Weird Water parameters

[Rhiannamal]

I have a 15g fluval flex and I was using a tetra test trip test and the results said 0nitrate 0nitrite 0 ammonia 0 chlorine... however that is impossible it’s got plants and fish in it and I only did a 10% water change last week.

So I thought the test was faulty... and ordered an API master test kit.
I’ve done the test 3 times, I’ve followed exact instructions, I’ve watched YouTube videos on it and I’m getting ALL 0s still on everything. I know also about how you have to really shake the one bottle because of it solidifying etc.. I read tons of forums on the kit.
The ph is showing I’m at 7.4 but everything else is 0. I’m so confused. Is it possible that I have all 0s?

I posted this on a different site but no one knew why it would say 0s. So I’m trying here.

Ps I checked expiry dates too it’s fine.

 

[Autumnsky]

How long has this tank been running/ it is cycled, through weeks of fishless cycle or fish in cycle, did you recently change your filter pads for new ones, add special bacteria?

You should have 0 ammonia and Nitrite when your tank is cycled, meaning the BB are grown and doing their job. Plus if you are not over feeding and you ARE doing water changes.

What is the size of the tank and what filters are you using?

It does seem odd you have 0 Nitrate, none at all but maybe the plants are using it up if it is moderately to heavily planted?

Do you have a pic of the tank you can post to see all the plants?

 

[Rhiannamal]

The tank is a 15 gallon fluval flex and it has the built in filter and I added another filter just from Walmart to it because I had problems with fish dying and I wanted to see if it helped but I just wasn’t doing enough water changes I think before.

The tank has been running for 6 months or so with fish. I was testing it with tetra strips before but it was showing all 0 even when the tank was dirty so I think they were junk so I bought the API test just last week. I have just done a water change though so the water is nice and clear now. I still thought though it should have some ammonia in it? There’s not mych fish now though because they all died over the past 6 months.
I didn’t change filter pads but I cleaned the media in the filter like rinsed it.
2 Molly’s 1 panda loach 1 oto catfish and Anubis plants. And 5 moss balls.

 

[Autumnsky]

This article and the links included in it, might be a good resource for you.

Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

One of the biggest things which helped me was understanding the cycling process, and how BB / beneficial bacteria live in the filter pads/media, and you basically NEVER throw out filter pads or rinse in plain tap water (use pwc water or treated/dechlorinated water).

This info was life changing for me AND my fish!!!

When the tank is not cycled (meaning it has a mature colony of BB), it causes fluctuations and toxic conditions in the tank which kill fish.

 

[Rhiannamal]

Thank you yes I was just rinsing the filter sponges with reg water. I treated the water when I added it of course it I was just rinsing the filters with tap water.

 

[Autumnsky]

Preserving the BB will likely, along with regular pwc make your tank inhabitants live longer. And all will be happier!!! Win, Win!

 

[Autumnsky]

It is so frustrating that lfs employees just do not understand the nitrification cycle, and it is an easy, common sense thing but makes an enormous difference to the success of keeping an aquarium.