should i be worried?

[xdragonxb0i]

i have 2 tanks a 20 gallon, and a 125 gallon. should i be worried that i always get 5ppm or less on nitrate,nitrite, and ammonia.

i dont clean the clean 20 gallon, just top offs, its a planted tank, i also add nitrates and other raw substance for the plants. i dont see how the ppm could be that low

on the 125 gallon, i do run a 55 gallon sump, with a emperor 400. but it has a 10 inch aro, 2- 4 inch fronts, a 4 inch yo-yo loach, 2 rams. and maybe 4 plecos about 3 inches.
its not overly stock, so i clean do a water change every 2 weeks.

you guys think im just being paranoid about my test kit? how do you know when your test kit is disfuctional?

 

[Morledzep]

a properly cycled tank should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and up to 20 ppm nitrates..

a planted tank will most likely have very low nitrates as well because the plants reduce nitrates.

 

[justonemoretank]

Yeah, I'd say if you still have ammonia and nitrite, something's interrupting your cycle. Are you gravel-vac'ing too much, or maybe you're cleaning the filter at the same time you're gravel-vac'ing? I used to do both of these, and I always had detectable ammonia and nitrite. Once I quit doing so much, all I had was nitrate, and all you can do about that is a water change.

 

[justonemoretank]

Oh, and as for a disfunctional test kit, you could take the water to your LFS and let them test it for you, and see if you get different results. Also, testing tapwater works if your tapwater is any good. If it's like mine, and always has ammonia (YUCK) then it doesn't work so well.

 

[xdragonxb0i]

i only gravel vac, i havnt cleaned my filter ever since i had the tank running,

the tank has probally been running like a month before easter. i dont know what date easter fall on

 

[xdragonxb0i]

oh i should also include, that i do still get brown algea.