API Test kit showing 0.25 nitrites

[F3NIX]

Hi, My saltwater tank has had about 0 PPM ammonia, 0.25 PPM nitrite and nitrate about 20ppm. I’m trynna figure If it has been cycled. Cuz the nitrate is going up and the ammonia stays zero but my nitrite is staying at 0.20 to 0.25ppm. Idk if the test is wrong or picking up something. I used Seachem prime but it drops my ph so I stopped. Oh yeah I’m using The API Freshwater test kit cuz I heard it’s basically the same thing as the saltwater test kit. Does anyone else have this problem ?

[mcarroll]

Do you get a different result if you test some tap water?   (If you get the same result you know it's a problem with the test kit.)

 

Does it have an expiration date on it?

[F3NIX]

Yeah when I test the tap water it reads 0. But why would my nitrates be going up a lot if my nitrite is .25 and ammonia is 0 ? I’m just trynna figure out why my nitrite is stuck at 0.25 for so long. I used some old tank water, live rock so it should be good right? It’s been 2 or 3 weeks. The expiration date is 02/28/2021

[Michael78]

I bought both test kits and yes have tried them both On the opposite tanks f.w. And s.w. and yes they are the same.. they saw me coming that’s for sure... I’m new to saltwater but I would do a decent size water change and test again... maybe the secondary bacteria haven’t caught up yet.. better to play it safe than sorry.. and if you do a 50% water change and the test shows less than you know it’s not fully cycled yet... just my two cents..

[F3NIX]

Ok yeah I retested it an now my cycle looks to be done. Ammonia:0, Nitrite:0 and nitrate 20 or 25 ppm. But I’m working on getting the nitrates to 5. I started up a algae scrubber yesterday  to help with nitrates and phosphate cuz I have an algae problem right now of green Cyanobacteria. How long should I run the lights on my algae scrubber 

[mcarroll]

You'll want to revert back and disable the algae scrubber.

 

Cyano is growing because hair algae can't...something is missing.  You want hair algae.  Hair algae will (with the helps of your cleanup crew) eventually give way to coralline algae.  👍

 

5ppm for nitrates is already low enough...hopefully it's no lower than that now.

 

What are you measuring for phosphates?  If it is near-zero then that is likely your tank's problem.  Raise phosphates in that case.

 

How are you filtering and cleaning the tank on a daily basis?

[F3NIX]

I just got some coral ( 2 zoa frags with about 12 heads on each, toadstool, mushroom, star polyps.)Their doing great. I just seeded my tank with coraline algae from someone’s tank.  I haven’t measured phosphates. There’s no sand bed. I just siphon water out and that’s it. Imma start dosing when I get some more corals. If coral can survive so can some fish like clowns right ?