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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

API Master Test Kit - stupid q?

  • Didihno (Didihno)
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03 Dec 2007 10:23 #1 by Didihno (Didihno)
API Master Test Kit - stupid q? was created by Didihno (Didihno)
I have had mine for about a year, got it off ebay, like most of my fish stuff.
I recently had a spate of fish deaths, as described in other threads. Through all this I have been testing the water as usual, and my readings have been normal.
The very last one did seem to show a very small ammonia spike, but I had just done a whopping clean of the filters so its expected.

The question is this: How do you tell the expiry date on these kits?

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03 Dec 2007 11:19 #2 by KenS (Ken Simpson)
I've heard it said that they do expire. However, like you, I can't find an expiry date on the box or individual bottles. I wanted to double check this as I suspected that the cheaper stock on eBay may be closer to it's expiry date.

There does appear to be a date of manufacture on the top right hand corner of the label on each bottle. The last four digits on mine are 0705 and 0805 which I assume means they were manufactured in July and August 2005.

I'm going to try mailing them and see if they suggest replacing the kit after a period of time.

I cycled a tank about 6 months ago and was getting high ammonia and nitrITE readings so am pretty sure that it's working as it should.

Regards,

Ken.

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  • Didihno (Didihno)
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03 Dec 2007 11:38 #3 by Didihno (Didihno)
Replied by Didihno (Didihno) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Thanks Ken yes I have those dates, both in the year 06 I think.

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03 Dec 2007 13:22 #4 by serratus (Drew Latimer)
Liquid testkits should be replaced every 6-12 months, as once exposed to air the chemicals breakdown and as time goes on give less accurate test results. I have had a few customers eg. with standard trops. with unexplained deaths, fish drab/not feeding only to find their test kit is reading PH7.0 when with a new kit its 5.5!!!! Over 6 months i would personally change it, better safe than sorry!!
As far as im aware API say 6 months........

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03 Dec 2007 15:16 #5 by Didihno (Didihno)
Replied by Didihno (Didihno) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Holy crap I'm way out of date by those numbers.
Now most manufacturers usually overestimate their use by dates, to sell product.
We all know that.
I usually multiply by 2 (except carbon) for most things.
But even by that my test kit is out of date.
Thing is, buying a new one at €50 a pop every 6 monmths to a year is very freaking expensive.
I suppose though you are protecting your investment in stock.
Hmmmm.....off to shop around!

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03 Dec 2007 16:26 #6 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Get the Tetra Dip strip thingies.

I find them grand but the don't have an ammonia test on it, not that i'd need it anyway ;) ;)

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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  • Didihno (Didihno)
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03 Dec 2007 17:02 #7 by Didihno (Didihno)
Replied by Didihno (Didihno) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Actually I compared the two quite rigourously and found the dip strips very accurate overall.
Some people here hate them.

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  • Anthony (Anthony)
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03 Dec 2007 18:47 #8 by Anthony (Anthony)
Replied by Anthony (Anthony) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
The API dip tests are a million miles off. Absolute shite.
The drops are better but still not great.
The best IME are the Hagen ones. These are the most accurate.
They are a lot more sensitive than the API.
Some people use Salifert.
Paul and myself did an experiment with Salifert and Hagen.
We tested the same water and got the same reading. With both
tests. The hagen are more easier to read though.

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  • Didihno (Didihno)
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03 Dec 2007 23:13 #9 by Didihno (Didihno)
Replied by Didihno (Didihno) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Are those Hagen the dipper type Anto?

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04 Dec 2007 00:13 #10 by KenS (Ken Simpson)
I've always found the API liquid test kit to be accurate. Any time I'm cycling a tank, I get Ammonia and NitrITE spikes as I'd expect. I've never had unexplained fish deaths (plenty of explained ones though) where I suspected that the kit was giving false readings.

Next time I'm on the market I'll try the Hagen one and see if there is any difference.

Never tried the test strips as I've also heard that they are crap.

Regards,

Ken.

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  • Anthony (Anthony)
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04 Dec 2007 11:16 #11 by Anthony (Anthony)
Replied by Anthony (Anthony) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Didihno wrote:

Are those Hagen the dipper type Anto?


No. They are drops. I ment to say they are easier to use not
easier to read.:laugh:
I am on about using the Marine ones. They are very good for
Fresh water. Sorry for not being more accurate with my info.
ME BAD.

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  • Didihno (Didihno)
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04 Dec 2007 15:33 #12 by Didihno (Didihno)
Replied by Didihno (Didihno) on topic Re:API Master Test Kit - stupid q?
Oh, right!!!!
Thanks!

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