Do unopen calibrations packets go bad.

[Tangdora]

Hi

Do unopened calibration packets go bad. None seem to have expiration dates. The ones particularly concerned with and have easy access to from the LFS are.

The Neptune 4, 7 and 10.
The Neptune 53000us.
The Hanna 35.0 ppt.

 

[Gribbles]

If unopened, I would expect they would last a few years. I have no real basis for that expectation though.

Thank you for reminding me to go calibrate my salinity pen!

 

[rishma]

Randy will tell you they might be bad when brand new :)

 

[Miami Reef]

If properly sealed with no access to air, I think the packets can last a long while.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Depends on how good the packaging is, but CO2 can penetrate plastics and would lower the pH 10 fluid. Metallized plastic is better.

 

[Tangdora]

The Hanna and Neptune stuff does seem to have metallic package. I tried the Salinity and ph solution that I had which were about a year old. All were still air sealed. Salinity number for the most part came out right inline with my tropic Marin hydrometer reading and the Neptune ph probe matched to a Hanna handheld I use to post validate after calibration. So looks like a year is still reasonable to use.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Salinity would only change by water moving out of (or into) the packet. That can happen, but more slowly than CO2.