Bad Testkits??????

[Vin7250]

So has anyone ever heard of a test kit "going bad"????? ive had it for like 2 years never used it more then 10 times because i got a new better set up, started a new reef about 2 months ago.....finally after about 7 weeks of running with about 40lbs of LR in my 40 gal tank I decided to bring some water to my dads house to test.....everything looked perfect. Took it to the LFS one last time last week and it was perfect ph amm nitrite nitrate.....so today i got hte bright idea to get this old test kit that i had really never used and i tested everything amm nitri nitra all 0 pH = 7.6?????????????? i thouht seawater was supposed to be about 8.2???????? how is my fish (chromis) still alive almost 3 weeks old and all my LR is looking aweomse got tons of hitchhiikers copapods/ featherdusters/all sorts of critters.......refugium with tons of calurpa doing great....how is all of this stuff thriving but my pH is that low??????? is the kit most likely bad????? or do i have a prob???? how do i correct that big of a pH jump?????? any help would be great guys

Vinny

[drillsar]

test kits do go bad everything has a expired date, does it have expiration on it?

[Vin7250]

didnt even look, if it was expired would it cause such a drastic discrepency????????? and honestly if the pH was really that low wouldnt my tank be showing some signs of a problem??

[theatrus]

It can do sudden shifts if the regents have aged and decomposed into other material.

Salifert test kits have a date on the box. Others may not.

7.6 is low, but if its slowly been declining its not deadly. Your alk is probably very low though.

[Vin7250]

so what should i do to get this back up other then of course get the water tested at the LFS to make sure (which ill do tomorrow) but suppose it is that low what should i do?

[mg426]

I think you need accurate info. If you have any concerns about your kit (and the fact that it is two years old is a legitimant concern ) get another kit/opinion.

[markandkristen]

vin. i purchased my tank with old test kits.
tried to savvage them . big waste of time and frustration.
finally coughed up bought salifert.
its worth every penny for the peace of mind.

[mg426]

Second the salifert suggestion.

[drillsar]

Its better to let PH naturally go up and be stable then to constantly change it.

But for 1 get a better test kit or get one of those digital PH monitors

[Vin7250]

sounds good guys, will do on those salferti kits but as for now what do i do with this low pH how could i let it "naturally" go up??? Do i need to do anything different then im doing now??
-Vin

[Marinemom]

Before you do anything, get another test kit or tank a sample in to the lfs to be tested and then go from there. If the test kit is two years old, chances are that they are not accurate readings.

Marinemom

[Vin7250]

thanks guys i actually did bring some water to my LFS today and the turn out is that my pH is perfect my ammonia is like .25 my nitrite is 0 and my nitrate is about 2ppm