Aquarium Test Kits

[leliataylor]

Mike, they are all less than 2 months old with expiration dates ranging from 2017-2020. On my established tanks all 3 brands are in agreement with with no nitrites and small amounts of nitrates. What got me started on this was a friend of mine was getting extremely high readings using API kits so I decided to experiment with different kits. One system I am cycling and tested with a API nitrite kit turned dark purple as soon as the reagents were combined and was green after 5 minutes. It makes me wonder what these kits are actually reading. The same system gave me a ammonia reading off the scale (dark blue) after being filled for less than 12 hours and I did not add any pure ammonia to the system. I have another system that gave me the same results. Both systems were started as sterile bare bottom tanks. Yes I did test my water prior to filling the tanks and no trace of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.

Still trying to figure out what is causing such a divergence in the results. The only common denominator between his tank and the ones I am cycling is the use of K1 media (which I have in other systems without the crazy test results).