Is This Normal?

[rpgmomma8404]

I set both of my tanks up I think on the 6th. I went a head and tested both of them today. Looks like they are both sitting at the same water condition. 
 
ph - 7.2
ammonia - 1.0
nitrite - 1.0 
nitrate - 10 
 
I thought that was kind of strange. Both tanks were set up on the same day. I have sand in them also. 
 
I went a head and tested the tap water. I got this: 
 
ph - 7.6 
ammonia - 1.0 (eww)
nitrite - 0.25
nitrate - 10
 
I wonder if I'm not testing this all right? I do go by the directions I found online. The kit I bought from someone with a bunch of other aquarium items but for some reason the little color cards and directions weren't in with it. So, I had to get them off the internet. Hard to tell what exact color I'm looking at sometimes too. Both tanks have been cloudy for the last couple of days but I figured it was because they are up and running again after being down for a few weeks. 
 
Any suggestions? Hopefully I'm on the right track this time. 

 

[attibones]

Check the expiration dates on all your bottles. You may be getting a false reading. Test your tank water again, be very forceful with the shaking, and see if your results aren't any different. Perhaps you need to find a hard copy of the color cards as the computer screen can distort colors. 
 
What is interesting is that your tank water pH is lower than your tap water. Typically these are about the same unless you are intentionally adding things to alter pH. 

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Typically these are about the same unless you are intentionally adding things to alter pH. 

 
Or unintentionally....
 
Got some bogwood in there?

 

[attibones]

Ah, that's true, LJ. 

 

[rpgmomma8404]

 

Typically these are about the same unless you are intentionally adding things to alter pH. 

 
Or unintentionally....
 
Got some bogwood in there?
 

Nope, no bogwood. Haven't used anything to lower the ph either. 
 
The expiration date on the bottles is 11/16. Could I just have a bad test kit? 

 

[214jay]

Which kit is it you have got?  I would hope that something is wrong with the kit, would not like ammonia in the water

 

[rpgmomma8404]

Which kit is it you have got?  I would hope that something is wrong with the kit, would not like ammonia in the water

API freshwater master test kit. 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There should be almost no ammonia in your water from the tap- this is regulated by the EPA. There should be no nitrite at all and the max allowable nitrate level is 10 ppm as nitrogen (10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) = 44.3 mg/L nitrate (NO3-). That means your API test kit for nitrate should read about 45 ppm before its a problem for humans.
 
Tap and tank pH are almost always different. Especially if you have not out gassed the tap water before testing its pH. Most tap water is either deficient in or has a surplus of co2 in it. Once it leaves the tap, it will equalize and reach the normal equilibrium level. At this point one can test the pH and get a good level. You either need to let a glass of water sit overnight or else use and air pump to bubble if for at least an hour or two and then test.
 
Hobby nitrate test kits are unreliable at best. In the presence of nitrite they are really bad.

 

[macphyter]

I wonder if I'm not testing this all right? I do go by the directions I found online. The kit I bought from someone with a bunch of other aquarium items but for some reason the little color cards and directions weren't in with it. So, I had to get them off the internet. Hard to tell what exact color I'm looking at sometimes too. Both tanks have been cloudy for the last couple of days but I figured it was because they are up and running again after being down for a few weeks. 

 
Do you mean you ordered a new color card on the internet, or do you mean you downloaded one to look at on your computer?  You can't trust your computer monitor to accurately represent color shades, and even printing it out on an inkjet printer would be suspect given the subtle differences in shading.   Make sure you get an original color chart to use for your test results, otherwise you could get errors in your numbers.

 

[214jay]

Can you take a sample of your tap water to a LFS and get them to test it? This would probably give you an idea if it is 'faulty'

 

[rpgmomma8404]

There should be almost no ammonia in your water from the tap- this is regulated by the EPA. There should be no nitrite at all and the max allowable nitrate level is 10 ppm as nitrogen (10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) = 44.3 mg/L nitrate (NO3-). That means your API test kit for nitrate should read about 45 ppm before its a problem for humans.
 
Tap and tank pH are almost always different. Especially if you have not out gassed the tap water before testing its pH. Most tap water is either deficient in or has a surplus of co2 in it. Once it leaves the tap, it will equalize and reach the normal equilibrium level. At this point one can test the pH and get a good level. You either need to let a glass of water sit overnight or else use and air pump to bubble if for at least an hour or two and then test.
 
Hobby nitrate test kits are unreliable at best. In the presence of nitrite they are really bad.

Should I call the water company? I know I tested the ammonia right. The color was a neon green for the tap. 

 

 
Both tanks have a air pump and air stones. I also get one gallon jugs to replace the water levels or when I do water changes. These jugs are used for drinking water so I know they are safe and I dechlorinated when I fill them. Not sure if that is helpful in the situation but thanks for the information. This is all so damn confusing, lol. 

 

I wonder if I'm not testing this all right? I do go by the directions I found online. The kit I bought from someone with a bunch of other aquarium items but for some reason the little color cards and directions weren't in with it. So, I had to get them off the internet. Hard to tell what exact color I'm looking at sometimes too. Both tanks have been cloudy for the last couple of days but I figured it was because they are up and running again after being down for a few weeks. 

 
Do you mean you ordered a new color card on the internet, or do you mean you downloaded one to look at on your computer?  You can't trust your computer monitor to accurately represent color shades, and even printing it out on an inkjet printer would be suspect given the subtle differences in shading.   Make sure you get an original color chart to use for your test results, otherwise you could get errors in your numbers.
 

 
Ah, okay. I wonder if that is my issue and why I am having problems on getting a good reading. Do you happen to know where I can order them? 

Can you take a sample of your tap water to a LFS and get them to test it? This would probably give you an idea if it is 'faulty'

That is what I am thinking about doing but the place I would take the sample too is about 20 minutes away. Petsmart does those stupid test stripes. 

 

[macphyter]

Ah, okay. I wonder if that is my issue and why I am having problems on getting a good reading. Do you happen to know where I can order them? 

 
I have never seen them for sale anywhere, but this forum is filled with people who have been keeping fish for a while.  Surely someone has used up their API kit and has an old color card they can spare.  Maybe you can ask around on a wider topic.