Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Hi Bob,
A reader (Illya Cheng) has recently contacted us regarding some Liquid Life BioPlankton he has purchased. I have read that this is a product you've got some experience of, hence the email via the experts service.
He is concerned that the product he has purchased is out of date (the bottle is stamped 05/10/04) and that it might not be safe to use in his reef tank. His dealer has told him, incorrectly I think, that US dates are the reverse of UK ones, so the product actually goes out of date on 4th Oct 2005, rather than 5th October 2004...
If you could give an expert opinion we'd be most grateful. ILLYA CHENG - cymricharry@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks, Matt
Hi Matt,
Nice chatting with "Mr. Practical Fishkeeping" (in my opinion) as your articles are a vital part of that magazine!
As for the product, actually, we Americans place month, day, year or sometimes day, month, year in that order and you guys have it year, month, day, which is the Julian method, I believe. Anyway, the dealer is correct as Liquid Life 'does' use the Julian method to date their products. So the product is still good.
Further more, it would continue to be good after the expiration date for another six months, yet in that timeframe begin to lose its digestibility.
And note, sometime in the future this date 'problem' area is going to be corrected on their labels with specific info relating to reading the expiration date. When I'm not sure, but you can put the readers mind at ease as the product is still good.
Cheers
Bob
