Aquarium Test Strips?

Question

So I took some fish tank water up to the local PetSmart to have it tested, and my Nitrite and Nitrate levels were off the charts. So I did a water change and back about 36 hours later, and it was still higher than their test strips charts would go. They use the test strips that you dip in the water.

So I bought a dropper style test to do at home, as I figured I'd be in for a series of water changes, but when I tested it with the drops everything came out normal? My levels weren't 0 (my tank hasn't completely cycled yet) but they were at a safe level?

So which do I believe? Do those test strips go bad after a while maybe?

Answer 1

Yes the strips can go bad - they may have been from an out-of-date bottle (chemicals should have an expiration date on the package - check your kit as well, even though it's new, it may have been sitting on the shelf in the store for a while! Generally liquid kits are more accurate than test strips.

Test strips also degrade in a moist environment, and will give false readings if the pads with the chemicals are touched.

With your kit, make sure you hold the bottle perfectly up and down to get uniform sized drops when you test, as this can affect the accuracy of your readings.

You can clean the tubes well and do a second test to double-check your readings. You may have reduced the levels when you did a water change, but it's just as likely someone's using old testing materials.

Answer 2

In my experience the test strips are very unreliable. Most aquarists, including myself, reccommend the liquid tests.

Answer 3

Dont fool with those, instead get the water additives that automatically treat your tank for it. Get Easybalance by TetraAqua...you add it when you do water changes and you wont have to worry about stupid inaccurate strips with it