[AquaticLife] Are test strips accurate ?
I cannot speak of the 5 in 1 test strips, but scientists use test strips for quick field measurements, but they are kept under controlled conditions for the most part. You need, for good accuracy, test kits that use dry reagents. My recommendation are the Aqua-Tru kits by Kordon, though they can be hard to find. They have the best vial in the industry. One side can hold untested water, while the other holds the tested water. If the water is not clear, you will still get an accurate reading (many aquariums have water that is slightly yellow if there is driftwood in them, and the color is from tannins that leach).
Any kit you buy, make sure it shows an expiration date on the reagents it uses. If the reagent is expired, do not buy it. All reagents have a certain shelf life. The dry reagents have the longest. The liquid reagents generally have a shelf life of about 6 months, and most of that can be spent sitting in a warehouse or on the dealer’s shelf. While any reagent may give accurate readings after the expiration date, you will not know when they start to give false readings, and you water quality can deteriorate or remain good, while the kit tells you it is OK or deteriorating. The safest course is to properly dispose of those reagents when they reach the expiration date, if you have any left.
\Steve//
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
