Review on Ammonia Test Strips 100Ct by Marshall Dickinson

UPDATE! I repeated the test of this product with a new bottle sent to me by this company's customer service. All photos show new test strips (still not working). I tested them along with two other branded test strips and a basic freshwater API kit. The results of this product are still inconsistent. In addition, it is simply not visible that a purposeful change in their coloration occurs. If I had to guess, I would say that the concentration of the chemicals tested is either too low or simply absent. I've attached before and after photos. In addition to the fact that it doesn't work, here are a few other downsides to this product: 1 . The range of colors from 0 to 5 ammonia shown on the label is very small. Also, it's supposed to go from a light brown shade to a slightly darker tan and then to a light green and then to a slightly darker green. This color transition area differs from the transition of other stripes during the test. They just go from yellow to progressively darker greens and if it's really big (like mine) to dark blue/green. The label on it is fairly unprotected paper. "Good brands" are plasticized, so a little water from time to time will not ruin the color chart.3. As stated below, the testing method for them is the slowest and least consistent. Others only need 5 and 10 second exposures and then a much faster read time. NOTE: Because it's so common to see on Revain that it's undoubtedly the same product, made in the same factory but offered by a different seller and possibly with different packaging, I recommend staying away from any tapes that the "30 second dip and exit" sampling method, since they are probably the same strips in a different package. On the contrary, API and Tetra (reliable brands) each use their own method, which to me indicates that they Invested in developing their own test (which actually works) rather than just buying and repackaging the product from Factory X. SERVICE responded to my initial review They were polite, prompt and sent me a free new bottle of strips after I had returned the old ones. I really appreciated their work in trying to get it right. This test and photos v on new strips that still don't work. So ultimately I can't give it more than 1 star. I didn't buy the product to write a letter to the nice people in customer service. I bought the product to test my water. END OF UPDATED REVIEW. FIRST CHECK I tested my water using the API Master Kit and another trusted brand of ammonia test strips. Both agree on a high value. However, these stripes don't change color at all - they just don't work and don't do anything. I've had a few fish die recently and it's pretty clear that high levels of ammonia are to blame. Aside from disagreeing with other tests, this product also doesn't accurately describe my observations. I'm also not a fan of the "dip back and forth for 30 seconds" method of collecting a sample as it is inherently fickle. Of course I can keep the rhythm, but this is a chemical test that should be as objective and consistent as possible. It is better if the test strip instructions simply say: XX seconds in and out again. That being said, I tested a few strips to see if a specific interval worked better (from 1 second in water to 4 seconds). just keep it submerged for the whole 30 seconds) - as I suspected, it made no difference; the product still didn't work.