Odd Water Parameters

[Scoobcake]

So i can't for the life of me get my ammonia to stay at 0 its usually around .125ppm or a hair higher. That in itself isnt that odd just annoying. My nitrites are always 0 and my nitrates are usually around 5ppm. Today I tested and everything was the usual except I had 0 nitrates. Im not really sure what to make of this.

 

[BHead707]

have you done a water change recently? added any live plants?

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Have you tested your tap water?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

So i can't for the life of me get my ammonia to stay at 0 its usually around .125ppm or a hair higher. That in itself isnt that odd just annoying. My nitrites are always 0 and my nitrates are usually around 5ppm. Today I tested and everything was the usual except I had 0 nitrates. Im not really sure what to make of this.

Make sure you shake the #2 bottle of the nitrate test and bash it on something to loosen the powder. Follow the instructions exactly.
Get a bottle of water and test the ammonia and compare the two tests (bottle vs tank water) if they are the same your not testing .125ppm. It's 0. Sometimes the test doesn't look completely yellow. I know mine doesn't.

 

[Scoobcake]

I always make sure to shake the bottles really well so it wasn't that. I had the tank water testing at 0 ammo for about a week so I dont think it's showing a false .125ppm. Will check tap and bottled water though to be sure. The only things I've done recently was removed the little bit of live hornwort I had in there and put a bunch of fake plants in there. Did a Water change about 2 days ago.