Interpreting Water Tests?????

So, my 30 gal tank has been cycling with live rock and live sand for about 6 weeks now, and I have yet to see the results in water tests I was expecting.....I have not done any water changes, and only add distilled water to top it off (tested to be free of ammonia etc.) I have a protein skimmer running well, rated for a 90 gal. and also a trickle filter. So, here's the water tests by date.

Test 1 (after 1 week running) : Temp 80.5 pH 8.2 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 5 Alk 9 dKH

Test 2 (after 2.5 weeks running) : Temp 80.7 pH 8.2 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 10 Alk 9 dKH

Test 3 (after 4 weeks running) : Temp 81.0 pH 8.1 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 5 Alk 9 dKH

Test 4 (after 5 weeks running) : Temp 80.0 pH 8.1 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 2.5 Alk 9 dKH

Test 5 (after 6 weeks running, with my fingers crossed during this test hoping to see some progress...) Temp 80.0 pH 8.1 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 5 Alk 9 dKH

Frustration ensues.....can anyone tell me what is going on with my cycling.... Do i need a more accurate test kit???? I'm using the Red Sea Marine Lab and heard it was pretty accurate. Or should i just keep being patient?

 

IMO/IME RedSea has been one of the least inconsistent test kits going, especially the Alk kits.

Is the kit expired? More than a year old after the first use? Are you following the written directions?
Are you holding the bottles completely vertical? Bottles held at an angle cause larger drops and skew results.

Six weeks and still getting ammonia isn't good but it's weird that your results are pretty consistent with the exception of NO3. I'd pick up an API Master Reef kit and try again.

Buy a bottle of something like NutraFin Cycle to boost whatever bacteria was alive on your rock to begin with.

Good luck.

 

+1 :thumb_up:

If for some reason you can't get the API test kit right away, at least take a sample of tank water to your LFS to verify your results. I think you'll find they're not completely accurate.

 

The kit is brand new, I have been following the instructions with bottles vertical and all. Since my results were fairly consistent, I figured the tests were consistently inaccurate lol. I will do my best to get a hold of an API test kit and since there is no livestock in the tank, its not too much of a rush. Thanks for the help!