test to stand 5 minutes...no longer...no less!!!

Yes, we had my father-in-law, a dye chemist watch over us as we began learning to use our first API master test kit and he made us use an electronic kitchen timer for the 5 minute wait. He also suggested a habit of washing the test tubes with tap water thoroughly and then a quick final rinse of distilled water before storage. I was surprised but he said to remember you are attempting to measure small parts per million, so trace leftovers in the tubes and tubes shaken with the finger as a stopper can potentially have skewed results.