Why are the nitrite readings different in both my test kits?

Why are the nitrite readings different in both my test kits? The API says 0ppm while the Sera test kit says 5.0mg/l

What going on here?






Also I am not able to get any readings for nitrates in the sera liquid test kit but I am able to detect around 5ppm nitrates using the API liquid test kit.

 

Check if the test liquids are not expired. You can test both brands using distilled water. Both should show 0, if not then that test is faulty or might be expired.

 

Check if the test liquids are not expired. You can test both brands using distilled water. Both should show 0, if not then that test is faulty or might be expired.

Hi, thanks for responding. I have tested both the brands using distilled water and as per what you said yes they both showed a zero reading, the sera nitrate test kit is nearing the expiry date however it still hasn’t expired whereas the nitrite test kit has a whole year left before the expiry. Regarding the API test kit, It’s brand new and was purchased like just two weeks back however I don’t how to check it’s expiry date as there’s nothing mentioned about the expiry.

I am doing a fishless cycle and am very eager to get it stocked as soon as the cycle is complete but now that I’ve discovered that different brands show different readings with sera giving me a high nitrite reading as opposed to the 0 reading from the API test kit, I am literally losing my mind over this besides the frustration of having to wait to see the tank stocked with fish as I don’t know what to believe and what to go ahead with... the API test kit says that the nitrites are 0, Ammonia is 0.50ppm and nitrates is 5ppm while sera says Ammonia is 1.0mg/l, nitrites as 5.0mg/l and nitrates as 0mg/l

What do you think I should do now? Really confused

 

Since both brands show 0 with distilled water, I think the test kits are ok. Since I'm also using the sera test kit, I'm more inclined to trust the results from sera.
Can you post a photo of the nitrate test result?

 

Since both brands show 0 with distilled water, I think the test kits are ok. Since I'm also using the sera test kit, I'm more inclined to trust the results from sera.

Hmm... if sera is accurate that means my tank isn’t cycled at all... it’s been like almost two months now and the nitrites are still very high... don’t know what I’m doing wrong or why the nitrites haven’t dropped yet..

 

The nitrite fixing bacteria are usually the slowest to show up. Test it again tomorrow, if it is still showing the same results, some bacteria boosters (like seachem or tetra safe start +) might help.

 

Why are the nitrite readings different in both my test kits? The API says 0ppm while the Sera test kit says 5.0mg/l

What going on here?

View attachment 487092
View attachment 487093

Also I am not able to get any readings for nitrates in the sera liquid test kit but I am able to detect around 5ppm nitrates using the API liquid test kit.

When using the API, when you first put the drops in, do they turn purple and immediately drop to the bottom?

 

When using the API, when you first put the drops in, do they turn purple and immediately drop to the bottom?

No they don’t turn purple at all, they’re stubborn blue. Don’t change color at all the way the sera nitrite kit does... but the funny thing is I am getting a constant 5ppm nitrate reading using the same brand along with an ammonia reading of 0.50ppm. Strange right?

The nitrite fixing bacteria are usually the slowest to show up. Test it again tomorrow, if it is still showing the same results, some bacteria boosters (like seachem or tetra safe start +) might help.

I do have seachem stability, however I more or less doubt it’s gonna help or worse what if it competes with the bacteria that fixes ammonia.. I am using fish food to do a fishless cycle so don’t know if that would be a good idea

The nitrite fixing bacteria are usually the slowest to show up. Test it again tomorrow, if it is still showing the same results, some bacteria boosters (like seachem or tetra safe start +) might help.

HI Again, So today I visited the LFS to check if there was anything wrong with the test kit alone, I asked them to test the water from the tank i've been cycling for a while now with the one they usually use for their tank and the results were pretty similar to my sera test kit for nitrites, in other words both sera and the one which they were using were high, however nitrates level were also high too like it was shown in the API test result, so the conclusion we arrived at was that the API nitrite testing solution was defected after all... So I guess this means my nitrogen cycle is nearing its completion after all.