API test kits expire before date

[Aldrinlights]

First, I know API kits are not the high end standard we should be using. I have seen the math about getting the Salifert tests and of course I'd love to have a complete Hanna set. Sadly due to the pandemic my career in entertainment is destroyed and I can't afford those options.

I just wanted to post this picture of the difference between 2 API tests for Nitrate. One I just bought on the right and the one on the left doesn't expire for 6 more months. The one on the left is obviously wrong though and much darker than it should be.

If you are also using API and your kits expire this year, you might need to get new ones now.

 

[Garf]

First, I know API kits are not the high end standard we should be using. I have seen the math about getting the Salifert tests and of course I'd love to have a complete Hanna set. Sadly due to the pandemic my career in entertainment is destroyed and I can't afford those options.

I just wanted to post this picture of the difference between 2 API tests for Nitrate. One I just bought on the right and the one on the left doesn't expire for 6 more months. The one on the left is obviously wrong though and much darker than it should be.

If you are also using API and your kits expire this year, you might need to get new ones now.

Things haven’t changed then. I had this happen 16 or so years ago. I would mix them together

 

[brandon429]

pls can you do a side by side for ammonia

even if you just have one ammonia test, can you run it on your reef we have a baseline collection thread where the pic of the actual test on known safe water is being amassed for patterning among tanks.

 

[Aldrinlights]

pls can you do a side by side for ammonia

even if you just have one ammonia test, can you run it on your reef we have a baseline collection thread where the pic of the actual test on known safe water is being amassed for patterning among tanks.

 

[brandon429]

That is a quality ammonia read right there.

 

[Timfish]

It's not just the API reagents that might age early or might be bad from the manufacter (some may recall the problems with Hanna alkalinity a few years ago). Several practices I started a long time ago is checking new kits and reagents against old, periodcily checking different manufacters against each other and storing test kits and reagents in cool areas as heat from pumps and lights may age the reagents of some test kits.

FWIW these are the test kits I use (first listed is primary). I do occasionally get other manufacters but these are the ones I keep coming back to.
Alkalinity - API, Hanna, Red Sea
pH - API
Nitrate - Red Sea, Nyos
Ammonia - Not tested
Nitrite - Not Tested
PO4 - Nyos, Hanna
Magnesium - Red Sea
Calcium - API