Hello! I have come across a number of bottles of expired Cycle and Aqua Plus. I never use expired water additives in my own tanks but have been told by a person who helps set up cold water salmon tanks for schools that the stuff, even when expired, is good. I know many of you likely have strong opinions about expired supplies since we all love out fish, but is there any solid proof that expired cycle is useless or harmful? Just wondering so I know whether to chuck all this stuff or keep it around for a school (classroom) tank. Thanks as always for any insights!
Cycle and Aqua Plus Expired?
- Thread starter Calvin Klein
- Start date
Found this on the net. It may help.
Best Used By or Expiration Dates
Despite common belief, 95% of medications are still quite effective well past their expiration/best used by dates often printed on packages (generally an antibiotic is at least 90% + effective 6-12 months after said date). The exception is Tetracycline Hydrochloride which can become toxic past its expiration date, although even then it takes well over a year for this to happen (generally years).
Many organic treatments such as Melafix can last for years past their expiration dates (I used some Melafix that was two years past its date with positive and measured results).
These “dates” are in part made by regulations (often under false assumptions) as well as companies that manufacture these products who know that when you discard a medication you will likely purchase a replacement. Either way, neither reason is based on good science which includes many studies, as well as my own multiple controlled tests over the years.
If you doubt this, a quick search on the internet, including medical sites will prove this correct, so do not believe what you read on Yahoo Answers or similar anecdotal sites.
Here is one such site:
Harvard Medical School; Drug Expiration Dates - Do They Mean Anything?
Best Used By or Expiration Dates
Despite common belief, 95% of medications are still quite effective well past their expiration/best used by dates often printed on packages (generally an antibiotic is at least 90% + effective 6-12 months after said date). The exception is Tetracycline Hydrochloride which can become toxic past its expiration date, although even then it takes well over a year for this to happen (generally years).
Many organic treatments such as Melafix can last for years past their expiration dates (I used some Melafix that was two years past its date with positive and measured results).
These “dates” are in part made by regulations (often under false assumptions) as well as companies that manufacture these products who know that when you discard a medication you will likely purchase a replacement. Either way, neither reason is based on good science which includes many studies, as well as my own multiple controlled tests over the years.
If you doubt this, a quick search on the internet, including medical sites will prove this correct, so do not believe what you read on Yahoo Answers or similar anecdotal sites.
Here is one such site:
Harvard Medical School; Drug Expiration Dates - Do They Mean Anything?