Strange tank tests?

[Katchan]

Ok we have 4 tank's and I'll list all their water param's, all fish seem healthy and happy (no sign of disease clamped fins etc)

20 Gal bowfront (lounge)
0 Ammonia/Nitrite
5 Nitrate

10 Gal/14 Gal/40 Gal (study)
>8 ammonia
.5-1.0 nitrite
nitrate <10

40 Gallon - added 1 new power filter (keeps bottom nice and clean), added fine sponge to trickle filter to help filter the finer gunk out of the water, also added over a period of about 1.5 weeks 5 baby angels and a pearl gourami.

14 gallon - due to mass tetra death and every thing being well washed out with tap water (including running filter with normal tap water for 24 hours) - so this tank is probably just cycling.

10 gallon - added some female bettas during the cleaning of the 14 gallon, removed after 2-3 days and also removed some other fish over a week ago no change/drop in params.

When I noticed this (just after getting my test kit) I did a 50% change on these three tanks and have been doing 15-20% water changes every 2 days. I would be really worried but all the fish seem happy & healthy, no sickness or clamping

Katchan

 

[yvez9]

i think your ammonia test is expired or you're reading it wrong

over 8ppm of ammonia in a tank would be deadly to any fish in there for more than 1 day!

how long have these tanks been running and what kind of filtration do you have? Was there anything unusual that hapenned recentl,y like a power cut or something?

.5 nitrite is not good, but it would not kill your fish overnight, it would take a few days!

 

[Katchan]

The water's been testing this way for over a week, my only thought is my declorinator also says it removes 1ppm of ammonia. Could my test kit be picking up the ammonia in its neutrilised form? but this wouldnt explain the normal test for the 75 liter tank or the nitrite? (although the 75L tank has had less changes than the others since using this declorinator)

Also I hope the test kit is fine as I only got last week (but again this wouldnt explain fine in the 75L tank and different in the others)

katchan

 

[xanthianacid]

Any clues/ideas anyone?
This is just wierd!!!!

 

[yvez9]

you shouldn't use dechlorinator that removes ammonia, this will cause a kickback in your cycle and might be the reason why it's showing so high on your test strip...

can you bring it to the lfs and have it tested by them?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would buy a new set of water test kits and a different brand of them too and compare the results with your current one as you could have some serious problems; I would stay away from that dechlorinator too as it will cause your tank to mini cycle as it will be interferring with your bacterial cycle; the best brands of dechlorinator are Aquasafe and Stresscoat.