what is more accurate to test with? because when i test with a liquid test kit i get 6.0 then when i test with test strips i get 7.0. whats better to test with?
question about testing ph
- Thread starter timmycat
- Start date
How long have you had the strips and the liquid test kit? After about 6 months you can start getting false readings.
The liquid tests tend to be more accurate.
The liquid tests tend to be more accurate.
From what I have learned recently the liquid is better I recently picked up the API test kit, as I am having PH issues of my own.
their both api kits and the test strips are about a year old and i got the liquid kit like two days ago. so im probable going to go with the test results from the liquid kit
I was told recently by my LFS (mom and pop shop) that the liquid only last about a year as well. I don't know how true this is tho.
vwilliams1475;4896353; said:
I do not believe that the liquid test kits expire in just a year. I have old test kit given to me a few years ago. It was Doc Wellfish brand. I also had bought a test kit just prior to getting the older one. I still have both of them and they both give me the same readings. A friend of mine said that the chemicals will degrade over time. So I said why don't we test with your new kit and with both of my old kits. Well as it turn out I got the same exact reading from all three kits. The oldest kit was Doc Wellfish the other 2 are API.
I think the liquid does expire in about a year. I bought a hagen test kit and about a year later my tank's parameters sucked...all over the place, not constant at all.
I had no idea what was going on. Even after huge water changes everything was high. My filter media had been running for years, so I thought what the heck was going on.....? After getting lots of mulm from friends and doing massive water changes daily, I took a water sample (from a few tanks and the tap) to a LFS and they said the water was fine. So I went home and tested my water again and I got terrible results. So I bought an API test kit and the problem was solved haha....aka I don't think I had a problem at all, just my test kit expired.
So, at least the hagen test kit does expire, that is all I can come up with for a reason that my water parameters would totally bounce all over the place.
I had no idea what was going on. Even after huge water changes everything was high. My filter media had been running for years, so I thought what the heck was going on.....? After getting lots of mulm from friends and doing massive water changes daily, I took a water sample (from a few tanks and the tap) to a LFS and they said the water was fine. So I went home and tested my water again and I got terrible results. So I bought an API test kit and the problem was solved haha....aka I don't think I had a problem at all, just my test kit expired.
So, at least the hagen test kit does expire, that is all I can come up with for a reason that my water parameters would totally bounce all over the place.