Tank Cycling, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 200

[Don Trinko]

Both liquid and strip kits are woefully inaccurate, and will almost always read higher than the true level. My old API nitrate test kit would measure 160ppm on pure RO water (TDS reading 5ppm or less) mixed with salt. Someone else on the forum complained of nitrates in their tap water and had the water board out with an expensive and well calibrated electric test. Where her liquid test was reading something like 80+ the "true" value was 27ppm.
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I use the API kit for Fresh water. It does red 0 for tap, my discus tanks are typicaly 5 and my angels 20 typicaly. I have not used it yet for SW. Don T.