Red Sea says x Api says Y

[Jackalope12]

So I ran API test on my second tank this morning

Ph 8.0
Ammonia slightly above 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm

So I went and bought 2 bangaii cardinals. Put them on a slow drip

while buying my fish the RedSea test kit i ordered arrived. So I tested the tank and...

Ph 8.0
Alk 2.5-2.86
Nitrite .1
Nitrate >50
And ammonium 1.5 ppm

Salinity 1.028

I don't know what to believe. I just retested the Api again and same as above

Thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any kit can be wrong for many reasons, but in the absence of any other info, I'd accept the Hanna over API.

Can you describe the tank situation more?

 

[Jackalope12]

It was a 3 year old tank that I transported 3-4 days ago. Tossed out some sand but kept most. Added some rocks. Kept all but 10 gallons of the water

Simple drilled that runs through the filter sock. One heater set at 80 degree (seems to hold)

Autofill seems to add .25 gal a day

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It was a 3 year old tank that I transported 3-4 days ago. Tossed out some sand but kept most. Added some rocks. Kept all but 10 gallons of the water

Simple drilled that runs through the filter sock. One heater set at 80 degree (seems to hold)

Autofill seems to add .25 gal a day

The ammonia should resolve fairly quickly, I expect.

 

[Jackalope12]

Any kit can be wrong for many reasons, but in the absence of any other info, I'd accept the Hanna over API.

Can you describe the tank situation more?

It was a 3 year old tank that I transported 3-4 days ago. Tossed out some sand but kept most. Added some rocks. Kept all but 10 gallons of the water

Simple drilled that runs through the filter sock. One heater set at 80 degree (seems to hold)

Autofill seems to add .25 gal a day