Do these parameters sound okay?

just got the api master test kit today and want to make sure everything looks okay?

boys 10 gallon (50% water change Monday)
ammonia. 0ppm
nitrate. 0ppm
nitrite. 0ppm
ph. 7.4
temp. 77

girls 10 gallon (50% yesterday)
ammonia. 0ppm
nitrate. 0ppm
nitrite. 0ppm
ph. 8.0 is this too high?
temp. 77

5 gallon single betta (80% water change Friday) he had some disgusting build up in the sand so that is why I did 80%.
ammonia. 0ppm
nitrate. 0ppm
nitrite. 0ppm
ph. 7.4
temp. 78

just to make sure the tests where working..

new betta still in cup.
ammonia. 1ppm (I though that hight could kill fish?)
nitrate. 0ppm
nitrite. 0ppm
ph. 0ppm
temp. 72F
does this all sound good? I read online that nitrate should be 20 ppm is this true?

 

We need a bit more information before answering this question. Are the tanks cycled meaning have they gone through the ammonia and nitrite stage? You should be seeing some nitrates if they are cycled.

Are you following the instructions for the nitrate test to a tee. Are you shaking bottle #2 like your life depended on it? Once you add drops from bottle #1 are you capping and giving the test tube a quick shake? Once you have added drops from each of the 2 bottles are you shaking the test tube for a full minute? And then, are you waiting a full 5 minutes for the true color to develop?

I would be getting the fish out of the cup sooner rather than later. I would be drip acclimating him to the parameters of the tank he is going to go into.

Nitrates don't have to be 20 but normally we do see some.

 

We need a bit more information before answering this question. Are the tanks cycled meaning have they gone through the ammonia and nitrite stage? You should be seeing some nitrates if they are cycled.

Are you following the instructions for the nitrate test to a tee. Are you shaking bottle #2 like your life depended on it? Once you add drops from bottle #1 are you capping and giving the test tube a quick shake? Once you have added drops from each of the 2 bottles are you shaking the test tube for a full minute? And then, are you waiting a full 5 minutes for the true color to develop?

I would be getting the fish out of the cup sooner rather than later. I would be drip acclimating him to the parameters of the tank he is going to go into.

I thought the tanks where cycled as the newest one has been running for 4 months and I used seeded filter media and bottled bacteria but I did not have a test kit until now to make sure. the nitrates do not look exactly like on the chart though so could be in between 0ppm and .25ppm

I shook both bottles. was I only supposed to do bottle #2? and I did shake the test tube and let it sit but maybe not long enough... I only did it for 3 minutes. I think I will re-test as it sounds like I did not do it right.

I got the new fish out of the cup and drip acclimated her for about half an hour into her 2 gallon quarantine tub and she is active and looks heathy so far.

I will let you know the test results once I get the proper readings. thanks so much for your help though!

 

I shake all the bottles before each use but we need to pay special attention to nitrate bottle #2. It is the only one that has to have the sediment broken loose from the bottom.

 

I'm a new fishkeeper and my information might not be accurate but IMO, 0ppm for Nitrates and 1ppm for Ammonia is not a normal reading. In a successfully cycled tank, according to my research, Ammonia should be 0ppm, Nitrites should be 0ppm and Nitrates should be nothing higher than 40ppm.

 

I'm a new fishkeeper and my information might not be accurate but IMO, 0ppm for Nitrates and 1ppm for Ammonia is not a normal reading. In a successfully cycled tank, according to my research, Ammonia should be 0ppm, Nitrites should be 0ppm and Nitrates should be nothing higher than 40ppm.

no all my tanks have 0ppm ammonia I tested my new bettas cup that he came in to check the the test kit was working and it had 1ppm ammonia. and I was testing wrong before so I don't think the readings I listed above are correct I am re-testing though so I will let you know what they come back as.

I shake all the bottles before each use but we need to pay special attention to nitrate bottle #2. It is the only one that has to have the sediment broken loose from the bottom.

the parameters are the same..... does this mean the tanks never cycled?

 

no all my tanks have 0ppm ammonia I tested my new bettas cup that he came in to check the the test kit was working and it had 1ppm ammonia. and I was testing wrong before so I don't think the readings I listed above are correct I am re-testing though so I will let you know what they come back as.

the parameters are the same..... does this mean the tanks never cycled?

I am sorry I missed this yesterday. Unfortunately we don't get an alert when the posts are merged.

Not really. You may be keeping the nitrates down to unreadable levels with your water changes. This is a good thing. I am thinking all of these tanks have bettas in them. All have very low bio-loads meaning just a little bit of ammonia being produced. Seeing no nitrates isn't a problem. As long as you are seeing 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites you are fine. Those are the important numbers.