Does it Expire????

[Marianne]

I have unfortunately neglected my 50 gallon reef tank on and off for a year. This week I did a 50 gallon water change split into two days and thoroughly cleaned the whole aquarium. My tang is so happy!

I have a question regarding the expiration of chemicals. I have Kent Marine Strontium & Molybdenum, B-ionic Calcium Buffer System Component 1 and 2. Do these expire? I can't find anything on the bottles. On the B-Ionic it states that the chemicals were tested on 05/29/02, other than that nothing. I know I bought these way past 2002, probably 2005.

I want to make sure these are safe, before I use them.

Thanks,
Marianne

[cUddlefish]

You should not need to use these especially if you use a salt with these things in them. The St and Mb trace elements are usually not neccessary and they tend to bond with other things over time. I'd avoid that one after so long.

Other concern:
In 48 hours you did a massive water change. I hope when you wrote "thoroughly cleaned" you did not kill off your good bacteria which lives in the rocks and sand. Monitor the Ammonia levels for the next month if you did.

Calcium does not expire too easily IMO but someone like MDP would be better able to answer that.