API Test Kit not working?

Alright, so I’ve had my API test kit for a few months, worked great in the beginning. However, I am now having issues. Basically I wanted to test the water on one of my 6 gallon tanks, I only tested nitrates. My nitrate results came up as 80ppm and, naturally, I panicked and did a 75% water change. I refilled and afterwards I got the same results, 80ppm. I waited until the next day and did a 50% water change and got the same results. I followed the directions exactly (shaking the second bottle for 30 seconds plus, as well as shaking the test tube for a whole minute plus and I waited the 5 minutes to read). I am puzzled by this issue, is my test faulty? Did it go bad? I did use test strips (the runbo ones) and I don’t think they’re as accurate but they never showed my nitrates to be that high in the first place, and the numbers decreased after my two water changes.

 

1. What is the nitrate of your tap water or whatever water you use for your water changes?
2. Any nitrite?

 

1. What is the nitrate of your tap water or whatever water you use for your water changes?
2. Any nitrite?

I can’t test my tap water now, but I remember when I tested it right after getting my test kit, it came up as 0. I have well water so there shouldn’t have been any major changes done by the city or anything that could affect my water. Nitrites came up as 0 (in my tap water and in my tank).

 

Have you tested your other tanks?

 

agreed, test your tap water.

then you can dilute the tank water with tap water and do multiple test. the colors are a bit difficult to differentiate, 40ppm and 80ppm are very similar
use 3 separate test tubes and set them side by side:
#1 test tube 100% tank water
#2 test tube, 50% tank water, 50% tap water
#3 test tube, 25% tank water, 75% tap water (it should be more orange than red)

if not, then do a 4th test tube, like 10% tank water and 90% tap water, if its not orange then the test probably went bad.

 

I can’t test my tap water now, but I remember when I tested it right after getting my test kit, it came up as 0. I have well water so there shouldn’t have been any major changes done by the city or anything that could affect my water. Nitrites came up as 0 (in my tap water and in my tank).

To clarify, do you mean you have 0ppm nitrite now or a while back or whenever?

 

Alright, so I’ve had my API test kit for a few months, worked great in the beginning. However, I am now having issues. Basically I wanted to test the water on one of my 6 gallon tanks, I only tested nitrates. My nitrate results came up as 80ppm and, naturally, I panicked and did a 75% water change. I refilled and afterwards I got the same results, 80ppm. I waited until the next day and did a 50% water change and got the same results. I followed the directions exactly (shaking the second bottle for 30 seconds plus, as well as shaking the test tube for a whole minute plus and I waited the 5 minutes to read). I am puzzled by this issue, is my test faulty? Did it go bad? I did use test strips (the runbo ones) and I don’t think they’re as accurate but they never showed my nitrates to be that high in the first place, and the numbers decreased after my two water changes.

I agree with what's been previously said, test your tap water and for nitrites. But is there a possibility that the test kit reached beyond the expiration date? It should be on the bottle. Has the test kit been stored in a place with bizarre temperatures or a fluctuation of temperatures?
Most importantly, have your fish been acting bizzare? With a reading as high as that, if your fish are acting normal then it's a faulty test.

 

Are you adding liquid ferts to this tank? I know the first time I ran my nitrate test after adding the recommended amount of Thrive I was shocked at the number. I have to think that is why the instructions recommend changing out 50% of the water each week. Thrive C doesn't raise them as much but still do.