80 Days After Setup...

...and my ammonia is STILL 0.25 p.p.m., and my nitrites are STILL 0.1 p.p.m..

Now, I'm pretty sure by now my ammonia should be at 0, but it's not. To find out what could be causing this issue, I checked the source: The RO water I've been buying at my LFS. Turn outs the RO water is at 0.25 p.p.m.. So, there are two possibilities: 1) my test kit is bad, or 2), my LFS has bad water. I am leaning towards two, since my test kid came with my aquarium, so it's new. Would there be ammonia in tap water? I want to test my kit with a control. Actually, I have bottled water, so I'll try that first.

The two damsels, two firefish gobies, 1 peppermint shrimp, 10 blue legged hermits and about 100 snails seem to be doing fine, but I still really want to get my params in order, because I am nervous to add any more fish.

 

My bottled water is reading about 0.20 p.p.m. so now I am confused :-/. Should I just take a sample to my LFS and have them check it?

 

You can do that or get another test kit, there should be no ammonia in the tap water,especially in bottled water.

 

it couldnt hurt what size tank is this?

 

34 Red Sea Max. I have a thread in here somewhere about it. I think I'll call my LFS tomorrow and ask if they do water tests (I'm sure they do, but it's a 10-20 mile drive). If they do I'll drive out there.

 

You definitely have a faulty test kit.

Buy a new one.

 

That's what it's looking like, but I want to double check with my LFS before I go out and buy a new test kit, since they don't come cheaply. Luckily, where I work sells a master reef test kit, so if I DO have to buy one, I'll get 15% off.

 

yea looks like a faulty test kit, or your not doing the test right?? adding the right amount of chemicals? mixing etc etc double check the instructions just to be sure and you dont end up wasting $$$

or its a crap test kit and the reading looks to be off by .20

 

I'm definitely doing the test correctly - there is no question about that.

 

Went to my LFS to check my water quality to find out that my test kit was indeed bad, which means I have to buy a new one

On the bright side, my ammonia is 0, my nitrites are 0, and my nitrates are 10!