I got a mini master test kit, it's a Nutrafin (Hagen). Has anyone used this brand? My question is, since they say nothing about it in the books, for the NO3 Nitrate test, is the water in the tube clear for 0.0? Becase the chart only shows from 0.5 and up (light purple to dark). My reading was the lowest 0.5, but, waht about a 0 reading? All my other reading were good, 0 NH3/NH4, 0.1 NO2, and 6.5ph. The last time I got a test done for nitrate was a few months ago and it was 0.

When your filter starts to cycle the way it's supposed to, Ammonia and nitrites will be 0, and you'll start getting a nitrate reading.
That's a good thing.
Then keep your nitrates below 40, by regular partial waterchanges.

Alright thanks. I think I have it straight now; nitrates are what I want to see and niTRITEs should be 0. I was getting my water tested at my favorite FS for the longest time and my tank WAS cycled but I bought a new filter and had it running with my old one for 3 weeks then my old filter died. I think the new filter hadent established it self enough.

I started in the hobby with new tank syndrome.
I tested for nitrites only for a long time.
Allways read 0, after the filter had estabished.
Until i found out about nitrates, and the first time i tested, they were off the chart!
I'd been testing weekly, very religious, but the wrong test, nevertheless.

nitRATES and nitRITES are often confused and mixed up. This is one of the reasons I like to ask for the full actual result. I like to see both reading so I know no mistakes are made.

nitrates (NO3) show as yellow 0- orange 5.0- reds getting darker 10+
nitrites show (NO2) show as blue 0- lilac 0.25-purple 0.50- pink 1.0 etc

Ammonia and nitrite should be zero and if they are not then something has gone wrong (assuming the tank has been set up for at least a couple of months)

A nitrate reading of 0.5 is a wonderful result. My tap water has nitrates of 23

wow really delboy?? i was concerned my reading wasnt zero when i tested my tap LOL

I used up all of the nitrate test fluid i had, and had to order a new nitrate test kit. i didn't want to have to buy the whole kit again just to get the nitrate test, and was glad to find it by itself on-line.