# Do water test kit's expire?



## Gerrad (Jan 5, 2008)

Hey all,
I've been using "jungle" water test strip's for a while ,now. My current tank was used when I bought it. I received alot of extra's from the previous owner (water conditioner plastic hose's etc). I knew I had this greenish box but never really paid attention to it,till today. It's a API freshwater master test kit. It's an older edition. 
What I want to know is, since it say's 2003 on the box in the small print. Is this still good to use,to test my water parameter's? 
I did a full water test, following the direction's and using the glass test tub's. I could never get accurate ph,ammonia, reading's with the junlge brand. I was planning on buying a api master test kit,soon. This kit, doesn't test for chl,hardness,or alk. I'll have to buy those test kit's from my lfs.
After doing the complete water test. My number's were much improved,then using the jungle.
With using the jungle brand,my result's were:
ph 8-8.4 (color's on the pad,never matched the chart,this range was the closest match on the chart)
alk 300
chl 0
hardness 150 (hard)
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 ppm
ammonia .5
it's been like this since I started the tank (in apr)

Today's result using the older API freshwater master test kit result was:
ph test one 7.6 (range to compare to 6.4-7.6)
ph test two (higher ph test) 7.8 (range to compare to 7.6-8.8)
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5 ppm
So, the ph,ammonia and nitrate are in better number's. 
Can, I trust this older API water test kit? I was assume I can,since I couldn't find anything stating that there is a expiration date. I don't think chemical's go bad.


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